Industry Segments (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	$ 124,748	$ 100,021	$ 359,286	$ 259,644
Services and rentals	180,396	206,350	513,269	502,073
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	305,144	306,371	872,555	761,717
Income (loss) before taxes	15,423	(24,827)	31,476	(38,004)
Assets	1,941,313	2,194,239	1,941,313	2,194,239	$ 2,068,833
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	75,128	67,925	240,052	220,250
Services and rentals	35,437	37,351	92,745	106,514
Intersegment revenues	22	20	53	327
Total revenues	110,587	105,296	332,850	327,090
Income (loss) before taxes	33,215	16,541	83,535	52,077
Assets	414,246	427,965	414,246	427,965
Production Testing Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	0	0	0	0
Services and rentals	27,725	48,984	97,326	133,289
Intersegment revenues	1,217	1,193	3,559	2,902
Total revenues	28,942	50,177	100,885	136,191
Income (loss) before taxes	(4,528)	3,426	(4,961)	379
Assets	195,920	321,589	195,920	321,589
Compression Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	49,145	30,999	116,264	34,901
Services and rentals	79,781	64,898	242,006	122,775
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	128,926	95,897	358,270	157,676
Income (loss) before taxes	2,070	(6,562)	5,974	4,102
Assets	1,205,023	1,227,920	1,205,023	1,227,920
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	0	56	595	529
Services and rentals	37,882	61,449	84,801	152,547
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	37,882	61,505	85,396	153,076
Income (loss) before taxes	4,576	601	(1,977)	(5,538)
Assets	140,815	181,117	140,815	181,117
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	475	1,041	2,375	3,964
Services and rentals	0	0	0	0
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	475	1,041	2,375	3,965
Income (loss) before taxes	(1,649)	(22,969)	(987)	(40,206)
Assets	5,068	25,730	5,068	25,730
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals	(429)	(6,332)	(3,609)	(13,053)
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	(429)	(6,332)	(3,609)	(13,053)
Income (loss) before taxes		0		0
Total Offshore Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	475	1,097	2,970	4,493
Services and rentals	37,453	55,117	81,192	139,494
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	37,928	56,214	84,162	143,988
Income (loss) before taxes	2,927	(22,368)	(2,964)	(45,744)
Assets	145,883	206,847	145,883	206,847
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues			(3,612)	(3,230)
Interdivision Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues	(1,239)	(1,213)	(3,612)	(3,229)
Total revenues	(1,239)	(1,213)
Income (loss) before taxes	5	3	(5)	9
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Income (loss) before taxes	(18,266)	(15,867)	(50,103)	(48,827)
Assets	$ (19,759)	$ 9,918	$ (19,759)	$ 9,918