Acquisition of OceanGeo - Pro Forma Income Statement Information (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Net revenues	$ 518,742
Loss from operations	(114,346)
Net loss	(126,492)
Net loss attributable to ION	$ (127,226)
Basic and diluted net loss per common share (usd per share) \| $ / shares	$ (11.70)

Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted

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- Definition

Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount after tax of pro forma income from continuing operations as if the business combination had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)-(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65885119&loc=d3e1392-128463

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- Definition

The pro forma net Income or Loss for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

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- Definition

The pro forma revenue for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of the period.

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