Contingencies (Notes)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]	Contingencies Enogex Matter In November 2012, Chart Energy & Chemicals, Inc. (“CEC”), a subsidiary of the Company, filed a declaratory judgment action in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (the “Federal Court”) seeking a judgment that certain claims for damages alleged by Enogex Holdings LLC, Enogex Gathering & Processing, LLC and affiliated companies with respect to a December 2010 fire at the Enogex natural gas processing plant in Cox City, Oklahoma were barred based on multiple defenses, including Oklahoma’s statute of repose. This action was precipitated by the receipt of a letter from Enogex alleging that CEC was responsible for damages in excess of $75,000 with respect to the fire as a result of the alleged failure of CEC’s equipment that was a component of the unit involved in the fire. Subsequent to the filing of CEC’s declaratory judgment action, in December 2012, Enogex filed suit in the District Court of Tulsa County, State of Oklahoma (the “State Court”) against the Company, CEC and its predecessors, a former employee of a predecessor of CEC, as well as other entities and an individual not affiliated with the Company, formalizing the allegations and claims contained in the November demand letter. Each party filed one or more motions to dismiss the other’s lawsuit. Enogex’s motion to dismiss initially was denied by the Federal Court, but Enogex moved for rehearing on its motion to dismiss, which the Federal Court granted based on a lack of jurisdictional diversity. The Company’s and CEC’s motions to dismiss were denied by the State Court. The Company, CEC and their affiliates filed multiple motions for summary judgment with the State Court, and the State Court granted a motion for partial summary judgment dismissing Enogex’s breach of contract and warranty claims, but denied other motions for summary judgment. Accordingly, litigation continues in the State Court on Enogex’s other claims, and Enogex is claiming damages of approximately $67,500, including investigation and repair costs and business interruption losses. This matter is set for trial beginning in late September 2015. The Company continues to believe that the allegations against the Company, CEC and their affiliates lack merit. The Company believes that it, CEC and their affiliates have strong factual and legal defenses to Enogex’s claims and intends to vigorously assert such defenses. Accordingly, an accrual related to any damages that may result from the lawsuit has not been recorded because a potential loss is not currently probable. Furthermore, the Company believes that its existing product liability insurance is adequate for potential losses associated with these claims. While the Company cannot predict with certainty the ultimate result of these proceedings, the Company does not believe that the final outcome of these proceedings will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. D&S Restructuring On March 31, 2015, Chart announced its intention to close its Distribution & Storage (“D&S”) segment’s facility located in Owatonna, Minnesota. This closure is a cost reduction measure in response to lower orders for products manufactured at this facility. Costs incurred during the six months ended June 30, 2015 related to this restructuring activity were approximately $1,300 and include long-lived asset impairment charges, severance related costs and other miscellaneous costs. The majority of these costs are included in cost of sales in the condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income (loss). The Company anticipates additional costs of approximately $2,000 primarily related to lease exit costs and $1,000 in severance costs for D&S segment cost reduction initiatives at other D&S segment facilities, which are expected to occur in the third quarter of 2015.

Contingencies

Enogex Matter

In November 2012, Chart Energy & Chemicals, Inc. (“CEC”), a subsidiary of the Company, filed a declaratory judgment action in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (the “Federal Court”) seeking a judgment that certain claims for damages alleged by Enogex Holdings LLC, Enogex Gathering & Processing, LLC and affiliated companies with respect to a December 2010 fire at the Enogex natural gas processing plant in Cox City, Oklahoma were barred based on multiple defenses, including Oklahoma’s statute of repose. This action was precipitated by the receipt of a letter from Enogex alleging that CEC was responsible for damages in excess of $75,000 with respect to the fire as a result of the alleged failure of CEC’s equipment that was a component of the unit involved in the fire. Subsequent to the filing of CEC’s declaratory judgment action, in December 2012, Enogex filed suit in the District Court of Tulsa County, State of Oklahoma (the “State Court”) against the Company, CEC and its predecessors, a former employee of a predecessor of CEC, as well as other entities and an individual not affiliated with the Company, formalizing the allegations and claims contained in the November demand letter. Each party filed one or more motions to dismiss the other’s lawsuit. Enogex’s motion to dismiss initially was denied by the Federal Court, but Enogex moved for rehearing on its motion to dismiss, which the Federal Court granted based on a lack of jurisdictional diversity. The Company’s and CEC’s motions to dismiss were denied by the State Court. The Company, CEC and their affiliates filed multiple motions for summary judgment with the State Court, and the State Court granted a motion for partial summary judgment dismissing Enogex’s breach of contract and warranty claims, but denied other motions for summary judgment. Accordingly, litigation continues in the State Court on Enogex’s other claims, and Enogex is claiming damages of approximately $67,500, including investigation and repair costs and business interruption losses. This matter is set for trial beginning in late September 2015. The Company continues to believe that the allegations against the Company, CEC and their affiliates lack merit. The Company believes that it, CEC and their affiliates have strong factual and legal defenses to Enogex’s claims and intends to vigorously assert such defenses. Accordingly, an accrual related to any damages that may result from the lawsuit has not been recorded because a potential loss is not currently probable. Furthermore, the Company believes that its existing product liability insurance is adequate for potential losses associated with these claims. While the Company cannot predict with certainty the ultimate result of these proceedings, the Company does not believe that the final outcome of these proceedings will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

D&S Restructuring

On March 31, 2015, Chart announced its intention to close its Distribution & Storage (“D&S”) segment’s facility located in Owatonna, Minnesota. This closure is a cost reduction measure in response to lower orders for products manufactured at this facility. Costs incurred during the six months ended June 30, 2015 related to this restructuring activity were approximately $1,300 and include long-lived asset impairment charges, severance related costs and other miscellaneous costs. The majority of these costs are included in cost of sales in the condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income (loss). The Company anticipates additional costs of approximately $2,000 primarily related to lease exit costs and $1,000 in severance costs for D&S segment cost reduction initiatives at other D&S segment facilities, which are expected to occur in the third quarter of 2015.