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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 CfLXlcDQUEq1cMEzaJHA0MLMeN9ajZojS7AlgYdsMlluWNyXY7E7ka1pvmuZLRiN
 g4fRILhdFGUIcyoUGBlzeg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001182285-04-000001.txt : 20040114
<SEC-HEADER>0001182285-04-000001.hdr.sgml : 20040114
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040114115352
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001182285-04-000001
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040112
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040114

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MATHEWS DENNIS
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001182285

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13455
		FILM NUMBER:		04524263

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O TETRATEC
		STREET 2:		25025 I-495 NORTH
		CITY:			THE WOODLANDS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77380
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2813642210

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TETRA TECHNOLOGIES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000844965
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	INDUSTRIAL INORGANIC CHEMICALS [2810]
		IRS NUMBER:				742148293
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		25025 I-45N
		CITY:			THE WOODLANDS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77380
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2813671983

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		25025 I-45 NORTH
		CITY:			THE WOODLANDS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77380
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-12</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000844965</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TETRA TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TTI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001182285</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MATHEWS DENNIS</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>25025 I-45 NORTH</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>THE WOODLANDS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77380</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>6.00</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20016</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwne
rship><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6967</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>6.7916</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>26983</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value
></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5016</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>27.375</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21967</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1827</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmount
s><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>by 401(k) Plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option, Right to Buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15000</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>6.00</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1995-11-14</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-11-14</value></expirationDate
><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>15000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option, Right to Buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.7916</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6967</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerS
hare><value>6.7916</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1998-12-11</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-12-11</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6967</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>18758</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This option was previously reported as covering 10,000 shares at an exercise price of $9.00, but was adjusted to reflect the 3-for-2 stock split on August 15, 2003.</footnote><footnote id="F2">This optio
n was previously reported as covering 17,150 shares at an exercise price of $10.1875, but was adjusted to reflect the 3-for-2 stock split on August 15, 2003.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Eileen M. Price, AIF for Dennis R. Mathews</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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