RESTATEMENT OF PREVIOUSLY REPORTED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Effects of Restatement on Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 25,938		$ 7,579
Restricted cash	256		271
Accounts receivable, net	66,509		26,463
Deferred costs on contracts	1,850		3,746	$ 489		$ 1,780
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	4,535		2,843
Total current assets	99,088		40,902
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $87,548 and $81,904, respectively	30,177		35,334
Multiclient seismic data library, net	3,903		4,733
Goodwill	1,741		1,687
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $1,100 and $932, respectively	3,935		4,066
Tax credits receivable, net	12,104		13,198
Deferred income taxes	154		2,160
Other assets	270		267
Total assets	159,274		102,347
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	40,423		10,103
Accrued liabilities	14,627		10,498
Income and other taxes payable	7,527		3,331
Current portion of long-term debt and finance leases	7,759		7,837
Deferred revenue	4,440		4,357			1,477
Total current liabilities	77,969		36,126
Long-term debt and finance leases	94,387		83,205
Other long-term liabilities	5,107		380
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
Common stock, 4,290,697 and 3,100,496 shares outstanding, respectively	0		0
Additional paid-in capital	235,638		232,661
Accumulated deficit	(253,468)		(249,349)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(3,425)		(3,035)
Treasury stock, at cost, 208,003 and 111,245 shares, respectively	(2,232)		(1,866)
SAExploration stockholders’ equity (deficit)	(23,487)		(21,589)
Noncontrolling interest	5,298		4,225
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	(18,189)	$ (13,057)	(17,364)	$ (29,080)	$ (13,825)	$ (56,061)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity (deficit)	$ 159,274		102,347
Previously Reported
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents			7,192
Restricted cash			271
Accounts receivable, net			24,859
Deferred costs on contracts			3,717
Prepaid expenses and other current assets			2,813
Total current assets			38,852
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $87,548 and $81,904, respectively			35,334
Goodwill			1,687
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $1,100 and $932, respectively			4,066
Long-term accounts receivable, net			52,804
Deferred income taxes			2,015
Other assets			2,715
Total assets			137,473
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable			10,103
Accrued liabilities			10,498
Income and other taxes payable			3,331
Current portion of long-term debt and finance leases			7,837
Deferred revenue			4,298
Total current liabilities			36,067
Long-term debt and finance leases			85,653
Other long-term liabilities			380
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
Additional paid-in capital			232,661
Accumulated deficit			(216,612)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss			(3,035)
Treasury stock, at cost, 208,003 and 111,245 shares, respectively			(1,866)
SAExploration stockholders’ equity (deficit)			11,148
Noncontrolling interest			4,225
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)			15,373
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity (deficit)			137,473
Adjustments
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents			387
Accounts receivable, net			1,604
Deferred costs on contracts			29
Prepaid expenses and other current assets			30
Total current assets			2,050
Multiclient seismic data library, net			4,733
Long-term accounts receivable, net			(52,804)
Tax credits receivable, net			13,198
Deferred income taxes			145
Other assets			(2,448)
Total assets			(35,126)
Current liabilities:
Deferred revenue			59
Total current liabilities			59
Long-term debt and finance leases			(2,448)
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
Accumulated deficit			(32,737)
SAExploration stockholders’ equity (deficit)			(32,737)
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)			(32,737)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity (deficit)			$ (35,126)