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Debt (Details)
 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
USD ($)
May 25, 2011
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
Seitel Canada [Member]
May 25, 2011
Canadian Lender [Member]
CAD
Dec. 31, 2014
9½% Senior Notes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
9½% Senior Notes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
Senior Notes [Member]
9½% Senior Notes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
Senior Notes [Member]
9½% Senior Notes [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 20, 2013
Senior Notes [Member]
9½% Senior Notes [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 20, 2013
Senior Notes [Member]
9.75% Senior Notes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
Senior Notes [Member]
9.75% Senior Notes [Member]
Feb. 14, 2007
Senior Notes [Member]
9.75% Senior Notes [Member]
Dec. 31, 2014
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Dec. 31, 2014
Federal Funds Rate [Member]
Dec. 31, 2014
Three-Month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Dec. 31, 2014
Prime Rate [Member]
Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One [Member]
Senior Notes [Member]
9½% Senior Notes [Member]
Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Two [Member]
Senior Notes [Member]
9½% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                        
Senior Notes $ 250,000,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes $ 250,000,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes         $ 250,000,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointFivePercentMember		 $ 250,000,000us-gaap_SeniorNotes
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointFivePercentMember		                        
Face amount of senior notes                     250,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		                  
Interest rate of senior notes                   9.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		 9.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		   9.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointSevenFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		 9.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointSevenFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		            
Cash on hand used to repurchase 9.75% Senior Notes                       29,800,000cik0000750813_RepaymentsOfSeniorDebtCashOnHand
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointSevenFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		                
Interest 24,132,000us-gaap_InterestPaid 32,008,000us-gaap_InterestPaid 27,099,000us-gaap_InterestPaid                 4,800,000us-gaap_InterestPaid
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointSevenFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		                
Percentage of principal amount                                     35.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentageOfPrincipalAmountRedeemed
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis
= us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodOneMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		  
Call premium                                     109.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis
= us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodOneMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		 101.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis
= us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodTwoMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Credit Facility 0us-gaap_LineOfCredit 0us-gaap_LineOfCredit                                    
Debt 250,000,000us-gaap_DebtLongtermAndShorttermCombinedAmount 250,000,000us-gaap_DebtLongtermAndShorttermCombinedAmount                                    
Accrued interest payable                 5,000,000us-gaap_InterestPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		 5,000,000us-gaap_InterestPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= cik0000750813_SeniorNoteNinePointFivePercentMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember		                    
Credit Facility                                        
Maximum borrowing capacity       30,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity   5,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAxis
= cik0000750813_CanadianLenderMember		                            
Percent of present and future assets and equity used as guarantee         65.00%cik0000750813_CreditFacilityPercentOfPresentAndFutureAssetsAndEquityUsedAsGuarantee
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= cik0000750813_SeitelCanadaMember		                              
Basis spread on variable rate                             3.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis
= us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember		 0.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis
= cik0000750813_FederalFundsRateMember		 1.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis
= cik0000750813_ThreeMonthLondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember		 2.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis
= us-gaap_PrimeRateMember		    
Fixed charge coverage ratio, minimum 1.0cik0000750813_LineofCreditFacilityCovenantTermsFixedChargeCoverageRatioMinimum                                      
Minimum excess availability 10,000,000cik0000750813_LineofCreditFacilityCovenantTermsMinimumExcessAvailability                                      
Unused line fee 0.50%us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeePercentage                                      
Current borrowing capacity 30,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCurrentBorrowingCapacity                                      
Aggregate Maturities                                        
Aggregate maturities of debt, 2015 0us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInNextTwelveMonths                                      
Aggregate maturities of debt, 2016 0us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearTwo                                      
Aggregate maturities of debt, 2017 0us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearThree                                      
Aggregate maturities of debt, 2018 0us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearFour                                      
Aggregate maturities of debt, 2019 $ 250,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearFive