Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 01, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Restricted Assets, net					$ 67,400
Impaired Long-Lived Assets Held and Used [Line Items]
Asset Retirement Obligation		$ 11,738	$ 9,912		12,202	$ 11,738	$ 9,912
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation					768	803	1,679
Impairments of long-lived assets	$ 2,900	14,900			3,621	14,876	17,094
Asset Retirement Obligation, Liabilities Settled					35	412	0
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value, year to date impairment losses					2,940	14,876
Impairments of long-lived assets	$ 2,900	14,900			3,621	14,876	17,094
Asset Retirement Obligation, Cash Paid to Settle					35	565	4,040
Impairment of goodwill				$ 106,200	0	0	106,205
Equity-based compensation expense					5,800	5,000	9,500
Foreign currency exchange gains and losses					(100)	(1,600)	(900)
Goodwill table (details)
Beginning balance				112,945	6,636	6,636	112,945
Goodwill, Other Increase (Decrease)					0	0	(106,309)
Ending balance		6,636	6,636		25,859	6,636	6,636
Impairment of goodwill				106,200	0	0	106,205
Allowances for Doubtful Accounts [Table]
At beginning of period				6,279	1,286	3,872	6,279
Activity in the period:
Provision for doubtful accounts					2,156	1,428	2,436
Account chargeoffs					(859)	(4,014)	(4,843)
At end of period		1,286	3,872		2,583	1,286	3,872
Inventories Detail [Table]
Inventory, Finished Goods		66,377			69,762	66,377
Inventory, Raw Materials		4,027			3,503	4,027
Other Inventory, Supplies		33,632			47,386	33,632
Inventory, Work in Process		11,402			22,920	11,402
Inventories		115,438			143,571	115,438
Depreciation expense					106,900	97,300	109,400
Amortization expense of patents, trademarks, and other intangible assets					7,300	6,100	6,800
Future amortization expense, 2014					7,800
Future amortization expense, 2015					7,700
Future amortization expense, 2016					7,400
Future amortization expense, 2017					7,000
Future amortization expense, 2018					$ 6,700
Maximum [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life					16 years
Minimum [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life					5 years
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Foreign Currency Contract, Asset, Fair Value Disclosure		241			$ 117	241
Liability for foreign currency derivative contracts		(378)			(294)	(378)
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure		74,775			41,721	74,775
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Foreign Currency Contract, Asset, Fair Value Disclosure		0			0	0
Liability for foreign currency derivative contracts		0			0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Foreign Currency Contract, Asset, Fair Value Disclosure		241			117	241
Liability for foreign currency derivative contracts		(378)			(294)	(378)
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Foreign Currency Contract, Asset, Fair Value Disclosure		0			0	0
Liability for foreign currency derivative contracts		0			0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure		3,206			0	3,206
Completion Fluids & Products Division [Member]
Impaired Long-Lived Assets Held and Used [Line Items]
Impairments of long-lived assets			500
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Impairments of long-lived assets			500
Goodwill table (details)
Accumulated impairment losses					23,800
Water & Flowback Services [Member]
Impaired Long-Lived Assets Held and Used [Line Items]
Impairments of long-lived assets			3,600	2,800
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Impairments of long-lived assets			3,600	2,800
Goodwill table (details)
Beginning balance				20,543	6,636	6,636	20,543
Goodwill, Other Increase (Decrease)					0	0	(13,907)
Ending balance		6,636	6,636		25,859	6,636	6,636
Accumulated impairment losses					111,800
Compression [Member]
Impaired Long-Lived Assets Held and Used [Line Items]
Impairments of long-lived assets			2,400	7,900
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Impairments of long-lived assets			2,400	7,900
Goodwill table (details)
Beginning balance				$ 92,402	0	0	92,402
Goodwill, Other Increase (Decrease)					0	0	(92,402)
Ending balance		0	$ 0		0	0	$ 0
Accumulated impairment losses					$ 231,800
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Operating lease, right-of-use asset								$ 70,000
Operating lease, liability								70,000
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Operating lease, right-of-use asset								60,000
Operating lease, liability								$ 60,000
Building [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life					40 years
Building [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life					15 years
Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life					20 years
Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life					2 years
Automobiles and trucks [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life					4 years
Automobiles and trucks [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life					3 years
Chemical plants [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life					30 years
Chemical plants [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life					15 years
Compressors [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life					20 years
Compressors [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life					12 years
Compressco Partners Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fair value of Senior Notes		279,700			$ 266,300	279,700
Notes Payable					$ 295,900
TETRA Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fair value of Senior Notes		130,800				130,800
Notes Payable		$ 125,000				$ 125,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life					20 years
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life					2 years