Industry Segments and Geographic Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Corporate Overhead Footnote
General and administrative expense									$ 52,189	$ 41,139	$ 40,506
Depreciation and amortization									913	1,725	2,327
Interest expense									18,654	19,268	16,715
Other general corporate (income) expense									4,249	4,223	2,816
Total									76,005	66,355	62,364
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									457,761	374,978	300,145
Services and rentals									672,384	702,589	609,253
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues	$ 257,590	$ 305,144	$ 316,319	$ 251,092	$ 315,850	$ 306,371	$ 242,489	$ 212,857	1,130,145	1,077,567	909,398
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									155,015	116,912	80,985
Interest expense									51,202	32,744	17,392
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(201,763)	(157,871)	(128)
Assets	1,656,376				2,082,388				1,656,376	2,082,388	1,206,533
Capital expenditures									120,597	131,609	101,379
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									306,307	294,895	281,585
Services and rentals									117,459	142,139	101,040
Intersegment eliminations									278	327	38
Revenues									424,044	437,362	382,663
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									35,125	31,279	22,508
Interest expense									22	21	31
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									80,789	64,705	69,438
Assets	370,892				423,989				370,892	423,989	400,028
Capital expenditures									11,104	41,307	45,238
Production Testing Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									7,111	0	0
Services and rentals									122,292	188,528	194,236
Intersegment eliminations									4,668	4,296	1,747
Revenues									133,904	192,824	195,983
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									24,080	29,324	27,262
Interest expense									0	29	16
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(55,720)	(66,156)	14,093
Assets	134,725				241,640				134,725	241,640	327,413
Capital expenditures									7,843	31,226	26,757
CSI Compressco [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									141,461	74,827	8,293
Services and rentals									316,178	207,679	112,994
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									457,639	282,505	121,287
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									82,024	41,097	14,511
Interest expense									32,447	13,361	500
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(146,798)	7,340	20,200
Assets	1,018,584				1,273,580				1,018,584	1,273,580	230,829
Capital expenditures									95,586	37,516	24,103
Production Enhancement Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations										0	0
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									611	534	4,707
Services and rentals									116,455	164,243	200,983
Intersegment eliminations									5,128	30,595	50,122
Revenues									122,194	195,372	255,812
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									11,500	13,327	14,254
Interest expense									0	36	109
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(195)	(26,251)	22,870
Assets	131,916				129,350				131,916	129,350	181,617
Capital expenditures									5,949	20,013	4,207
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									2,438	4,722	5,560
Services and rentals									0	0	0
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									2,438	4,722	5,560
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									1,375	160	123
Interest expense									29	0	11
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(3,833)	(71,154)	(64,365)
Assets	18,453				23,479				18,453	23,479	46,903
Capital expenditures									38	0	21
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals									0	0	0
Intersegment eliminations									(5,128)	(30,595)	(50,122)
Revenues									(5,128)	(30,595)	(50,122)
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									$ 0	0	0
Interest expense										0	0
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									$ 0	0	0
Assets	0				0				0	0	0
Capital expenditures									0	0	0
Total Offshore Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									3,049	5,256	10,267
Services and rentals									116,455	164,243	200,983
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									119,504	169,499	211,250
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									12,875	13,487	14,377
Interest expense									29	36	120
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(4,028)	(97,405)	(41,495)
Assets	150,369				152,829				150,369	152,829	228,520
Capital expenditures									5,987	20,013	4,228
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment eliminations									(4,946)	(4,623)	(1,785)
Revenues									(4,946)	(4,623)	(1,785)
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(1)
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals									0	0	0
Revenues									0	0	0
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									911	1,725	2,327
Interest expense									18,704	19,297	16,725
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(76,005)	(66,355)	(62,364)
Assets	$ (18,194)				$ (9,650)				(18,194)	(9,650)	19,743
Capital expenditures									$ 77	$ 1,547	$ 1,053