Debt (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 20, 2013 USD ($)	May. 25, 2011 USD ($)	May. 25, 2011 CAD
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
9½% Senior Notes	$ 250,000,000	$ 250,000,000
Credit Facility	0	0
Total debt outstanding	250,000,000	250,000,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(4,025,000)	(4,304,000)
Senior Notes, net of unamortized debt issuance costs	245,975,000	$ 245,696,000
Credit Facility
Maximum borrowing capacity				$ 30,000,000
Minimum excess availability	$ 10,000,000
Fixed charge coverage ratio, minimum	1.0
Calculated borrowing capacity	$ 22,000,000
Current borrowing capacity	$ 12,000,000
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
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%
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%