Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net income	$ 9,678,000	$ 113,681,000	$ 37,050,000
Depreciation and amortization	121,023,000	121,598,000	139,754,000
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	1,504,000	0
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)	9,273,000	(86,863,000)	1,222,000
Foreign currency exchange losses (gains)	1,974,000	2,222,000	(681,000)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	1,090,000	1,246,000	2,044,000
Amortization of stock-based compensation	536,000	869,000	761,000
Amortization of favorable facility lease	0	0	393,000
Decrease in allowance for doubtful accounts	(337,000)	(300,000)	(461,000)
Non-cash other loss (income)	15,000	(377,000)	(208,000)
Non-cash revenue	(1,071,000)	(2,486,000)	(8,518,000)
Gain on sale of marketable securities	0	0	(230,000)
Decrease (increase) in receivables	(12,199,000)	26,915,000	(8,365,000)
Decrease (increase) in other assets	(405,000)	586,000	(43,000)
Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue	(6,960,000)	(10,093,000)	6,520,000
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other liabilities	1,728,000	(20,572,000)	2,243,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	124,345,000	147,930,000	171,481,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(93,682,000)	(144,557,000)	(183,244,000)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(1,961,000)	(936,000)	(1,422,000)
Net proceeds from sale of marketable securities	0	0	230,000
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other	0	61,000	90,000
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(13,000)	(256,000)	(13,000)
Net cash used in investing activities	(95,656,000)	(145,688,000)	(184,359,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of 9½% Senior Notes	0	250,000,000	0
Repayment of 9.75% Senior Notes	0	(275,000,000)	0
Principal payments on notes payable	0	(29,000)	(66,000)
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(249,000)	(248,000)	(212,000)
Debt transaction costs	0	(7,050,000)	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(249,000)	(32,327,000)	(278,000)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(618,000)	(453,000)	153,000
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	27,822,000	(30,538,000)	(13,003,000)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	31,353,000	61,891,000	74,894,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	59,175,000	31,353,000	61,891,000
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Interest	24,132,000	32,008,000	27,099,000
Income taxes, net of refunds received	(4,937,000)	7,610,000	2,258,000
Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Additions to seismic data library	950,000	4,085,000	3,376,000
Capital lease obligations incurred	$ 0	$ 0	$ 95,000