Industry Segments (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	$ 64,446	$ 149,652	$ 122,143	$ 234,538
Services and rentals	111,214	166,667	222,846	332,873
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	175,660	316,319	344,989	567,411
Income (loss) before taxes	(27,454)	18,108	(176,594)	16,053
Assets	(1,386,423)	(2,003,645)	(1,386,423)	(2,003,645)	$ (1,636,202)
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	50,156	99,930	92,487	164,924
Services and rentals	10,677	23,026	27,374	57,308
Intersegment revenues	0	18	85	31
Total revenues	60,833	122,974	119,946	222,263
Income (loss) before taxes	454	32,583	96	50,320
Assets	(331,912)	(408,144)	(331,912)	(408,144)
Production Testing Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	0	0	0	0
Services and rentals	12,362	33,692	31,156	69,601
Intersegment revenues	1,022	1,150	2,099	2,342
Total revenues	13,384	34,842	33,255	71,943
Income (loss) before taxes	(4,328)	(472)	(23,702)	(433)
Assets	(101,647)	(208,929)	(101,647)	(208,929)
Compression Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	14,042	48,968	29,203	67,119
Services and rentals	62,049	77,487	128,583	162,225
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	76,091	126,455	157,786	229,344
Income (loss) before taxes	(4,040)	1,498	(108,740)	3,904
Assets	(863,572)	(1,261,051)	(863,572)	(1,261,051)
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	0	360	116	595
Services and rentals	26,119	35,371	36,249	46,919
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	26,119	35,731	36,365	47,514
Income (loss) before taxes	37	2,095	(7,671)	(6,553)
Assets	(121,061)	(134,422)	(121,061)	(134,422)
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	248	394	337	1,900
Services and rentals	0	0	0	0
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	248	394	337	1,900
Income (loss) before taxes	(3,401)	(313)	(4,021)	662
Assets	(3,543)	(27,267)	(3,543)	(27,267)
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals	7	(2,909)	(516)	(3,180)
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	7	(2,909)	(516)	(3,180)
Income (loss) before taxes	0	0	0	0
Total Offshore Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	248	754	453	2,495
Services and rentals	26,126	32,462	35,733	43,739
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	26,374	33,216	36,186	46,234
Income (loss) before taxes	(3,364)	1,782	(11,692)	(5,891)
Assets	(124,604)	(161,689)	(124,604)	(161,689)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues			(2,184)	(2,373)
Interdivision Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues	(1,022)	(1,168)	(2,184)	(2,373)
Total revenues	(1,022)	(1,168)
Income (loss) before taxes	3	(12)	7	(10)
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Income (loss) before taxes	(16,179)	(17,271)	(32,563)	(31,837)
Assets	$ (35,312)	$ (36,168)	$ (35,312)	$ (36,168)