Supplemental Guarantors Consolidating Condensed Financial Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 33,146	$ 31,353	$ 25,544	$ 61,891
Receivables
Trade, net	42,390	34,616
Notes and other, net	1,832	1,932
Due from Seitel Holdings, Inc.	1,133	1,130
Income tax refund	7,161	7,441
Intercompany receivables (payables)	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Net seismic data library	180,438	195,778
Net property and equipment	4,244	4,611
Prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other	9,833	9,844
Intangible assets, net	13,382	14,762
Goodwill	197,991	201,535
Deferred income taxes	91,033	92,511
TOTAL ASSETS	582,583	595,513
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	38,159	37,777
Income taxes payable	2,106	787
Senior Notes	250,000	250,000
Obligations under capital leases	2,516	2,676
Deferred revenue	31,909	41,739
Deferred income taxes	6,398	7,578
TOTAL LIABILITIES	331,088	340,557
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	399,819	399,641
Parent investment	0	0
Retained deficit	(156,562)	(158,454)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	8,238	13,769
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	251,495	254,956
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	582,583	595,513
Parent [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Receivables
Trade, net	0	0
Notes and other, net	0	0
Due from Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Income tax refund	0	0
Intercompany receivables (payables)	16,531	15,416
Investment in subsidiaries	480,640	473,191
Net seismic data library	0	0
Net property and equipment	0	0
Prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other	6,601	6,841
Intangible assets, net	900	900
Goodwill	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	504,672	496,348
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	10,945	5,008
Income taxes payable	470	153
Senior Notes	250,000	250,000
Obligations under capital leases	0	0
Deferred revenue	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	261,415	255,161
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	399,819	399,641
Parent investment	0	0
Retained deficit	(156,562)	(158,454)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	0	0
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	243,257	241,187
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	504,672	496,348
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	26,253	24,859	25,308	60,533
Receivables
Trade, net	30,751	22,711
Notes and other, net	21	4
Due from Seitel Holdings, Inc.	1,133	1,130
Income tax refund	0	0
Intercompany receivables (payables)	14,219	14,719
Investment in subsidiaries	432,437	433,709
Net seismic data library	110,466	116,199
Net property and equipment	2,040	2,244
Prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other	2,725	2,581
Intangible assets, net	9,235	10,038
Goodwill	107,688	107,688
Deferred income taxes	91,033	92,511
TOTAL ASSETS	828,001	828,393
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	18,323	16,636
Income taxes payable	891	634
Senior Notes	0	0
Obligations under capital leases	42	50
Deferred revenue	29,628	38,748
Deferred income taxes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	48,884	56,068
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	0	0
Parent investment	764,110	764,752
Retained deficit	15,007	7,573
Accumulated other comprehensive income	0	0
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	779,117	772,325
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	828,001	828,393
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	6,893	6,494	236	1,358
Receivables
Trade, net	11,639	11,905
Notes and other, net	1,811	1,928
Due from Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Income tax refund	7,161	7,441
Intercompany receivables (payables)	(30,750)	(30,135)
Investment in subsidiaries	615	1,335
Net seismic data library	70,164	79,794
Net property and equipment	2,204	2,367
Prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other	507	422
Intangible assets, net	3,247	3,824
Goodwill	90,303	93,847
Deferred income taxes	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	163,794	179,222
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	8,891	16,133
Income taxes payable	745	0
Senior Notes	0	0
Obligations under capital leases	2,474	2,626
Deferred revenue	2,281	2,991
Deferred income taxes	6,398	7,578
TOTAL LIABILITIES	20,789	29,328
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	0	0
Parent investment	156,152	156,924
Retained deficit	(21,374)	(20,796)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	8,227	13,766
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	143,005	149,894
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	163,794	179,222
Consolidating Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Receivables
Trade, net	0	0
Notes and other, net	0	0
Due from Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Income tax refund	0	0
Intercompany receivables (payables)	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(913,692)	(908,235)
Net seismic data library	(192)	(215)
Net property and equipment	0	0
Prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	(913,884)	(908,450)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Income taxes payable	0	0
Senior Notes	0	0
Obligations under capital leases	0	0
Deferred revenue	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	0	0
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	0	0
Parent investment	(920,262)	(921,676)
Retained deficit	6,367	13,223
Accumulated other comprehensive income	11	3
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	(913,884)	(908,450)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	$ (913,884)	$ (908,450)