Revenue Recognition - Revenue Disaggregated By Component (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 19,489	$ 20,595
Acquisition underwriting revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue	3,201	6,913
Resale licensing revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue	15,816	13,195
Total seismic revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue	19,017	20,108
Solutions and other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 472	$ 487

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 32
-Paragraph 2A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82859839&loc=SL82860478-203043

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913847&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913847&loc=SL49130539-203045

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913847&loc=SL49130545-203045

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration