Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net income	$ 113,681,000	$ 37,050,000	$ 2,216,000
Depreciation and amortization	121,598,000	139,754,000	142,963,000
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	1,504,000	0	7,912,000
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)	(86,863,000)	1,222,000	(289,000)
Foreign currency exchange losses (gains)	2,222,000	(681,000)	726,000
Amortization of deferred financing costs	1,246,000	2,044,000	1,999,000
Amortization of debt premium	0	0	(56,000)
Amortization of stock-based compensation	869,000	761,000	453,000
Amortization of favorable facility lease	0	393,000	290,000
Increase (decrease) in allowance for doubtful accounts	(300,000)	(461,000)	12,000
Non-cash other income	(377,000)	(208,000)	(98,000)
Non-cash revenue	(2,486,000)	(8,518,000)	(9,514,000)
Gain on sale of marketable securities	0	(230,000)	(2,467,000)
Decrease (increase) in receivables	26,915,000	(8,365,000)	(20,277,000)
Decrease (increase) in other assets	586,000	(43,000)	(471,000)
Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue	(10,093,000)	6,520,000	11,108,000
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other liabilities	(20,572,000)	2,243,000	(7,684,000)
Net cash provided by operating activities	147,930,000	171,481,000	126,823,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(144,557,000)	(183,244,000)	(126,979,000)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(936,000)	(1,422,000)	(2,121,000)
Net proceeds from sale of marketable securities	0	230,000	2,467,000
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other	61,000	90,000	122,000
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(256,000)	(13,000)	(755,000)
Repayment from Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0	50,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(145,688,000)	(184,359,000)	(127,216,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Contributed capital	0	0	125,000,000
Issuance of 9½% Senior Notes	250,000,000	0	0
Principal payments on notes payable	(29,000)	(66,000)	(59,000)
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(248,000)	(212,000)	(164,000)
Borrowings on line of credit	0	0	737,000
Payments on line of credit	0	0	(737,000)
Costs of debt and equity transactions	(7,050,000)	0	(6,338,000)
Net cash used in financing activities	(32,327,000)	(278,000)	(14,655,000)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(453,000)	153,000	(29,000)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(30,538,000)	(13,003,000)	(15,077,000)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	61,891,000	74,894,000	89,971,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	31,353,000	61,891,000	74,894,000
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Interest	32,008,000	27,099,000	37,981,000
Income taxes, net of refunds received	7,610,000	2,258,000	7,979,000
Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Additions to seismic data library	4,085,000	3,376,000	10,215,000
Capital lease obligations incurred	0	95,000	0
9.75% Senior Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of Senior Notes	(275,000,000)	0	(131,094,000)
11.75% Senior Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of Senior Notes	$ 0	$ 0	$ (2,000,000)