Supplemental Guarantors Consolidating Condensed Financial Information (Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 29,131	$ 67,729
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(20,699)	(61,218)
Cash paid to acquire property and equipment	(176)	(406)
Cash from sale of property and equipment	18	0
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(19)	(10)
Net cash used in investing activities	(20,876)	(61,634)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(152)	(168)
Intercompany transfers	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(152)	(168)
Effect of exchange rate changes	96	(1,128)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	8,199	4,799
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	52,675	59,175
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	60,874	63,974
Consolidation, 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 and equipment	0	0
Cash from sale of property and equipment	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
Parent [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(12,525)	(12,797)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	0	0
Cash paid to acquire property and equipment	0	0
Cash from sale of property and equipment	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	12,525	12,797
Net cash used in financing activities	12,525	12,797
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	35,409	64,937
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(19,141)	(49,153)
Cash paid to acquire property and equipment	(173)	(396)
Cash from sale of property and equipment	17
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(19)	(10)
Net cash used in investing activities	(19,316)	(49,559)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	0	(18)
Intercompany transfers	(12,326)	(1,797)
Net cash used in financing activities	(12,326)	(1,815)
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	(3)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	3,767	13,560
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	51,192	48,525
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	54,959	62,085
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	6,247	15,589
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(1,558)	(12,065)
Cash paid to acquire property and equipment	(3)	(10)
Cash from sale of property and equipment	1
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,560)	(12,075)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(152)	(150)
Intercompany transfers	(199)	(11,000)
Net cash used in financing activities	(351)	(11,150)
Effect of exchange rate changes	96	(1,125)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	4,432	(8,761)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	1,483	10,650
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 5,915	$ 1,889