Supplemental Guarantors Consolidating Condensed Financial Information (Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 98,501	$ 44,086
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(113,136)	(79,079)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(1,074)	(739)
Net proceeds from sale of marketable securities	230	2,467
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other	90	35
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(9)	(6)
Net cash used in investing activities	(113,899)	(77,322)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on notes payable	(32)	(29)
Repayment of 11.75% Senior Notes	0	(2,000)
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(91)	(81)
Borrowings on line of credit	0	737
Payments on line of credit	0	(737)
Contributed capital	0	125,000
Costs of debt and equity transactions	0	(6,067)
Intercompany transfers	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(123)	116,823
Effect of exchange rate changes	202	(188)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(15,319)	83,399
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	74,894	89,971
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	59,575	173,370
Parent [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(14,316)	(20,460)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	0	0
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	0	0
Net proceeds from sale of marketable securities	0	0
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other	0	0
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on notes payable	(32)	(29)
Repayment of 11.75% Senior Notes		(2,000)
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	0	0
Borrowings on line of credit		0
Payments on line of credit		0
Contributed capital		125,000
Costs of debt and equity transactions		(6,020)
Intercompany transfers	14,348	(96,491)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	14,316	20,460
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	63,283	48,854
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(46,190)	(38,006)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(1,004)	(621)
Net proceeds from sale of marketable securities	230	2,467
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other	90	34
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(9)	(6)
Net cash used in investing activities	(46,883)	(36,132)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on notes payable	0	0
Repayment of 11.75% Senior Notes		0
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	0	0
Borrowings on line of credit		0
Payments on line of credit		0
Contributed capital		0
Costs of debt and equity transactions		0
Intercompany transfers	(20,048)	84,491
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(20,048)	84,491
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,648)	97,213
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	61,612	75,068
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	57,964	172,281
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	49,534	15,692
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(66,946)	(41,073)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(70)	(118)
Net proceeds from sale of marketable securities	0	0
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other	0	1
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(67,016)	(41,190)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on notes payable	0	0
Repayment of 11.75% Senior Notes		0
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(91)	(81)
Borrowings on line of credit		737
Payments on line of credit		(737)
Contributed capital		0
Costs of debt and equity transactions		(47)
Intercompany transfers	5,700	12,000
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	5,609	11,872
Effect of exchange rate changes	202	(188)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(11,671)	(13,814)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	13,282	14,903
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,611	1,089
Consolidating Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	0	0
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	0	0
Net proceeds from sale of marketable securities	0	0
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other	0	0
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on notes payable	0	0
Repayment of 11.75% Senior Notes		0
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	0	0
Borrowings on line of credit		0
Payments on line of credit		0
Contributed capital		0
Costs of debt and equity transactions		0
Intercompany transfers	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0	$ 0
Senior Notes [Member] | 11.75% Senior Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Interest rate of senior notes	11.75%	11.75%