<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-12-14</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000314606</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GEOKINETICS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GOK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000902053</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PETROLEUM GEO SERVICES ASA</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>STRANDVEIEN 4</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>P.O. BOX 89</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>N-1326 LYSAKER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>Q8</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>NORWAY</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series D Junior Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-12-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>40000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>40000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrant to Purchase Common Stock (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.64</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-12-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1165000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-12-14</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-12-15</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1165000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1165000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the Series D and Warrant Purchase Agreement dated as of December 14, 2010 (the &quot;Purchase Agreement&quot;) by and among Geokinetics Inc. (&quot;Geokinetics&quot;), Petroleum Geo-Services ASA (&quot;PGS ASA&quot;), Petroleum Geo-Services, Inc. (&quot;PGS Inc.&quot;) and the other purchasers identified therein, (i) PGS Inc. purchased 40,000 shares of Series D Junior Preferred Stock of Geokinetics (the &quot;Series D Preferred Stock&quot;) and (ii) PGS ASA purchased warrants to purchase up to 1,165,000 shares of Common Stock of Geokinetics (the &quot;Warrants&quot;) in exchange for the aggregate purchase price of $10,000,000. On or before December 31, 2010, an allocation of the purchase price between the Series D Preferred Stock and the Warrants will be determined among the parties to the Purchase Agreement.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Series D Preferred Stock is owned directly by PGS Inc., and indirectly by PGS ASA as the parent of PGS Inc.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jostein Ueland</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-12-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
