Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 10,018	$ 3,232
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in multi-client data library	(16,576)	(11,601)
Purchase of property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment	(1,021)	(567)
Net cash used in investing activities	(17,597)	(12,168)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings under revolving line of credit	0	15,000
Repurchase of common stock	0	(964)
Payments on notes payable and long-term debt	(4,320)	(6,726)
Cost associated with issuance of notes	0	(6,638)
Intercompany lending	0	0
Costs associated with issuance of equity	(123)	0
Payment to repurchase bonds	0	(15,000)
Other financing activities	(134)	13
Net cash used in financing activities	(4,577)	(14,315)
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	(271)	854
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(12,427)	(22,397)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	52,652	84,933
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	40,225	62,536
ION Geophysical Corporation
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(2,785)	(31,403)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in multi-client data library	0	0
Purchase of property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment	(165)	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(165)	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings under revolving line of credit		15,000
Repurchase of common stock		(964)
Payments on notes payable and long-term debt	(1,018)	(951)
Cost associated with issuance of notes		(6,638)
Intercompany lending	(1,574)	31,867
Costs associated with issuance of equity	(123)
Payment to repurchase bonds		(15,000)
Other financing activities	(134)	13
Net cash used in financing activities	(2,849)	23,327
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(5,799)	(8,076)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	23,042	33,734
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	17,243	25,658
The Guarantors
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	11,764	50,669
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in multi-client data library	(7,041)	(10,027)
Purchase of property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment	(775)	(567)
Net cash used in investing activities	(7,816)	(10,594)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings under revolving line of credit		0
Repurchase of common stock		0
Payments on notes payable and long-term debt	(3,244)	(5,304)
Cost associated with issuance of notes		0
Intercompany lending	(704)	(34,771)
Costs associated with issuance of equity	0
Payment to repurchase bonds		0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(3,948)	(40,075)
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0
All Other Subsidiaries
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,039	(16,034)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in multi-client data library	(9,535)	(1,574)
Purchase of property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment	(81)	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(9,616)	(1,574)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings under revolving line of credit		0
Repurchase of common stock		0
Payments on notes payable and long-term debt	(58)	(471)
Cost associated with issuance of notes		0
Intercompany lending	2,278	2,904
Costs associated with issuance of equity	0
Payment to repurchase bonds		0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	2,220	2,433
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	(271)	854
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(6,628)	(14,321)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	29,610	51,199
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	22,982	$ 36,878
Reportable Legal Entities | ION Geophysical Corporation
Cash flows from financing activities:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	23,042
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	17,244
Reportable Legal Entities | The Guarantors
Cash flows from financing activities:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0
Reportable Legal Entities | All Other Subsidiaries
Cash flows from financing activities:
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	29,610
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 22,981