Industry Segments and Geographic Information (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Corporate Overhead Footnote
General and administrative expense									$ 40,506	$ 40,005	$ 36,694
Depreciation and amortization									2,327	3,365	2,917
Interest expense									16,715	17,000	16,939
Other general corporate (income) expense									2,711	1,638	15,043
Total									62,259	62,008	71,593
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									300,145	276,155	329,489
Services and rentals									609,253	604,676	515,786
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues	225,435	254,303	221,101	208,559	231,140	233,986	234,909	180,796	909,398	880,831	845,275
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion									80,985	75,747	94,839
Interest expense									17,417	17,378	17,195
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(128)	28,183	6,233
Assets	1,206,533				1,261,818				1,206,533	1,261,818	1,203,310
Capital expenditures									101,379	107,524	123,604
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									281,585	257,558	229,426
Services and rentals									101,040	76,858	75,032
Intersegment eliminations									38	132	78
Revenues									382,663	334,548	304,536
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion									22,508	19,034	19,596
Interest expense									37	77	121
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									69,438	50,830	32,076
Assets	400,028				387,034				400,028	387,034	375,741
Capital expenditures									45,238	31,839	17,922
Production Testing [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									0	0	0
Services and rentals									195,983	207,984	139,755
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	1
Revenues									195,983	207,984	139,756
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion									27,262	22,261	13,893
Interest expense									19	13	32
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									14,093	39,847	35,969
Assets	327,413				337,208				327,413	337,208	119,311
Capital expenditures									26,757	40,025	19,925
Compressco [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									8,293	6,322	13,201
Services and rentals									112,994	103,144	82,567
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									121,287	109,466	95,768
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion									14,511	13,398	12,791
Interest expense									500	81	(20)
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									20,200	20,598	15,799
Assets	230,829				219,838				230,829	219,838	210,754
Capital expenditures									24,103	22,215	12,471
Production Enhancement Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals									(1,747)	(2,354)	0
Revenues									(1,747)	(2,354)	0
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(105)	0	0
Total Production Enhancement Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									8,293	6,322	13,201
Services and rentals									307,230	308,774	222,322
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	1
Revenues									315,523	315,096	235,524
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion									41,773	35,659	26,684
Interest expense									519	94	12
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									34,188	60,445	51,768
Assets	558,242				557,046				558,242	557,046	330,065
Capital expenditures									50,860	62,240	32,396
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									4,707	6,267	4,921
Services and rentals									200,983	218,477	217,341
Intersegment eliminations									50,122	41,199	65,038
Revenues									255,812	265,943	287,300
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion									14,254	16,650	14,502
Interest expense									109	109	45
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									22,870	21,706	18,455
Assets	181,617				188,034				181,617	188,034	216,927
Capital expenditures									4,207	12,050	64,420
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									5,560	6,008	81,941
Services and rentals									0	150	799
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									5,560	6,158	82,740
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion									123	1,039	31,314
Interest expense									11	98	78
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(64,365)	(42,790)	(26,275)
Assets	46,903				75,383				46,903	75,383	63,294
Capital expenditures									21	343	7,924
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals									0	0	0
Intersegment eliminations									(50,122)	(41,199)	(65,036)
Revenues									(50,122)	(41,199)	(65,036)
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion									0	0	(174)
Interest expense									0	0	0
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									0	0	1,802
Assets	0				0				0	0	0
Capital expenditures									0	0	(66)
Total Offshore Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									10,267	12,275	86,862
Services and rentals									200,983	218,627	218,140
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	2
Revenues									211,250	230,902	305,004
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion									14,377	17,689	45,642
Interest expense									120	207	123
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(41,495)	(21,084)	(6,018)
Assets	228,520				263,417				228,520	263,417	280,221
Capital expenditures									4,228	12,393	72,278
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment eliminations									(38)	(132)	(81)
Revenues									(38)	(132)	(81)
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals									0	417	292
Revenues									0	417	292
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion									2,327	3,365	2,917
Interest expense									16,741	17,000	16,939
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(62,259)	(62,008)	(71,593)
Assets	19,743				54,321				19,743	54,321	217,283
Capital expenditures									$ 1,053	$ 1,052	$ 1,008