Supplemental Guarantors Consolidating Condensed Financial Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 43,017	$ 31,353	$ 25,183	$ 61,891
Receivables
Trade, net	38,925	34,616
Notes and other, net	1,862	1,932
Due from Seitel Holdings, Inc.	1,137	1,130
Income tax refund	1,337	7,441
Intercompany receivables (payables)	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Net seismic data library	178,751	195,778
Net property and equipment	4,037	4,611
Prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other	9,665	9,844
Intangible assets, net	12,402	14,762
Goodwill	201,183	201,535
Deferred income taxes	88,655	92,511
TOTAL ASSETS	580,971	595,513
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	36,057	37,777
Income taxes payable	784	787
Senior Notes	250,000	250,000
Obligations under capital leases	2,540	2,676
Deferred revenue	25,835	41,739
Deferred income taxes	6,604	7,578
TOTAL LIABILITIES	321,820	340,557
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	399,945	399,641
Parent investment	0	0
Retained earnings (deficit)	(153,987)	(158,454)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	13,193	13,769
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	259,151	254,956
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	580,971	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)	9,645	15,416
Investment in subsidiaries	484,408	473,191
Net seismic data library	0	0
Net property and equipment	0	0
Prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other	6,355	6,841
Intangible assets, net	900	900
Goodwill	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	501,308	496,348
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	5,008	5,008
Income taxes payable	342	153
Senior Notes	250,000	250,000
Obligations under capital leases	0	0
Deferred revenue	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	255,350	255,161
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	399,945	399,641
Parent investment	0	0
Retained earnings (deficit)	(153,987)	(158,454)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	0	0
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	245,958	241,187
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	501,308	496,348
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	39,103	24,859	22,901	60,533
Receivables
Trade, net	29,914	22,711
Notes and other, net	11	4
Due from Seitel Holdings, Inc.	1,137	1,130
Income tax refund	0	0
Intercompany receivables (payables)	5,823	14,719
Investment in subsidiaries	431,185	433,709
Net seismic data library	114,160	116,199
Net property and equipment	1,804	2,244
Prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other	2,780	2,581
Intangible assets, net	8,432	10,038
Goodwill	107,688	107,688
Deferred income taxes	88,655	92,511
TOTAL ASSETS	830,692	828,393
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	23,704	16,636
Income taxes payable	53	634
Senior Notes	0	0
Obligations under capital leases	34	50
Deferred revenue	24,031	38,748
Deferred income taxes	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	47,822	56,068
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	0	0
Parent investment	764,110	764,752
Retained earnings (deficit)	18,760	7,573
Accumulated other comprehensive income	0	0
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	782,870	772,325
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	830,692	828,393
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	3,914	6,494	2,282	1,358
Receivables
Trade, net	9,011	11,905
Notes and other, net	1,851	1,928
Due from Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Income tax refund	1,337	7,441
Intercompany receivables (payables)	(15,468)	(30,135)
Investment in subsidiaries	656	1,335
Net seismic data library	64,773	79,794
Net property and equipment	2,233	2,367
Prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other	530	422
Intangible assets, net	3,070	3,824
Goodwill	93,495	93,847
Deferred income taxes	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	165,402	179,222
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	7,345	16,133
Income taxes payable	389	0
Senior Notes	0	0
Obligations under capital leases	2,506	2,626
Deferred revenue	1,804	2,991
Deferred income taxes	6,604	7,578
TOTAL LIABILITIES	18,648	29,328
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	0	0
Parent investment	156,152	156,924
Retained earnings (deficit)	(22,587)	(20,796)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	13,189	13,766
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	146,754	149,894
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	165,402	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	(916,249)	(908,235)
Net seismic data library	(182)	(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	(916,431)	(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 earnings (deficit)	3,827	13,223
Accumulated other comprehensive income	4	3
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	(916,431)	(908,450)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY	$ (916,431)	$ (908,450)