Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Summary of segment information
Revenues	$ 106,540	$ 79,838	$ 372,718	$ 330,490
Gross profit (loss)	29,223	(15,104)	124,305	56,471
Gross margin	27.00%	(19.00%)	33.00%	17.00%
Income (loss) from operations	(5,349)	(56,528)	18,107	(47,835)
Interest expense, net	(5,048)	(4,281)	(14,779)	(8,103)
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	(5,558)	(5,192)	(9,027)	(10,414)
Other income (expense), net	(622)	(74,301)	73,970	(180,392)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(16,577)	(140,302)	68,271	(246,744)
Solutions [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	45,859	43,447	197,734	221,236
Gross profit (loss)	5,927	(8,487)	51,207	33,600
Gross margin	13.00%	(20.00%)	26.00%	15.00%
Income (loss) from operations	(5,960)	(18,163)	11,733	215
Systems [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	24,695	26,267	71,948	81,962
Gross profit (loss)	10,123	(13,987)	31,288	3,195
Gross margin	41.00%	(53.00%)	43.00%	4.00%
Income (loss) from operations	2,917	(23,610)	9,835	(21,172)
Software [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	11,010	10,124	31,582	27,292
Gross profit (loss)	8,326	7,370	23,388	19,676
Gross margin	76.00%	73.00%	74.00%	72.00%
Income (loss) from operations	6,227	6,280	16,985	16,396
Ocean Bottom Services Segment [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	24,976	0	71,454	0
Gross profit (loss)	4,847	0	18,422	0
Gross margin	19.00%	0.00%	26.00%	0.00%
Income (loss) from operations	1,677	0	12,333	0
Corporate and Other [Member]
Summary of segment information
Income (loss) from operations	(10,210)	(21,035)	(32,779)	(43,274)
New Venture and Data Library [Member] | Solutions [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	21,708	17,129	106,603	129,783
New Venture [Member] | Solutions [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	18,446	11,945	76,499	93,630
Data Library [Member] | Solutions [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	3,262	5,184	30,104	36,153
Data Processing [Member] | Solutions [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	24,151	26,318	91,131	91,453
Towed Streamer [Member] | Systems [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	13,666	15,342	35,782	41,461
Ocean Bottom Equipment [Member] | Systems [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	0	159	0	7,307
Other [Member] | Systems [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	11,029	10,766	36,166	33,194
Software Systems [Member] | Software [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	9,922	8,892	28,384	24,297
Services [Member] | Software [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	$ 1,088	$ 1,232	$ 3,198	$ 2,995