Supplemental Guarantors Consolidating Condensed Financial Information (Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 67,729	$ 99,350
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(61,218)	(72,272)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(406)	(1,404)
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(10)	(10)
Net cash used in investing activities	(61,634)	(73,686)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(168)	(187)
Intercompany transfers	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(168)	(187)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(1,128)	(249)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	4,799	25,228
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	59,175	31,353
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	63,974	56,581
Parent [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(12,797)	(12,485)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	0	0
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	0	0
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	0	0
Intercompany transfers	12,797	12,485
Net cash used in financing activities	12,797	12,485
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	64,937	73,248
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(49,153)	(52,935)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(396)	(1,273)
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(10)	(10)
Net cash used in investing activities	(49,559)	(54,218)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(18)	(24)
Intercompany transfers	(1,797)	3,515
Net cash used in financing activities	(1,815)	3,491
Effect of exchange rate changes	(3)	3
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	13,560	22,524
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	48,525	24,859
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	62,085	47,383
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	15,589	38,587
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(12,065)	(19,337)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(10)	(131)
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(12,075)	(19,468)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(150)	(163)
Intercompany transfers	(11,000)	(16,000)
Net cash used in financing activities	(11,150)	(16,163)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(1,125)	(252)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(8,761)	2,704
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	10,650	6,494
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,889	9,198
Consolidating Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	0	0
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	0	0
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	0	0
Intercompany transfers	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0	$ 0