Related Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	13 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013 item	Jun. 30, 2012 item	Jun. 30, 2013 item hp	Jun. 30, 2012 hp item	Mar. 07, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013
Property Leased to Parent Entity
Revenue - affiliates	$ 101,000	$ 164,000	$ 236,000	$ 416,000
Exterran Holdings
Related party transactions
Fixed margin over purchase price of newly-fabricated compression equipment required to be paid to related party (as a percent)			10.00%
Amount of compression equipment purchased from related party			53,000,000	27,300,000
Amount of fabricated compression equipment purchased from related party and recorded in our condensed consolidated balance sheet as property, plant and equipment at carrying values of related party			47,700,000	24,600,000
Excess amount over carrying value of fabricated compression equipment purchased from related party recorded as distribution of equity			5,300,000	2,700,000
Amount contributed by related party related to completion of overhauls on compression equipment			15,100,000	8,900,000
Number of compressor units transferred to a related party			146	245
Horsepower of compressor units transferred to related party			63,000	106,500
Net book value of compressor units transferred to related party			27,000,000	42,900,000
Number of compressor units transferred by related party			155	245
Horsepower of compressor units transferred by related party			41,500	72,000
Net book value of compressor units transferred by related party			19,200,000	28,400,000
Capital distributions recorded related to differences in net book value of compressor units exchanged to our assets transferred to related party			7,800,000	14,500,000
Number of customer contracts that were included in the transfers	0	0	0	0
Property Leased to Parent Entity
Lease equipment, aggregate cost	4,200,000		4,200,000
Lease equipment, accumulated depreciation	1,600,000		1,600,000
Revenue - affiliates			236,000	416,000
Cost of sales related to lease			3,200,000	4,900,000
Net book value of compression equipment sold to related party			1,300,000
Compression equipment sold			3,400,000
Capital contribution recorded related to difference between the sale price and carrying value of the compression equipment assets sold			2,100,000
Allocated cost charged by parent entity
Cost of sales cap amount per operating horsepower per quarter, 2013	21.75		21.75
Cost of sales cap amount per operating horsepower per quarter, 2014	22.50		22.50
SG&A costs cap amount per quarter					9,000,000	10,500,000
SG&A costs cap amount per quarter, Remainder of 2013	12,500,000		12,500,000
SG&A costs cap amount per quarter, 2014	15,000,000		15,000,000
Excess of cost of sales over cap amount included in cost of sales	1,700,000	3,500,000	5,200,000	8,800,000
Excess of SG&A expenses over cap amount included in SG&A expense	$ 2,400,000	$ 2,800,000	$ 4,300,000	$ 5,300,000