Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 3,325	$ 18,757	$ 5,418
Reconciliation of net income (loss) to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion	80,985	75,747	94,839
Impairments of long-lived assets	9,578	8,360	15,738
Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes	(9,824)	(2,012)	(5,757)
Equity-based compensation expense	6,724	9,441	6,288
Provision for doubtful accounts	374	(237)	973
(Gain) loss on sale of property, plant, and equipment	(5,776)	(4,916)	(58,674)
Excess decommissioning/abandoning costs	75,312	40,767	78,382
Other non-cash charges and credits	(10,165)	(6,527)	(6,149)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of assets acquired:
Accounts receivable	14,139	(31,229)	16,129
Inventories	3,011	(3,749)	2,158
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	12,281	(1,335)	23,447
Trade accounts payable and accrued expenses	(16,192)	7,291	(29,984)
Decommissioning liabilities	(114,109)	(94,419)	(101,920)
Other	(7)	1,730	2,899
Net cash provided by operating activities	49,656	17,669	43,787
Investing activities:
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(101,379)	(107,524)	(123,604)
Business combinations, net of cash acquired	0	(163,305)	(1,500)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant, and equipment	1,794	59,325	188,273
Other investing activities	(440)	4,817	(16,330)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(100,025)	(206,687)	46,839
Financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	140,971	88,426	0
Principal payments on long-term debt	(120,664)	(28,597)	0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation	0	198	1,334
Proceeds from issuance of Compressco Partners' common units, net of underwriters' discount	0	0	50,234
Compressco Partners' offering costs	0	0	(2,747)
Compressco Partners' distributions	(4,846)	(4,513)	(1,159)
Proceeds from sale of common stock and exercise of stock options	2,251	784	3,418
Deferred financing costs	(1,978)	0	(347)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	15,734	56,298	50,733
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(659)	2,356	(2,307)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(35,294)	(130,364)	139,052
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	74,048	204,412	65,360
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	38,754	74,048	204,412
Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest paid	17,728	18,711	18,145
Taxes paid (refunded)	7,438	8,020	(12,649)
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Adjustment of fair value of decommissioning liabilities capitalized to oil and gas properties	$ 0	$ 0	$ 1,804