Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 33,508	$ 32,556
Cost of sales	26,655	26,455
Gross profit	6,853	6,101
Total operating expenses	19,493	20,013
Loss from operations	(12,640)	(13,912)
Interest expense, net	(3,836)	(4,464)
Intercompany interest, net	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	0	0
Other income (expense)	(791)	(5,068)
Loss before income taxes	(17,267)	(23,444)
Income tax expense (benefit)	1,072	(418)
Net loss	(18,339)	(23,026)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(87)	(316)
Net loss attributable to ION	(18,426)	(23,342)
Comprehensive net loss	(16,514)	(22,509)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(87)	(316)
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	(16,601)	(22,825)
Reportable Legal Entities | ION Geophysical Corporation
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0
Gross profit	0	0
Total operating expenses	8,909	9,340
Loss from operations	(8,909)	(9,340)
Interest expense, net	(3,883)	(4,460)
Intercompany interest, net	273	328
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	(4,915)	(5,044)
Other income (expense)	(188)	(4,759)
Loss before income taxes	(17,622)	(23,275)
Income tax expense (benefit)	804	67
Net loss	(18,426)	(23,342)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net loss attributable to ION	(18,426)	(23,342)
Comprehensive net loss	(16,601)	(22,825)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	(16,601)	(22,825)
Reportable Legal Entities | The Guarantors
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	11,788	13,034
Cost of sales	16,795	17,587
Gross profit	(5,007)	(4,553)
Total operating expenses	6,994	6,159
Loss from operations	(12,001)	(10,712)
Interest expense, net	(6)	(27)
Intercompany interest, net	(2,319)	(1,497)
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	10,220	8,776
Other income (expense)	65	(339)
Loss before income taxes	(4,041)	(3,799)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(365)	(42)
Net loss	(3,676)	(3,757)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net loss attributable to ION	(3,676)	(3,757)
Comprehensive net loss	(3,724)	(3,805)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	(3,724)	(3,805)
Reportable Legal Entities | All Other Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	21,720	19,522
Cost of sales	9,860	8,868
Gross profit	11,860	10,654
Total operating expenses	3,590	4,514
Loss from operations	8,270	6,140
Interest expense, net	53	23
Intercompany interest, net	2,046	1,169
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	0	0
Other income (expense)	(668)	30
Loss before income taxes	9,701	7,362
Income tax expense (benefit)	633	(443)
Net loss	9,068	7,805
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(87)	(316)
Net loss attributable to ION	8,981	7,489
Comprehensive net loss	10,802	8,054
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(87)	(316)
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	10,715	7,738
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0
Gross profit	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0
Loss from operations	0	0
Interest expense, net	0	0
Intercompany interest, net	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	(5,305)	(3,732)
Other income (expense)	0	0
Loss before income taxes	(5,305)	(3,732)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Net loss	(5,305)	(3,732)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net loss attributable to ION	(5,305)	(3,732)
Comprehensive net loss	(6,991)	(3,933)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	$ (6,991)	$ (3,933)