Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net loss	$ (82,961)	[1]	$ (222,053)	[1]	$ (138,684)	[1]
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	123,924	[1]	158,388	[1]	112,897	[1]
Asset impairments	6,049	[1]	134,756	[1]	0	[1]
Bad debt expense	377		1,921		1,549
Loss on prepayment of debt, amortization of deferred financing costs, and accretion of debt discount	6,710		6,060		6,725
Stock-based compensation	1,936		2,665		2,888
(Gain) loss on disposal/sale of assets	(1,557)		(5,254)		1,910
Deferred income taxes	4,624		(8,107)		(9,176)
Change in fair value of derivative liabilities	(5,730)		(33,300)		6,415
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash, net of financing portion	(5,312)		(605)		(501)
Accounts receivable	18,001		2,033		40,915
Prepaid expenses and other assets	1,000		2,315		(978)
Deferred costs	4,695		8,825		(8,402)
Accounts payable	(45,157)		13,574		(7,697)
Deferred revenues	(11,633)		(16,862)		35,456
Accrued liabilities and other liabilities	15,798		15,118		(11,781)
Net cash provided by operating activities	30,764		59,474		31,536
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Investment in multi-client	(45,692)		(70,115)		(51,035)
Acquisition, net of cash acquired	0		0		(180,832)
Proceeds from disposal of assets and insurance claims	19,474		2,919		426
Proceeds from sale of other assets	0		5,948		0
Purchase of other assets	(588)		(2,204)		(3,986)
Purchases and acquisition of property and equipment	(11,944)		(18,551)		(47,673)
Change in restricted cash	0		0		303,803
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(38,750)		(82,003)		20,703
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	0		60,000		51,994
Proceeds from issuance of mandatorily redeemable preferred stock	0		0		30,000
Net change in short-term debt	1,330		2,194		0
Proceeds from common stock issuance, net	0		0		1,678
Payments on capital lease obligations and vendor financing	(3,765)		(2,427)		(25,025)
Payments on long-term debt	0		(33,000)		(73,641)
Payments of debt issuance costs	(784)		(2,442)		(4,570)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(3,219)		24,325		(19,564)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(11,205)		1,796		32,675
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of year	44,647		42,851		10,176
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of year	33,442		44,647		42,851
Cash disclosures:
Interest paid	20,163		34,946		31,356
Income taxes paid	9,820		6,721		11,464
Non-cash disclosures:
Capitalized depreciation to multi-client seismic data library	3,616		5,586		2,729
Purchases of property and equipment under capital lease obligations and vendor financings, net of down payments	2,430		6,491		0
Deferred financing costs paid in common stock	$ 0		$ 3,980		$ 0

[1] During the fourth quarter of 2010, the Company re-assessed its operating segments and concluded that its multi-client data library business is a separate operating segment. Accordingly, prior periods have been restated.