Tax Benefit Recorded as a Result of Lapse in Statute of Limitations

No definition available.

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- Definition

Total Tax Benefit Recorded as a Result of Settlements with Taxing Authorities

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to repatriation of foreign earnings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32687-109319

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32698-109319

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- Definition

Amount of operating loss carryforward, before tax effects, available to reduce future taxable income under enacted tax laws.

+ References

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- Definition

The amount of the tax credit carryforward, before tax effects, available to reduce future taxable income under enacted tax laws.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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- Definition

Amount of statutory penalties accrued for a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed by the entity, in its tax return.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Paragraph 15
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32718-109319

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- Definition

Amount of interest expense accrued for an underpayment of income taxes.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount of interest expense for an underpayment of income taxes.

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- Definition

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate.

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- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in the valuation allowance for a specified deferred tax asset.

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Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
Income tax expense from mandatory deemed repatriation of foreign earnings	$ 0
Decrease (increase) during the period	34,349,000	$ (6,675,000)
Tax benefit recorded as a result of lapse in statute of limitations	300,000	400,000
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact the effective income tax rate if recognized in future periods	300,000
Unrecognized tax benefits, accrued interest	100,000	400,000
Unrecognized tax benefits, accrued penalties	0	0
Interest on unrecognized tax benefits	(100,000)	(100,000)	$ 500,000
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
NOL carryforwards	228,500,000
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
NOL carryforwards	5,400,000
Alternative Minimum Tax Credit Carryforward [Member]
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
AMT credit carryforward	200,000
Seitel Canada [Member] \| Canada Revenue Agency [Member]
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
Total tax benefit recorded as a result of settlements with taxing authorities		2,300,000
UNITED STATES \| Remeasurement of net deferred tax assets due to Tax Act [Member]
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
Decrease (increase) during the period	38,400,000
UNITED STATES \| Reassessment of the realizability of AMT credit [Member]
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
Decrease (increase) during the period	2,400,000
UNITED STATES \| Net operating income (loss) generated [Member]
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
Decrease (increase) during the period	(13,000,000)	(8,600,000)
UNITED STATES \| Expiration and forfeiture of stock options [Member]
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
Decrease (increase) during the period	4,800,000
UNITED STATES \| Uncertain tax positions adjusted due to lapse in statute of limitations and the Tax Act [Member]
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
Decrease (increase) during the period	$ 1,700,000
UNITED STATES \| Uncertain tax positions adjusted due to settlement [Member]
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
Decrease (increase) during the period		$ 2,000,000