Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 608	$ 1,841
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in multi-client data library	(9,240)	(3,363)
Purchase of property, plant, equipment and seismic rental assets	(61)	(49)
Net cash used in investing activities	(9,301)	(3,412)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments under revolving line of credit	(10,000)	0
Payments on notes payable and long-term debt	(29,144)	(1,706)
Intercompany lending	0	0
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	47,219	0
Other financing activities	(575)	(286)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	7,500	(1,992)
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(113)	409
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(1,306)	(3,154)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	52,419	53,433
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	51,113	50,279
ION Geophysical Corporation
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(13,119)	7,548
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in multi-client data library	0	0
Purchase of property, plant, equipment and seismic rental assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments under revolving line of credit	(10,000)
Payments on notes payable and long-term debt	(29,054)	(506)
Intercompany lending	7,565	(1,574)
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	47,219
Other financing activities	(575)	(286)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	15,155	(2,366)
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	0	0
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	2,036	5,182
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	39,707	23,823
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	41,743	29,005
The Guarantors
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	16,961	3,373
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in multi-client data library	(7,642)	(1,527)
Purchase of property, plant, equipment and seismic rental assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(7,642)	(1,527)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments under revolving line of credit	0
Payments on notes payable and long-term debt	(90)	(1,142)
Intercompany lending	(9,229)	(704)
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(9,319)	(1,846)
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	0	0
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	0	0
All Other Subsidiaries
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(3,234)	(9,080)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash invested in multi-client data library	(1,598)	(1,836)
Purchase of property, plant, equipment and seismic rental assets	(61)	(49)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,659)	(1,885)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments under revolving line of credit	0
Payments on notes payable and long-term debt	0	(58)
Intercompany lending	1,664	2,278
Net proceeds from issuance of stock	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	1,664	2,220
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(113)	409
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(3,342)	(8,336)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	12,712	29,610
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	$ 9,370	$ 21,274