RESTATEMENT OF PREVIOUSLY REPORTED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Effects of Restatement on Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Revenue from services	$ 89,537	$ 16,883	$ 182,592	$ 54,006
Type of Revenue [Extensible List]	us-gaap:ServiceMember	us-gaap:ServiceMember	us-gaap:ServiceMember	us-gaap:ServiceMember
Cost of services	$ 74,922	$ 19,710	$ 145,047	$ 45,715
Type of Cost, Good or Service [Extensible List]	us-gaap:ServiceMember	us-gaap:ServiceMember	us-gaap:ServiceMember	us-gaap:ServiceMember
Depreciation and amortization	$ 3,613	$ 2,295	$ 6,475	$ 4,716
Gross profit (loss)	11,002	(5,122)	31,070	3,575
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	10,821	8,366	20,108	14,052
Misappropriation of funds	121	128	273	361
Total operating expenses	10,942	8,494	20,381	14,413
Operating loss	60	(13,616)	10,689	(10,838)
Other (expense) income, net:
Interest expense, net	(3,632)	(2,346)	(7,129)	(5,487)
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	373	(2,005)	500	(2,179)
Other income, net	784	92	913	237
Total other expense, net	(2,475)	(4,259)	(5,716)	(7,429)
(Loss) income before income taxes	(2,415)	(17,875)	4,973	(18,267)
Income taxes	2,853	(34)	6,519	(35)
Net loss	(5,268)	(17,841)	(1,546)	(18,232)
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,164	59	2,573	894
Net loss attributable to SAExploration	$ (6,432)	$ (17,900)	$ (4,119)	$ (19,126)
Loss per common share (basic and diluted)	$ (0.81)	$ (9.72)	$ (0.53)	$ (46.26)
Weighted average common shares outstanding (basic and diluted)	7,919	1,865	7,761	1,433
Previously Reported
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Revenue from services		$ 16,883		$ 54,006
Type of Revenue [Extensible List]		us-gaap:ServiceMember		us-gaap:ServiceMember
Cost of services		$ 19,710		$ 45,715
Type of Cost, Good or Service [Extensible List]		us-gaap:ServiceMember		us-gaap:ServiceMember
Depreciation and amortization		$ 2,295		$ 4,716
Gross profit (loss)		(5,122)		3,575
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses		25,763		32,140
Total operating expenses		25,763		32,140
Operating loss		(30,885)		(28,565)
Other (expense) income, net:
Interest expense, net		(2,346)		(5,487)
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net		(2,005)		(2,179)
Other income, net		9		154
Total other expense, net		(4,342)		(7,512)
(Loss) income before income taxes		(35,227)		(36,077)
Income taxes		(1,881)		(1,257)
Net loss		(33,346)		(34,820)
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interest		59		894
Net loss attributable to SAExploration		$ (33,405)		$ (35,714)
Loss per common share (basic and diluted)		$ (44.90)		$ (128.90)
Weighted average common shares outstanding (basic and diluted)		749		643
Adjustments
Error Corrections And Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Type of Revenue [Extensible List]		us-gaap:ServiceMember		us-gaap:ServiceMember
Type of Cost, Good or Service [Extensible List]		us-gaap:ServiceMember		us-gaap:ServiceMember
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses		$ (17,397)		$ (18,088)
Misappropriation of funds		128		361
Total operating expenses		(17,269)		(17,727)
Operating loss		17,269		17,727
Other (expense) income, net:
Other income, net		83		83
Total other expense, net		83		83
(Loss) income before income taxes		17,352		17,810
Income taxes		1,847		1,222
Net loss		15,505		16,588
Net loss attributable to SAExploration		$ 15,505		$ 16,588
Loss per common share (basic and diluted)		$ 35.18		$ 82.64
Weighted average common shares outstanding (basic and diluted)		1,116		790