Industry Segments and Geographic Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Corporate Overhead Footnote
General and administrative expense									$ 34,767	$ 52,189	$ 41,139
Depreciation and amortization									430	913	1,725
Interest expense									21,157	18,654	19,268
Other general corporate (income) expense									5,510	4,249	4,223
Total									61,864	76,005	66,355
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									249,558	457,761	374,978
Services and rentals									445,206	672,384	702,589
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues	$ 173,222	$ 176,553	$ 175,660	$ 169,329	$ 257,590	$ 305,144	$ 316,319	$ 251,092	694,764	1,130,145	1,077,567
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									129,595	155,015	116,912
Interest expense									59,996	55,165	35,711
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(237,090)	(201,763)	(157,871)
Assets	1,315,540				1,636,202				1,315,540	1,636,202	2,063,522
Capital expenditures									21,066	120,597	131,609
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									176,882	306,307	294,895
Services and rentals									69,625	117,459	142,139
Intersegment eliminations									87	278	327
Revenues									246,595	424,044	437,362
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									28,338	35,125	31,279
Interest expense									32	22	21
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									10,430	80,789	64,705
Assets	322,858				370,892				322,858	370,892	423,989
Capital expenditures									2,311	11,104	41,307
Production Testing Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									0	6,944	0
Services and rentals									59,509	122,292	188,528
Intersegment eliminations									4,109	4,668	4,296
Revenues									63,618	133,904	192,824
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									16,221	24,080	29,324
Interest expense									42	0	29
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(35,471)	(55,720)	(66,156)
Assets	87,462				134,725				87,462	134,725	241,640
Capital expenditures									802	7,843	31,226
CSI Compressco [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									71,809	141,461	74,827
Services and rentals									239,566	316,178	207,679
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									311,374	457,639	282,505
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									72,159	82,024	41,097
Interest expense									38,271	35,235	15,562
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(136,327)	(146,798)	7,340
Assets	816,148				1,004,760				816,148	1,004,760	1,256,970
Capital expenditures									11,568	95,586	37,516
Production Enhancement Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations										(1)	0
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									116	611	534
Services and rentals									76,506	116,455	164,243
Intersegment eliminations									903	5,128	30,595
Revenues									77,525	122,194	195,372
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									11,086	11,500	13,327
Interest expense									0	0	36
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(12,025)	(195)	(26,251)
Assets	102,715				131,916				102,715	131,916	129,350
Capital expenditures									5,913	5,949	20,013
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									751	2,438	4,722
Services and rentals										0	0
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									751	2,438	4,722
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									1,362	1,375	160
Interest expense									12	29	0
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(1,841)	(3,833)	(71,154)
Assets	3,660				18,453				3,660	18,453	23,479
Capital expenditures									0	38	0
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals									0	0	0
Intersegment eliminations									(903)	(5,128)	(30,595)
Revenues									(903)	(5,128)	(30,595)
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									0	0	0
Interest expense									0	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									867	3,049	5,256
Services and rentals									76,506	116,455	164,243
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									77,373	119,504	169,499
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									12,448	12,875	13,487
Interest expense									12	29	36
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(13,866)	(4,028)	(97,405)
Assets	106,375				150,369				106,375	150,369	152,829
Capital expenditures									5,913	5,987	20,013
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment eliminations									(4,196)	(4,946)	(4,623)
Revenues									(4,196)	(4,946)	(4,623)
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									7
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals									0	0	0
Revenues									0	0	0
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									429	911	1,725
Interest expense									21,639	19,879	20,063
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(61,864)	(76,005)	(66,355)
Assets	$ (17,303)				$ (24,544)				(17,303)	(24,544)	(11,906)
Capital expenditures									$ 472	$ 77	$ 1,547