Acquisitions and Dispositions Acquisitions and Dispositions (Details 2) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2012	Aug. 04, 2014	Jun. 16, 2014	Jan. 29, 2014	Jan. 16, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Date of acquisition		Aug. 04, 2014
Purchase price		$ 825,000,000
Acquisition and transaction financing fees	$ 0	9,869,000	$ 0
Long-term debt	125,000,000
Maximum borrowing capacity	225,000,000
Value of trademarks/tradenames				$ 33,700,000
Value of customer relationships				21,400,000
Value of other intangible assets				12,900,000
Accumulated amortization, intangible assets acquired	44,695,000	$ 39,754,000
Joint Venture [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Date of acquisition		Jan. 16, 2014
Percentage of ownership interest acquired							50.00%
Purchase price		$ 25,200,000
Fair value of existing investment in acquiree		21,800,000
Remeasurement gain		5,700,000
Charge to earnings associated with termination of prior relationship		2,900,000
Revenues associated with acquired operations		38,000,000
Depreciation and amortization associated with acquired operations		1,500,000
Income before taxes associated with acquired operations		8,900,000
Purchase price allocation, property, plant and equipment							$ 1,300,000
Purchase price allocation, net working capital							18,500,000
Cash acquired							12,000,000
Purchase price allocation, deferred tax and other liabilities							4,500,000
Purchase price allocation, certain intangible assets							$ 23,000,000
Purchase price allocation, nondeductible goodwill		$ 5,800,000
Total ownership interest resulting from acquisition							100.00%
Ownership interest immediately prior to acquisition							50.00%
Amount paid at closing							$ 15,000,000
Additional consideration payable at a later date					$ 10,200,000
TD EnerServ [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Date of acquisition		Jan. 29, 2014
Purchase price		$ 15,000,000
Contingent consideration, maximum						$ 8,000,000
Contingent consideration, minimum						0
Adjustment of liability associated with contingent purchase price		2,300,000
Purchase price allocation, property, plant and equipment						7,300,000
Purchase price allocation, certain intangible assets						3,200,000
Purchase price allocation, nondeductible goodwill		2,300,000
Purchase price allocation, goodwill						$ 6,600,000
Compressor Systems, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Purchase price allocation, current assets				101,411,000
Purchase price allocation, property, plant and equipment				571,706,000
Purchase price allocation, certain intangible assets				68,000,000
Purchase price allocation, goodwill				161,387,000
Purchase price allocation, total assets acquired				902,504,000
Purchase price allocation, current liabilities				77,504,000
Purchase price allocation, total liabilities assumed				77,504,000
Purchase price allocation, net assets acquired				$ 825,000,000
Accumulated amortization, intangible assets acquired		$ 6,800,000
Minimum [Member] | Compressor Systems, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Average useful life of finite-lived intangible asset		2 years
Maximum [Member] | Compressor Systems, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Average useful life of finite-lived intangible asset		15 years
Segments [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Long-term debt	580,481,000	$ 539,961,000
Parent Company [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Long-term debt	292,971,000	395,074,000
Bank Revolving Line of Credit Facility [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs	100,000
Bank Revolving Line of Credit Facility [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Long-term debt	22,850,000	$ 90,000,000
CSI Compressco Senior Notes [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Carrying value of Senior Notes	$ 350,000,000
Senior Note, stated percentage rate	7.25%	7.25%
CSI Compressco Senior Notes [Member] | Segments [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 345,481,000	$ 344,961,000