Fair Value of Financial Instruments	9 Months Ended
Fair Value of Financial Instruments	Sep. 30, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value of Financial Instruments	Fair Value of Financial Instruments Authoritative guidance on fair value measurements defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and stipulates the related disclosure requirements. The Company follows a three-level hierarchy, prioritizing and defining the types of inputs used to measure fair value. Investment in Convertible Note. In March 2012, the Company and a privately owned U.S.-based technology company entered into an agreement for the Company to make available to the technology company a credit facility in an amount of up to $4.0 million. The credit facility has since been amended such that the current maturity date is March 2015, the annual interest rate is 0.25%, and the conversion provision allows for conversion of any or all of the outstanding balance of the promissory note under the credit facility into an amount of common shares of the technology company up to 19.5% of the total outstanding shares of the company. In September 2014, the Company converted $3.2 million of the balance of the note into 688,000 common shares of the investee, which resulted in a post-conversion equity ownership percentage interest in the investee of 19.5%. This investment continues to be accounted for as a cost method investment and is included in Other assets. Prior to conversion, the note and accrued interest had a fair value that approximated its book value resulting in no realized gain or loss on this conversion. The Company performed a fair value analysis with respect to its investment in the convertible note and interest using Level 3 inputs. These inputs included a market approach, including terms and likelihood of an investment event. As of September 30, 2014, $1.1 million of principal and accrued interest remains outstanding under this credit arrangement and the fair value of this investment approximated its book value, including the accrued interest. Fair Value of Other Financial Instruments. Due to their highly liquid nature, the amount of the Company’s other financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts and unbilled receivables, notes receivable, accounts payable, and accrued multi-client data library royalties, represent their approximate fair value. The carrying amounts of the Company’s long-term debt as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 were $185.5 million and $220.2 million, respectively, compared to its fair values of $176.7 million and $190.4 million as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. The fair value of the long-term debt was calculated using Level 1 inputs, including an active market price. The Company’s cost method investment for which quoted market prices are not available are recorded at cost and reviewed periodically if there are events or changes in circumstances that may have a significant adverse effect on the fair value of the investments.

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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