Supplemental Guarantors Consolidating Condensed Financial Information - Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 20,354	$ 14,134
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(9,744)	(5,748)
Cash paid to acquire property and equipment	(100)	(136)
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(2)	(3)
Net cash used in investing activities	(9,846)	(5,887)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(69)	(53)
Intercompany transfers	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(69)	(53)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(46)	60
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	10,393	8,254
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	70,581	55,997
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	80,974	64,251
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
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 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] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(186)	(215)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	0	0
Cash paid to acquire property and equipment	0	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	186	215
Net cash used in financing activities	186	215
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	0
Net increase 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] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	19,910	8,513
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(5,320)	(3,747)
Cash paid to acquire property and equipment	(89)	(98)
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	(2)	(3)
Net cash used in investing activities	(5,411)	(3,848)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	0	0
Intercompany transfers	(186)	(215)
Net cash used in financing activities	(186)	(215)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(1)	0
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	14,312	4,450
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	43,380	47,971
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	57,692	52,421
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	630	5,836
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in seismic data	(4,424)	(2,001)
Cash paid to acquire property and equipment	(11)	(38)
Advances to Seitel Holdings, Inc.	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(4,435)	(2,039)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on capital lease obligations	(69)	(53)
Intercompany transfers	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(69)	(53)
Effect of exchange rate changes	(45)	60
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	(3,919)	3,804
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	27,201	8,026
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 23,282	$ 11,830