DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Description of the Business SAExploration Holdings, Inc. and its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Corporation”) is an internationally-focused oilfield services company offering seismic data acquisition and logistical support services in Alaska, Canada, South America, and Southeast Asia to its customers in the oil and natural gas industry. In addition to the acquisition of 2D, 3D, time-lapse 4D and multi-component seismic data on land, in transition zones and offshore in depths reaching 3,000 meters, the Corporation offers a full-suite of logistical support and in-field processing services. The Corporation operates crews around the world that utilize over 29,500 owned land and marine channels of seismic data acquisition equipment and other equipment as needed to complete particular projects. Seismic data is used by its customers, including major integrated oil companies, national oil companies and large international independent oil and gas exploration and production companies, to identify and analyze drilling prospects and maximize successful drilling. The results of the seismic surveys the Corporation conducts belong to its customers and are proprietary in nature; the Corporation does not acquire data for its own account or for future sale or maintain multi-client data libraries. Basis of Presentation The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements of the Corporation as of September 30, 2015 and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 included herein, have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from the audited financial statements as of December 31, 2014. Although the financial statements and related information included herein have been prepared without audit, and certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted, the Corporation believes that the note disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Corporation’s audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Corporation's 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. In the opinion of management, the unaudited interim financial statements included herein reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, considered necessary for a fair presentation of the Corporation’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year or any future period. Certain amounts in the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014, the condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 presented herein have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on financial position, net income (loss), stockholders' deficit, or cash flows. Significant Accounting Policies There have been no changes to the significant accounting policies of the Corporation from the information provided in Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Corporation’s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. On June 29, 2015, the initial stock option and restricted stock unit awards were granted under the 2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan. In connection with these initial grants, accounting policy disclosures for share-based compensation are provided in Note 8. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new guidance intended to change the criteria for recognition of revenue. The new guidance establishes a single revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers, eliminates industry specific requirements and expands disclosure requirements. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve this core principle, an entity should apply the following five steps: (1) identify contracts with customers, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contracts, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligation in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue as the entity satisfies performance obligations. The new guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. Early application is permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Corporation is currently evaluating what impact adoption of this guidance would have on its financial position, results of operations, cash flows and disclosures. In April 2015, the FASB issued new guidance which requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the associated debt liability, consistent with the presentation of a debt discount. The new guidance does not affect the recognition and measurement of debt issuance costs. Therefore, the amortization of such costs will continue to be calculated using the interest method and be reported as interest expense. The new guidance does not specifically address, and therefore does not affect, the balance sheet presentation of debt issuance costs for revolving debt arrangements. The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and will be applied on a retrospective basis. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. Upon adoption of the new guidance, the Corporation will report its unamortized deferred loan issuance costs on the senior secured notes as a reduction of the associated debt liability rather than as assets, resulting in an equal reduction in the Corporation's total assets and total liabilities compared to the prior presentation. The amount of Corporation deferred loan issuance costs on the senior secured notes, net of amortization, was $4,683 and $6,022 at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. The adoption of the new guidance will have no effect on the Corporation's stockholders' deficit, results of operations, or cash flows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Description of the Business

SAExploration Holdings, Inc. and its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Corporation”) is an internationally-focused oilfield services company offering seismic data acquisition and logistical support services in Alaska, Canada, South America, and Southeast Asia to its customers in the oil and natural gas industry. In addition to the acquisition of 2D, 3D, time-lapse 4D and multi-component seismic data on land, in transition zones and offshore in depths reaching 3,000 meters, the Corporation offers a full-suite of logistical support and in-field processing services. The Corporation operates crews around the world that utilize over 29,500 owned land and marine channels of seismic data acquisition equipment and other equipment as needed to complete particular projects. Seismic data is used by its customers, including major integrated oil companies, national oil companies and large international independent oil and gas exploration and production companies, to identify and analyze drilling prospects and maximize successful drilling. The results of the seismic surveys the Corporation conducts belong to its customers and are proprietary in nature; the Corporation does not acquire data for its own account or for future sale or maintain multi-client data libraries.

Basis of Presentation

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements of the Corporation as of September 30, 2015 and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 included herein, have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from the audited financial statements as of December 31, 2014. Although the financial statements and related information included herein have been prepared without audit, and certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted, the Corporation believes that the note disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Corporation’s audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Corporation's 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K. In the opinion of management, the unaudited interim financial statements included herein reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, considered necessary for a fair presentation of the Corporation’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year or any future period.

Certain amounts in the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014, the condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 presented herein have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on financial position, net income (loss), stockholders' deficit, or cash flows.

Significant Accounting Policies

There have been no changes to the significant accounting policies of the Corporation from the information provided in Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Corporation’s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

On June 29, 2015, the initial stock option and restricted stock unit awards were granted under the 2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan. In connection with these initial grants, accounting policy disclosures for share-based compensation are provided in Note 8.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new guidance intended to change the criteria for recognition of revenue. The new guidance establishes a single revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers, eliminates industry specific requirements and expands disclosure requirements. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve this core principle, an entity should apply the following five steps: (1) identify contracts with customers, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contracts, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligation in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue as the entity satisfies performance obligations. The new guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. Early application is permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Corporation is currently evaluating what impact adoption of this guidance would have on its financial position, results of operations, cash flows and disclosures.

In April 2015, the FASB issued new guidance which requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the associated debt liability, consistent with the presentation of a debt discount. The new guidance does not affect the recognition and measurement of debt issuance costs. Therefore, the amortization of such costs will continue to be calculated using the interest method and be reported as interest expense. The new guidance does not specifically address, and therefore does not affect, the balance sheet presentation of debt issuance costs for revolving debt arrangements. The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and will be applied on a retrospective basis. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. Upon adoption of the new guidance, the Corporation will report its unamortized deferred loan issuance costs on the senior secured notes as a reduction of the associated debt liability rather than as assets, resulting in an equal reduction in the Corporation's total assets and total liabilities compared to the prior presentation. The amount of Corporation deferred loan issuance costs on the senior secured notes, net of amortization, was $4,683 and $6,022 at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. The adoption of the new guidance will have no effect on the Corporation's stockholders' deficit, results of operations, or cash flows.