Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business			$ 33,813
Revenues:
Product sales	$ 107,687	$ 86,180	183,066	$ 154,158
Services and rentals	152,385	93,751	276,387	185,182
Total revenues	260,072	179,931	459,453	339,340
Cost of revenues:
Cost of product sales	86,115	61,767	146,329	111,349
Cost of services and rentals	97,177	62,845	181,920	126,494
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion	28,979	25,784	55,420	52,308
Total cost of revenues	212,271	150,396	383,669	290,151
Gross profit	47,801	29,535	75,784	49,189
General and administrative expense	33,617	29,460	64,420	56,211
Interest expense, net	18,379	14,328	33,352	28,095
Fair Value Adjustment Of Warrants, Income Statement	2,195	(5,545)	201	(11,521)
Preferred, Fair Value Adjustment	(512)	(4,834)	846	(3,203)
Litigation Settlement, Amount	0	0	0	(12,816)
Other (income) expense, net	3,808	775	6,584	1,236
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(9,686)	(4,649)	(29,619)	(8,813)
Income (loss) before taxes	(12,132)	(7,966)	(33,189)	(12,211)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	2,446	3,317	3,570	3,398
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(21)	(6,653)	(41,727)	(13,660)
Net income (loss)	(12,153)	(14,619)	(74,916)	(25,871)
(Income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	6,188	3,628	15,303	12,417
Net income (loss) attributable to TETRA stockholders	$ (5,965)	$ (10,991)	$ (59,613)	$ (13,454)
Basic net income per common share:
Net income (loss) attributable to TETRA stockholders	$ (0.05)	$ (0.10)	$ (0.47)	$ (0.12)
Average shares outstanding	122,474	114,534	125,553	114,375
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Diluted Share	$ (0.05)	$ (0.04)	$ (0.14)	$ 0.00
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations and Disposal of Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Diluted Share	0.00	(0.06)	(0.33)	(0.12)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Basic and Diluted Share	(0.05)	(0.04)	(0.14)	0.00
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations and Disposal of Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Basic Share	0.00	(0.06)	(0.33)	(0.12)
Diluted net income per common share:
Net income (loss) attributable to TETRA stockholders	$ (0.05)	$ (0.10)	$ (0.47)	$ (0.12)
Average diluted shares outstanding	122,474	114,534	125,553	114,375