Industry Segments and Geographic Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Corporate Overhead Footnote
General and administrative expense									$ 46,156	$ 34,767	$ 52,189
Depreciation and amortization									84	430	913
Interest expense									15,513	21,157	18,654
Other general corporate (income) expense									(4,032)	5,510	4,249
Total									$ 57,721	61,864	76,005
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments									5
Product sales									$ 306,703	249,558	457,761
Services and rentals									513,675	445,206	672,384
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues	$ 227,644	$ 216,364	$ 208,369	$ 168,001	$ 173,222	$ 176,553	$ 175,660	$ 169,329	820,378	694,764	1,130,145
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									116,159	129,595	155,015
Interest expense									58,027	59,996	55,165
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(60,983)	(237,090)	(201,763)
Total assets	1,308,614				1,315,540				1,308,614	1,315,540	1,636,202
Capital expenditures									$ 51,923	21,066	120,597
Number of Operating Segments									4
Fluids Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									$ 226,606	176,882	306,307
Services and rentals									108,694	69,625	117,459
Intersegment eliminations									31	87	278
Revenues									335,331	246,595	424,044
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									23,797	28,338	35,125
Interest expense									124	32	22
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									68,540	10,430	80,789
Total assets	346,974				322,858				346,974	322,858	370,892
Capital expenditures									20,475	2,311	11,104
Production Testing Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									12,108	0	6,944
Services and rentals									80,104	59,509	122,292
Intersegment eliminations									1,930	4,109	4,668
Revenues									94,142	63,618	133,904
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									10,593	16,221	24,080
Interest expense									6	42	0
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(17,465)	(35,471)	(55,720)
Total assets	86,304				87,462				86,304	87,462	134,725
Capital expenditures									(1,190)	802	7,843
CSI Compressco [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									66,691	71,809	141,461
Services and rentals									228,896	239,566	316,178
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									295,587	311,374	457,639
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									69,142	72,159	82,024
Interest expense									42,309	38,271	35,235
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(37,246)	(136,327)	(146,798)
Total assets	784,745				816,148				784,745	816,148	1,004,760
Capital expenditures									25,920	11,568	95,586
Production Enhancement Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations										8	(1)
Offshore Services [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									760	116	611
Services and rentals									95,981	76,506	116,455
Intersegment eliminations									0	903	5,128
Revenues									96,741	77,525	122,194
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									10,678	11,086	11,500
Interest expense									0	0	0
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(14,767)	(12,025)	(195)
Total assets	119,547				102,715				119,547	102,715	131,916
Capital expenditures									5,786	5,913	5,949
Maritech [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									538	751	2,438
Services and rentals									0	0	0
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									538	751	2,438
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									1,428	1,362	1,375
Interest expense									0	12	29
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(2,172)	(1,841)	(3,833)
Total assets	1,587				3,660				1,587	3,660	18,453
Capital expenditures									0	0	38
Offshore Division Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals									0	0	0
Intersegment eliminations									0	(903)	(5,128)
Revenues									0	(903)	(5,128)
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									0	0	0
Interest expense									0	0	0
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									0	0	0
Total assets	0				0				0	0	0
Capital expenditures									0	0	0
Total Offshore Division [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Product sales									1,298	867	3,049
Services and rentals									95,981	76,506	116,455
Intersegment eliminations									0	0	0
Revenues									97,279	77,373	119,504
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									12,106	12,448	12,875
Interest expense									0	12	29
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(16,939)	(13,866)	(4,028)
Total assets	121,134				106,375				121,134	106,375	150,369
Capital expenditures									$ 5,786	5,913	5,987
Number of Operating Segments									2
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Intersegment eliminations									$ (1,961)	(4,196)	(4,946)
Revenues									(1,961)	(4,196)	(4,946)
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(152)
Corporate Overhead [Member]
Industry Segments Details [Line Items]
Services and rentals									0	0	0
Revenues									0	0	0
Depreciation, amortization, and accretion									521	429	911
Interest expense									15,588	21,639	19,879
Income (loss) before taxes and discontinued operations									(57,721)	(61,864)	(76,005)
Total assets	$ (30,543)				$ (17,303)				(30,543)	(17,303)	(24,544)
Capital expenditures									$ 932	$ 472	$ 77