Credit Facility, Percent of Present and Future Assets and Equity Used as Guarantee

No definition available.

Name:	cik0000750813_CreditFacilityPercentOfPresentAndFutureAssetsAndEquityUsedAsGuarantee
Namespace Prefix:	cik0000750813_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of current borrowing capacity under the credit facility considering any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed (for example, borrowings may be limited by the amount of current assets), but before consideration of limitations to allow for the minimum excess availability requirement if the fixed charge coverage ration is below 1.00 to 1.00.

+ References

No definition available.

Debt (Details)		12 Months Ended
Debt (Details)	Mar. 20, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	May. 25, 2011 CAD	May. 25, 2011 USD ($)	Feb. 14, 2007
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes		$ 250,000,000	$ 250,000,000
Interest		24,230,000	24,132,000	$ 32,008,000
Credit Facility		0	0
Debt		$ 250,000,000	250,000,000
Credit Facility
Maximum borrowing capacity						$ 30,000,000
Fixed charge coverage ratio, minimum		1.0
Minimum excess availability		$ 10,000,000
Unused line fee		0.50%
Calculated borrowing capacity		$ 27,600,000
Current borrowing capacity		17,600,000
Aggregate Maturities
Aggregate maturities of debt, 2016		0
Aggregate maturities of debt, 2017		0
Aggregate maturities of debt, 2018		0
Aggregate maturities of debt, 2019		250,000,000
Aggregate maturities of debt, 2020		$ 0
Seitel Canada [Member]
Credit Facility
Percent of present and future assets and equity used as guarantee		65.00%
Canadian Lender [Member]
Credit Facility
Maximum borrowing capacity \| CAD					CAD 5,000,000
9½% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes		$ 250,000,000	250,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] \| 9½% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of senior notes	$ 250,000,000
Interest rate of senior notes	9.50%
Accrued interest payable		$ 5,000,000	$ 5,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] \| 9.75% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate of senior notes				9.75%			9.75%
Cash on hand used to repurchase 9.75% Senior Notes	$ 29,800,000
Interest	$ 4,800,000
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Credit Facility
Basis spread on variable rate		3.50%
Federal Funds Rate [Member]
Credit Facility
Basis spread on variable rate		0.50%
Three-Month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Credit Facility
Basis spread on variable rate		1.00%
Prime Rate [Member]
Credit Facility
Basis spread on variable rate		2.50%
Canadian Base Rate [Member]
Credit Facility
Basis spread on variable rate		2.50%
Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member] \| 9½% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Percentage of principal amount		35.00%
Call premium		109.50%
Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Two [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member] \| 9½% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Call premium		101.00%