Industry Segments - Revenue, Income from Operations, and Assets by Reporting Segment - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	$ 73,054	$ 55,162	$ 227,791	$ 177,305
Services and rentals	143,310	121,391	364,943	344,237
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	216,364	176,553	592,734	521,542
Income (loss) before taxes	(541)	(22,585)	(22,919)	(199,179)
Assets	(1,301,410)	(1,372,050)	(1,301,410)	(1,372,050)	$ (1,315,540)
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	58,191	40,922	177,839	133,409
Services and rentals	35,239	21,687	77,631	49,061
Intersegment revenues	12	1	13	86
Total revenues	93,442	62,610	255,483	182,556
Income (loss) before taxes	24,891	8,835	60,953	8,931
Assets	(343,881)	(332,322)	(343,881)	(332,322)
Production Testing Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	0	0	6,130	0
Services and rentals	18,634	14,046	48,935	45,202
Intersegment revenues	293	1,019	1,311	3,118
Total revenues	18,927	15,065	56,376	48,320
Income (loss) before taxes	(1,405)	(4,222)	(6,565)	(27,924)
Assets	(83,731)	(93,916)	(83,731)	(93,916)
Compression Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	14,374	14,002	42,755	43,205
Services and rentals	57,237	56,716	169,727	185,299
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	71,611	70,718	212,482	228,504
Income (loss) before taxes	(7,014)	(14,862)	(27,527)	(123,602)
Assets	(787,747)	(832,839)	(787,747)	(832,839)
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	468	0	640	116
Services and rentals	32,200	29,239	68,650	65,488
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	32,668	29,239	69,290	65,604
Income (loss) before taxes	452	1,879	(12,328)	(5,792)
Assets	(120,464)	(127,813)	(120,464)	(127,813)
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	21	238	427	575
Services and rentals	0		0
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	21	238	427	575
Income (loss) before taxes	(914)	(643)	(1,698)	(4,664)
Assets	(1,389)	(3,538)	(1,389)	(3,538)
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals	0	(297)	0	(813)
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	(297)	0	(813)
Income (loss) before taxes	0	0	0	0
Total Offshore Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	489	238	1,067	691
Services and rentals	32,200	28,942	68,650	64,675
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	32,689	29,180	69,717	65,366
Income (loss) before taxes	(462)	1,236	(14,026)	(10,456)
Assets	(121,853)	(131,351)	(121,853)	(131,351)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues			(1,324)	(3,204)
Interdivision Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues	(305)	(1,020)
Total revenues	(305)	(1,020)	(1,324)	(3,204)
Income (loss) before taxes	0	(2)	(162)	5
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Income (loss) before taxes	(16,551)	(13,570)	(35,592)	(46,133)
Assets	$ (35,802)	$ (18,378)	$ (35,802)	$ (18,378)