Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 117,060	$ 173,608	$ 157,779	$ 148,056
Accounts receivable, net	26,477	114,325
Unbilled receivables	13,381	22,599
Inventories	35,947	51,162
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	13,333	13,662
Total current assets	206,198	375,356
Deferred income tax asset	8,430	8,604
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net	83,489	69,840
Multi-client data library, net	127,758	118,669
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill	27,679	27,388
Intangible assets, net	5,811	6,788
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other assets	9,845	10,612
Total assets	469,210	617,257
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	7,213	7,649
Accounts payable	25,338	36,863
Accrued expenses	43,059	65,264
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	18,524	35,219
Deferred revenue	10,672	8,262
Total current liabilities	104,806	153,257
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	180,955	182,945
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	42,278	143,804
Total liabilities	328,039	480,006
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	1,080	1,539
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	1,647	1,645
Additional paid-in capital	890,811	887,749
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(733,604)	(734,409)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(12,199)	(12,807)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	0	0
Treasury stock	(6,565)	(6,565)
Total stockholders' equity	140,090	135,613
Noncontrolling interests	1	99
Total equity	140,091	135,712
Total liabilities and equity	469,210	617,257
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | ION Geophysical Corporation [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	60,097	109,514	100,784	124,701
Accounts receivable, net	(10)	123
Unbilled receivables	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	4,019	6,692
Total current assets	64,106	116,329
Deferred income tax asset	2,472	(7,852)
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net	5,464	6,412
Multi-client data library, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	700,267	675,499
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Intercompany receivables	48,576	29,979
Other assets	8,431	10,191
Total assets	829,316	830,558
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	2,664	4,308
Accrued expenses	11,124	3,904
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	0	0
Deferred revenue	0	0
Total current liabilities	13,788	8,212
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	175,000	175,000
Intercompany payables	497,966	509,124
Other long-term liabilities	2,472	2,609
Total liabilities	689,226	694,945
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	1,647	1,645
Additional paid-in capital	890,811	887,749
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(733,604)	(734,409)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(12,199)	(12,807)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	0	0
Treasury stock	(6,565)	(6,565)
Total stockholders' equity	140,090	135,613
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	140,090	135,613
Total liabilities and equity	829,316	830,558
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | The Guarantors [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	14,296	49,892
Unbilled receivables	11,603	18,548
Inventories	4,051	4,013
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,862	2,697
Total current assets	32,812	75,150
Deferred income tax asset	8,295	6,675
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net	27,351	33,065
Multi-client data library, net	112,109	96,423
Investment in subsidiaries	245,983	278,294
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	5,389	6,254
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other assets	196	147
Total assets	432,135	496,008
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	7,121	6,965
Accounts payable	15,920	12,028
Accrued expenses	21,308	34,738
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	17,964	34,624
Deferred revenue	7,405	5,263
Total current liabilities	69,718	93,618
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	5,903	7,839
Intercompany payables	29,949	8,892
Other long-term liabilities	31,841	130,985
Total liabilities	137,411	241,334
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	290,460	290,460
Additional paid-in capital	180,700	180,700
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	238,544	208,846
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	6,868	6,229
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	(421,848)	(431,561)
Treasury stock	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	294,724	254,674
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	294,724	254,674
Total liabilities and equity	432,135	496,008
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | All Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	56,963	64,094	$ 56,995	$ 23,355
Accounts receivable, net	12,191	64,310
Unbilled receivables	1,778	4,051
Inventories	31,896	47,149
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	7,351	8,769
Total current assets	110,179	188,373
Deferred income tax asset	200	749
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net	50,674	30,363
Multi-client data library, net	15,649	22,246
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill	27,679	27,388
Intangible assets, net	422	534
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other assets	1,218	274
Total assets	206,021	269,927
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	92	684
Accounts payable	6,754	20,527
Accrued expenses	10,679	21,807
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	560	595
Deferred revenue	3,267	2,999
Total current liabilities	21,352	46,612
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	52	106
Intercompany payables	18,627	21,087
Other long-term liabilities	11,349	10,489
Total liabilities	51,380	78,294
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	1,080	1,539
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	19,138	19,138
Additional paid-in capital	234,234	234,234
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(11,538)	26,981
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(12,156)	(12,795)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	(76,118)	(77,563)
Treasury stock	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	153,560	189,995
Noncontrolling interests	1	99
Total equity	153,561	190,094
Total liabilities and equity	206,021	269,927
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Unbilled receivables	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(899)	(4,496)
Total current assets	(899)	(4,496)
Deferred income tax asset	(2,537)	9,032
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net	0	0
Multi-client data library, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(946,250)	(953,793)
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Intercompany receivables	(48,576)	(29,979)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(998,262)	(979,236)
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued expenses	(52)	4,815
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	0	0
Deferred revenue	0	0
Total current liabilities	(52)	4,815
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	0	0
Intercompany payables	(546,542)	(539,103)
Other long-term liabilities	(3,384)	(279)
Total liabilities	(549,978)	(534,567)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	(309,598)	(309,598)
Additional paid-in capital	(414,934)	(414,934)
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(227,006)	(235,827)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	5,288	6,566
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	497,966	509,124
Treasury stock	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	(448,284)	(444,669)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(448,284)	(444,669)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (998,262)	$ (979,236)