<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000844965-16-000202.txt : 20161107
<SEC-HEADER>0000844965-16-000202.hdr.sgml : 20161107
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20161107172429
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000844965-16-000202
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20161104
FILED AS OF DATE:		20161107
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20161107

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TETRA TECHNOLOGIES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000844965
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311]
		IRS NUMBER:				742148293
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		24955 INTERSTATE 45 NORTH
		CITY:			THE WOODLANDS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77380
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2813671983

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		24955 INTERSTATE 45 NORTH
		CITY:			THE WOODLANDS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77380

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SERRANO ELIJIO V
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001159051

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13455
		FILM NUMBER:		161979266

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		24955 INTERSTATE 45 NORTH
		CITY:			THE WOODLANDS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77380
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-11-04</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000844965</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TETRA TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TTI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001159051</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SERRANO ELIJIO V</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>24955 I 45 N</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>THE WOODLANDS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77380</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SR VP &amp; CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-11-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1435</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.97</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>298173</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reflects shares surrendered to the Issuer to satisfy tax withholding obligations upon the vesting of restricted stock granted on May 4, 2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Form 4 filed by the reporting person on May 24, 2016 inadvertently understated the number of shares of common stock disposed of by 5 shares. As a result of the error, the amount of shares beneficially owned by the reporting person following the disposition was also incorrectly reported in previous filings. This Form 4 is being filed to report the transactions that occurred on November 4, 2016 and to correct the total number of shares directly held by the reporting person as stated in this item.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Bass C. Wallace, Jr., Attorney in Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-11-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
