Supplemental Guarantors Consolidating Condensed Financial Information - (Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 20, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 72,636	$ 124,345	$ 147,930
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(77,281)	(93,682)	(144,557)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(432)	(1,961)	(936)
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other	0	0	61
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(13)	(13)	(256)
Net cash used in investing activities	(77,726)	(95,656)	(145,688)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of 9½% Senior Notes	0	0	250,000
Repayment of 9.75% Senior Notes	0	0	(275,000)
Principal payments on notes payable	0	0	(29)
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(218)	(249)	(248)
Debt transaction costs	0	0	(7,050)
Intercompany transfers	0	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(218)	(249)	(32,327)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(1,192)	(618)	(453)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(6,500)	27,822	(30,538)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	59,175	31,353	61,891
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	52,675	59,175	31,353
Parent [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(24,717)	(25,125)	(32,730)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	0	0	0
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	0	0	0
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other			0
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of 9½% Senior Notes			250,000
Repayment of 9.75% Senior Notes			(275,000)
Principal payments on notes payable			(29)
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	0	0	0
Debt transaction costs			(7,050)
Intercompany transfers	24,717	25,125	64,809
Net cash used in financing activities	24,717	25,125	32,730
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	80,698	103,252	145,121
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(63,858)	(68,714)	(114,327)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(422)	(1,705)	(583)
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other			61
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(13)	(13)	(256)
Net cash used in investing activities	(64,293)	(70,432)	(115,105)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of 9½% Senior Notes			0
Repayment of 9.75% Senior Notes			0
Principal payments on notes payable			0
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(18)	(32)	(31)
Debt transaction costs			0
Intercompany transfers	(13,717)	(9,125)	(65,659)
Net cash used in financing activities	(13,735)	(9,157)	(65,690)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(3)	3	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	2,667	23,666	(35,674)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	48,525	24,859	60,533
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	51,192	48,525	24,859
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	16,655	46,218	35,539
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(13,423)	(24,968)	(30,230)
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	(10)	(256)	(353)
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other			0
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(13,433)	(25,224)	(30,583)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of 9½% Senior Notes			0
Repayment of 9.75% Senior Notes			0
Principal payments on notes payable			0
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(200)	(217)	(217)
Debt transaction costs			0
Intercompany transfers	(11,000)	(16,000)	850
Net cash used in financing activities	(11,200)	(16,217)	633
Effect of exchange rate changes	(1,189)	(621)	(453)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(9,167)	4,156	5,136
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	10,650	6,494	1,358
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,483	10,650	6,494
Consolidating Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	0	0	0
Cash paid to acquire property, equipment and other	0	0	0
Cash from sale of property, equipment and other			0
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of 9½% Senior Notes			0
Repayment of 9.75% Senior Notes			0
Principal payments on notes payable			0
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	0	0	0
Debt transaction costs			0
Intercompany transfers	0	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Senior Notes [Member] | 9½% Senior Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Interest rate of senior notes				9.50%