Debt Issuance Costs, Facility Fees

No definition available.

Name:	saex_DebtIssuanceCostsFacilityFees
Namespace Prefix:	saex_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Future Borrowing Capacity Based Upon Assignment of Tax Credits

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	saex_LineofCreditFacilityFutureBorrowingCapacityBasedUponAssignmentofTaxCredits
Namespace Prefix:	saex_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Tax Credits Assigned as Collateral for Accounts Receivable, Amount Subject to Monetization Recorded as Reduction of Accounts Receivable

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	saex_TaxCreditsAssignedasCollateralforAccountsReceivableAmountSubjecttoMonetizationRecordedasReductionofAccountsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	saex_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The effective interest rate during the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow paid to third parties in connection with debt origination, which will be amortized over the remaining maturity period of the associated long-term debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The fair value of stock issued in noncash financing activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4332-108586

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4313-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssued1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of new stock issued during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=saex_SeniorLoanFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=saex_DeferredLoansIssuanceCostsNetMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CollateralAxis=saex_TaxCreditsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis=saex_CustomerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

SENIOR LOAN FACILITY (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
SENIOR LOAN FACILITY (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 27, 2016	Jun. 29, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Oct. 24, 2016
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Borrowings under senior loan facility				$ 29,995	$ 0
Senior loan facility issuance costs				2,002	41
Deferred loan issuance costs, fair value of common stock issued to lenders				28,425	$ 0
Senior Loan Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Senior loan facility issuance costs			$ 30,082	30,082
Senior Loan Facility \| Senior Loan Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 30,000
Remaining borrowing capacity	$ 15,000					$ 15,000
Borrowings under senior loan facility				29,995
Line of credit annual interest rate (as percent)		10.00%
Debt facility fee, legal and investment baking costs				600
Deferred loan issuance costs, fair value of common stock issued to lenders				28,425
Senior Loan Facility \| Senior Loan Facility \| Common Stock
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Shares issued (in shares)	2,803,302
Senior Loan Facility \| Senior Loan Facility \| Deferred loans issuance costs, net
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Senior loan facility issuance costs				30,082
Senior Loan Facility \| Senior Loan Facility \| Tax Credits
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Collateral assigned for accounts receivables				25,000
Senior Loan Facility \| Senior Loan Facility \| Tax Credits \| Customer A
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Threshold amount tax credits received as proceeds for accounts receivable				$ 15,000