Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 1,221,920	$ 1,333,570	$ 1,331,421
Cost of revenues	968,756	1,057,783	1,051,438
Gross profit	253,164	275,787	279,983
Operating expenses	197,099	209,477	234,105
Goodwill impairment	0	43,484	51,512
Definite-lived intangible asset impairment	0	0	12,116
Gain on litigation settlement	(6,625)	0	0
Acquisition-related expenses	2,696	1,912	1,375
Restructuring charges	9,168	968	687
Operating income (loss)	50,826	19,946	(19,812)
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(15,029)	(16,044)	(12,943)
Interest income	166	218	633
Other	(694)	(2,905)	(3,853)
Total other expense	(15,557)	(18,731)	(16,163)
Income (loss) before taxes on income	35,269	1,215	(35,975)
Taxes (benefit) on income (loss)	6,109	9,205	(3,840)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of affiliated companies	29,160	(7,990)	(32,135)
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies	0	0	570
Income (loss) from continuing operations	29,160	(7,990)	(31,565)
Loss from discontinued operations	0	0	(3,847)
Net income (loss)	29,160	(7,990)	(35,412)
Non-controlling interests (income) loss	328	(77)	(1,755)
Net income (loss) attributable to Aegion Corporation	$ 29,488	$ (8,067)	$ (37,167)
Basic:
Income from continuing operations (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.85	$ (0.22)	$ (0.88)
Loss from discontinued operations (in Dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	(0.10)
Net income (in Dollars per share)	0.85	(0.22)	(0.98)
Diluted:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in Dollars per share)	0.84	(0.22)	(0.88)
Loss from discontinued operations (in Dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	(0.10)
Net income (loss) (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.84	$ (0.22)	$ (0.98)