Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 61,095	$ 78,622	$ 139,652	$ 137,439
Cost of sales	30,986	46,857	87,824	109,751
Gross profit	30,109	31,765	51,828	27,688
Total operating expenses	20,173	19,901	59,376	62,541
Income (loss) from operations	9,936	11,864	(7,548)	(34,853)
Interest expense, net	(3,959)	(4,607)	(12,664)	(14,043)
Intercompany interest, net	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	722	(2,027)	(4,154)	(3,624)
Income (loss) before income taxes	6,699	5,230	(24,366)	(52,520)
Income tax expense	1,686	3,316	3,670	5,865
Net income (loss)	5,013	1,914	(28,036)	(58,385)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(78)	(215)	(812)	(272)
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	4,935	1,699	(28,848)	(58,657)
Comprehensive net income (loss)	6,046	831	(25,287)	(63,667)
Comprehensive (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(78)	(215)	(812)	(272)
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	5,968	616	(26,099)	(63,939)
Reportable Legal Entities | ION Geophysical Corporation
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Gross profit	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	8,349	7,692	25,761	24,894
Income (loss) from operations	(8,349)	(7,692)	(25,761)	(24,894)
Interest expense, net	(4,054)	(4,583)	(12,697)	(13,917)
Intercompany interest, net	259	276	852	727
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	17,097	13,494	13,963	(18,617)
Other income (expense)	19	245	(5,068)	(1,841)
Income (loss) before income taxes	4,972	1,740	(28,711)	(58,542)
Income tax expense	37	41	137	115
Net income (loss)	4,935	1,699	(28,848)	(58,657)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	4,935	1,699	(28,848)	(58,657)
Comprehensive net income (loss)	5,968	616	(26,099)	(63,939)
Comprehensive (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	5,968	616	(26,099)	(63,939)
Reportable Legal Entities | The Guarantors
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	16,554	30,155	44,533	58,907
Cost of sales	19,517	22,724	55,473	67,061
Gross profit	(2,963)	7,431	(10,940)	(8,154)
Total operating expenses	7,856	7,186	20,727	21,687
Income (loss) from operations	(10,819)	245	(31,667)	(29,841)
Interest expense, net	36	(32)	(60)	(179)
Intercompany interest, net	(1,603)	(1,138)	(4,743)	(3,250)
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	31,565	15,039	49,418	19,163
Other income (expense)	(8)	948	(348)	771
Income (loss) before income taxes	19,171	15,062	12,600	(13,336)
Income tax expense	837	670	(4,376)	1,419
Net income (loss)	18,334	14,392	16,976	(14,755)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	18,334	14,392	16,976	(14,755)
Comprehensive net income (loss)	18,347	14,392	16,941	(14,755)
Comprehensive (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	18,347	14,392	16,941	(14,755)
Reportable Legal Entities | All Other Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	44,541	48,467	95,119	78,532
Cost of sales	11,469	24,133	32,351	42,690
Gross profit	33,072	24,334	62,768	35,842
Total operating expenses	3,968	5,023	12,888	15,960
Income (loss) from operations	29,104	19,311	49,880	19,882
Interest expense, net	59	8	93	53
Intercompany interest, net	1,344	862	3,891	2,523
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	711	(3,220)	1,262	(2,554)
Income (loss) before income taxes	31,218	16,961	55,126	19,904
Income tax expense	812	2,605	7,909	4,331
Net income (loss)	30,406	14,356	47,217	15,573
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(78)	(215)	(812)	(272)
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	30,328	14,141	46,405	15,301
Comprehensive net income (loss)	31,351	13,058	49,257	10,019
Comprehensive (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(78)	(215)	(812)	(272)
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	31,273	12,843	48,445	9,747
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Gross profit	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Interest expense, net	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest, net	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	(48,662)	(28,533)	(63,381)	(546)
Other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(48,662)	(28,533)	(63,381)	(546)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(48,662)	(28,533)	(63,381)	(546)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	(48,662)	(28,533)	(63,381)	(546)
Comprehensive net income (loss)	(49,620)	(27,235)	(65,386)	5,008
Comprehensive (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	$ (49,620)	$ (27,235)	$ (65,386)	$ 5,008