Industry Segments - Revenue, Income from Operations, and Assets by Reporting Segment - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	$ 86,528	$ 64,446	$ 154,737	$ 122,143
Services and rentals	121,841	111,214	221,633	222,846
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	208,369	175,660	376,370	344,989
Income (loss) before taxes	(11,216)	(27,454)	(22,378)	(176,594)
Assets	(1,317,885)	(1,386,423)	(1,317,885)	(1,386,423)	$ (1,315,540)
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	67,386	50,156	119,648	92,487
Services and rentals	21,760	10,677	42,392	27,374
Intersegment revenues	0	0	1	85
Total revenues	89,146	60,833	162,041	119,946
Income (loss) before taxes	15,786	454	36,062	96
Assets	(340,555)	(331,912)	(340,555)	(331,912)
Production Testing Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	68	0	6,130	0
Services and rentals	15,407	12,362	30,301	31,156
Intersegment revenues	462	1,022	1,018	2,099
Total revenues	15,937	13,384	37,449	33,255
Income (loss) before taxes	(3,091)	(4,328)	(5,160)	(23,702)
Assets	(82,444)	(101,647)	(82,444)	(101,647)
Compression Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	18,727	14,042	28,381	29,203
Services and rentals	56,585	62,049	112,490	128,583
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	75,312	76,091	140,871	157,786
Income (loss) before taxes	(6,180)	(4,040)	(20,513)	(108,740)
Assets	(798,997)	(863,572)	(798,997)	(863,572)
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	172	0	172	116
Services and rentals	28,089	26,119	36,450	36,249
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	28,261	26,119	36,622	36,365
Income (loss) before taxes	(6,445)	37	(12,780)	(7,671)
Assets	(117,692)	(121,061)	(117,692)	(121,061)
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	175	248	406	337
Services and rentals	0	0	0	0
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	175	248	406	337
Income (loss) before taxes	(121)	(3,401)	(784)	(4,021)
Assets	(1,548)	(3,543)	(1,548)	(3,543)
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals	0	7	0	(516)
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	7	0	(516)
Income (loss) before taxes	0	0	0	0
Total Offshore Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales	347	248	578	453
Services and rentals	28,089	26,126	36,450	35,733
Intersegment revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	28,436	26,374	37,028	36,186
Income (loss) before taxes	(6,566)	(3,364)	(13,564)	(11,692)
Assets	(119,240)	(124,604)	(119,240)	(124,604)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues			(1,019)	(2,184)
Interdivision Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment revenues	(462)	(1,022)
Total revenues	(462)	(1,022)	(1,019)	(2,184)
Income (loss) before taxes	4	3	(162)	7
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Income (loss) before taxes	(11,169)	(16,179)	(19,041)	(32,563)
Assets	$ (23,351)	$ (35,312)	$ (23,351)	$ (35,312)