Industry Segments (Details 1) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	$ 100,021,000	$ 79,027,000	$ 259,644,000	$ 229,915,000
Services and rentals	206,350,000	175,276,000	502,073,000	454,048,000
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	306,371,000	254,303,000	761,717,000	683,963,000
Income (loss) before taxes	(24,827,000)	18,702,000	(38,004,000)	17,518,000
Assets	2,194,239,000	1,201,552,000	2,194,239,000	1,201,552,000	1,206,533,000
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	67,925,000	73,957,000	220,250,000	217,859,000
Services and rentals	37,351,000	25,658,000	106,514,000	75,982,000
Intersegment revenues	20,000	0	327,000	40,000
Total revenues	105,296,000	99,615,000	327,090,000	293,881,000
Income (loss) before taxes	16,541,000	20,851,000	52,077,000	55,703,000
Assets	427,965,000	383,999,000	427,965,000	383,999,000
Production Testing Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	0	0	0	0
Services and rentals	48,984,000	47,088,000	133,289,000	148,555,000
Intersegment revenues	1,193,000	292,000	2,902,000	865,000
Total revenues	50,177,000	47,380,000	136,191,000	149,420,000
Income (loss) before taxes	3,426,000	2,807,000	379,000	13,422,000
Assets	321,589,000	328,461,000	321,589,000	328,461,000
Compression Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	30,999,000	1,484,000	34,901,000	3,913,000
Services and rentals	64,898,000	28,283,000	122,775,000	84,660,000
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	95,897,000	29,767,000	157,676,000	88,573,000
Income (loss) before taxes	(6,562,000)	5,447,000	4,102,000	13,833,000
Assets	1,227,920,000	234,194,000	1,227,920,000	234,194,000
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	56,000	2,237,000	529,000	3,950,000
Services and rentals	61,449,000	84,198,000	152,547,000	184,589,000
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	61,505,000	86,435,000	153,076,000	188,539,000
Income (loss) before taxes	601,000	20,579,000	(5,538,000)	25,064,000
Assets	181,117,000	205,343,000	181,117,000	205,343,000
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	1,041,000	1,349,000	3,964,000	4,193,000
Services and rentals	0	0	0	0
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	1,041,000	1,349,000	3,965,000	4,193,000
Income (loss) before taxes	(22,969,000)	(15,428,000)	(40,206,000)	(44,079,000)
Assets	25,730,000	22,087,000	25,730,000	22,087,000
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals	(6,332,000)	(9,951,000)	(13,053,000)	(39,738,000)
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	(6,332,000)	(9,951,000)	(13,053,000)	(39,738,000)
Income (loss) before taxes	0	0	0	0
Total Offshore Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	1,097,000	3,586,000	4,493,000	8,143,000
Services and rentals	55,117,000	74,247,000	139,494,000	144,851,000
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	56,214,000	77,833,000	143,988,000	152,994,000
Income (loss) before taxes	(22,368,000)	5,151,000	(45,744,000)	(19,015,000)
Assets	206,847,000	227,430,000	206,847,000	227,430,000
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues		(292,000)		(905,000)
Interdivision Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues	(1,213,000)	(292,000)	(3,229,000)	(905,000)
Income (loss) before taxes	3,000	0	9,000	0
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before taxes	(15,867,000)	(15,554,000)	(48,827,000)	(46,425,000)
Assets	$ 9,918,000	$ 27,468,000	$ 9,918,000	$ 27,468,000