Industry Segments (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	$ 57,697	$ 84,886
Services and rentals	111,632	166,206
Intersegment revenues	0	0
Total revenues	169,329	251,092
Income (loss) before taxes	(149,140)	(2,054)
Assets	1,437,304	2,028,875	$ 1,636,202
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	42,331	64,994
Services and rentals	16,697	34,282
Intersegment revenues	85	10
Total revenues	59,113	99,286
Income (loss) before taxes	(358)	17,736
Assets	347,324	413,623
Production Testing Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	0	0
Services and rentals	18,794	35,909
Intersegment revenues	1,077	1,192
Total revenues	19,871	37,101
Income (loss) before taxes	(19,374)	39
Assets	109,519	216,952
Compression Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	15,161	18,151
Services and rentals	66,534	84,738
Intersegment revenues	0	0
Total revenues	81,695	102,889
Income (loss) before taxes	(104,700)	2,404
Assets	873,435	1,274,697
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	116	235
Services and rentals	10,130	11,548
Intersegment revenues	0	0
Total revenues	10,246	11,783
Income (loss) before taxes	(7,708)	(8,648)
Assets	109,603	124,856
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	89	1,506
Services and rentals	0	0
Intersegment revenues	0	0
Total revenues	89	1,506
Income (loss) before taxes	(620)	975
Assets	18,452	22,925
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals	(523)	(271)
Intersegment revenues	0	0
Total revenues	(523)	(271)
Income (loss) before taxes	0	0
Total Offshore Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	205	1,741
Services and rentals	9,607	11,277
Intersegment revenues	0	0
Total revenues	9,812	13,018
Income (loss) before taxes	(8,328)	(7,673)
Assets	128,055	147,781
Interdivision Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues	(1,162)	(1,202)
Total revenues	(1,162)	(1,202)
Income (loss) before taxes	4	3
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Income (loss) before taxes	(16,384)	(14,563)
Assets	$ (21,029)	$ (24,178)