Segment Information - Schedule of Company's Operations by Reportable Segment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract revenue	$ 199,030	$ 250,354
Contract operating expenses	185,231	242,504
Amortization of intangibles	2,438	2,471
General and administrative	17,134	23,654
Other charges	3,688	3,010
Operating loss	(9,461)	(21,285)
Non-operating expenses	(3,670)	(44,263)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	167	(20,604)
Loss from continuing operations	(13,298)	(44,944)
Loss from discontinued operations net of provision for income taxes	(1,853)	35,120
Net loss	(15,151)	(9,824)
Total assets, continuing operations	431,372		$ 441,577
Continuing Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets, continuing operations	429,563		440,330
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract revenue	(86)	(81)
Contract operating expenses	(86)	(81)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
General and administrative	0	0
Other charges	0	0
Operating loss	0	0
Corporate [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets, continuing operations	100,601		89,055
Oil & Gas [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract revenue	59,335	76,440
Contract operating expenses	59,843	77,386
Amortization of intangibles	48	81
General and administrative	6,693	9,119
Other charges	1,828	829
Operating loss	(9,077)	(10,975)
Oil & Gas [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets, continuing operations	66,258		78,623
Utility T&D [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract revenue	97,289	86,986
Contract operating expenses	86,788	83,167
Amortization of intangibles	2,390	2,390
General and administrative	5,613	5,597
Other charges	1,294	692
Operating loss	1,204	(4,860)
Utility T&D [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets, continuing operations	205,963		202,836
Professional Services [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract revenue	42,492	87,009
Contract operating expenses	38,686	82,032
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
General and administrative	4,828	5,800
Other charges	566	692
Operating loss	(1,588)	(1,515)
Canada Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract revenue	0	0
Contract operating expenses	0	0
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
General and administrative	0	3,138
Other charges	0	797
Operating loss	0	$ (3,935)
Canada Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets, continuing operations	$ 56,741		$ 69,816