Related Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			13 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 contract	Sep. 30, 2012 contract	Sep. 30, 2013 hp CompressorUnit contract	Sep. 30, 2012 CompressorUnit hp contract	Mar. 07, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013
Property Leased to Parent Entity
Revenue - affiliates	$ 91,000	$ 188,000	$ 327,000	$ 603,000
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			79,300,000	54,900,000
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			71,400,000	49,400,000
Excess amount over carrying value of fabricated compression equipment purchased from related party recorded as distribution of equity			7,900,000	5,500,000
Amount contributed by related party related to completion of overhauls on compression equipment			18,700,000	12,100,000
Number of compressor units transferred to a related party			231	446
Horsepower of compressor units transferred to related party			102,800	184,400
Net book value of compressor units transferred to related party			45,500,000	76,800,000
Number of compressor units transferred by related party			235	394
Horsepower of compressor units transferred by related party			74,600	118,500
Net book value of compressor units transferred by related party			36,000,000	59,300,000
Capital distributions recorded related to differences in net book value of compressor units exchanged to our assets transferred to related party			9,500,000	17,500,000
Number of customer contracts that were included in the transfers	0	0	0	0
Property Leased to Parent Entity
Lease equipment, aggregate cost	5,000,000		5,000,000
Lease equipment, accumulated depreciation	1,900,000		1,900,000
Revenue - affiliates			300,000	600,000
Cost of sales related to lease			4,400,000	6,900,000
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	3,200,000	5,800,000	8,400,000	14,700,000
Excess of SG&A expenses over cap amount included in SG&A expense	$ 4,200,000	$ 1,100,000	$ 8,400,000	$ 6,400,000