Basis Of Presentation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis Of Presentation

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of Seitel, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. In preparing the Company’s financial statements, a number of estimates and assumptions are made by management that affect the accounting for and recognition of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any other quarter of 2016 or for the year ending December 31, 2016. The condensed consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2015 has been derived from the audited balance sheet of the Company as of that date. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.

Effective January 1, 2016, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-03, “Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs.” The new standard changed the presentation of debt issuance costs from an asset to a direct deduction from the related liability. The Company applied the provisions of the new standard retrospectively, which resulted in a decrease of $4.3 million in prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other assets and Senior Notes liability amounts in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015. Other than the reclassification of the December 31, 2015 amount, the adoption of this standard did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated Statements of Operations or Statements of Cash Flows. In accordance with ASU No. 2015-15, “Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements,” debt issuance costs related to the Company’s revolving credit facility continue to be reflected in prepaid expenses, deferred charges and other assets and amortized over the term of the agreement using the effective interest method.