Industry Segments (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	$ 55,162	$ 124,748	$ 177,305	$ 359,286
Services and rentals	121,391	180,396	344,237	513,269
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	176,553	305,144	521,542	872,555
Income (loss) before taxes	(22,585)	15,423	(199,179)	31,476
Assets	(1,372,050)	(1,941,313)	(1,372,050)	(1,941,313)	$ (1,636,202)
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	40,922	75,128	133,409	240,052
Services and rentals	21,687	35,437	49,061	92,745
Intersegment revenues	1	22	86	53
Total revenues	62,610	110,587	182,556	332,850
Income (loss) before taxes	8,835	33,215	8,931	83,535
Assets	(332,322)	(414,246)	(332,322)	(414,246)
Production Testing Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	0	0	0	0
Services and rentals	14,046	27,725	45,202	97,326
Intersegment revenues	1,019	1,217	3,118	3,559
Total revenues	15,065	28,942	48,320	100,885
Income (loss) before taxes	(4,222)	(4,528)	(27,924)	(4,961)
Assets	(93,916)	(195,920)	(93,916)	(195,920)
Compression Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	14,002	49,145	43,205	116,264
Services and rentals	56,716	79,781	185,299	242,006
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	70,718	128,926	228,504	358,270
Income (loss) before taxes	(15,766)	2,070	(124,506)	5,974
Assets	(832,839)	(1,205,023)	(832,839)	(1,205,023)
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	0	0	116	595
Services and rentals	29,239	37,882	65,488	84,801
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	29,239	37,882	65,604	85,396
Income (loss) before taxes	1,879	4,576	(5,792)	(1,977)
Assets	(127,813)	(140,815)	(127,813)	(140,815)
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	238	475	575	2,375
Services and rentals	0	0	0	0
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	238	475	575	2,375
Income (loss) before taxes	(643)	(1,649)	(4,664)	(987)
Assets	(3,538)	(5,068)	(3,538)	(5,068)
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals	(297)	(429)	(813)	(3,609)
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	(297)	(429)	(813)	(3,609)
Income (loss) before taxes	0	0	0	0
Total Offshore Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	238	475	691	2,970
Services and rentals	28,942	37,453	64,675	81,192
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	29,180	37,928	65,366	84,162
Income (loss) before taxes	1,236	2,927	(10,456)	(2,964)
Assets	(131,351)	(145,883)	(131,351)	(145,883)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues			(3,204)	(3,612)
Interdivision Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues	(1,020)	(1,239)	(3,204)	(3,612)
Total revenues	(1,020)	(1,239)
Income (loss) before taxes	(2)	5	5	(5)
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Income (loss) before taxes	(12,666)	(18,266)	(45,229)	(50,103)
Assets	$ (18,378)	$ (19,759)	$ (18,378)	$ (19,759)