Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 53,239	$ 47,200	$ 131,970	$ 105,451
Cost of sales	27,951	30,725	77,187	83,640
Gross profit	25,288	16,475	54,783	21,811
Total operating expenses	21,430	18,927	69,415	59,422
Income (loss) from operations	3,858	(2,452)	(14,632)	(37,611)
Interest expense, net	(3,155)	(3,022)	(9,378)	(9,769)
Intercompany interest, net	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of investments	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	(242)	91	(938)	(616)
Income (loss) before income taxes	461	(5,383)	(24,948)	(47,996)
Income tax expense (benefit)	3,790	2,079	7,916	3,305
Net loss	(3,329)	(7,462)	(32,864)	(51,301)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(394)	(74)	(841)	(527)
Net loss attributable to ION	(3,723)	(7,536)	(33,705)	(51,828)
Comprehensive net loss	(4,357)	(7,419)	(33,862)	(52,013)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(394)	(74)	(841)	(527)
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	(4,751)	(7,493)	(34,703)	(52,540)
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	9,514	7,349	31,330	26,592
Income (loss) from operations	(9,514)	(7,349)	(31,330)	(26,592)
Interest expense, net	(3,197)	(3,046)	(9,560)	(9,876)
Intercompany interest, net	65	265	588	842
Equity in earnings of investments	8,988	2,291	7,330	(13,826)
Other income (expense), net	16	19	4	(206)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(3,642)	(7,820)	(32,968)	(49,658)
Income tax expense (benefit)	81	(284)	737	2,170
Net loss	(3,723)	(7,536)	(33,705)	(51,828)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net loss attributable to ION	(3,723)	(7,536)	(33,705)	(51,828)
Comprehensive net loss	(4,751)	(7,493)	(34,703)	(52,540)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	(4,751)	(7,493)	(34,703)	(52,540)
Reportable Legal Entities | The Guarantors
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	21,474	39,211	65,552	63,465
Cost of sales	20,165	26,328	56,106	60,869
Gross profit	1,309	12,883	9,446	2,596
Total operating expenses	7,976	7,911	26,204	22,050
Income (loss) from operations	(6,667)	4,972	(16,758)	(19,454)
Interest expense, net	(49)	(7)	(156)	(20)
Intercompany interest, net	(2,077)	(3,649)	521	(8,779)
Equity in earnings of investments	18,398	(301)	26,786	14,081
Other income (expense), net	(55)	(2)	(265)	66
Income (loss) before income taxes	9,550	1,013	10,128	(14,106)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(403)	(2,358)	(532)	(3,141)
Net loss	9,953	3,371	10,660	(10,965)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net loss attributable to ION	9,953	3,371	10,660	(10,965)
Comprehensive net loss	9,953	3,370	10,617	(11,013)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	9,953	3,370	10,617	(11,013)
Reportable Legal Entities | All Other Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	31,765	7,989	66,418	41,986
Cost of sales	7,786	4,397	21,081	22,771
Gross profit	23,979	3,592	45,337	19,215
Total operating expenses	3,940	3,667	11,881	10,780
Income (loss) from operations	20,039	(75)	33,456	8,435
Interest expense, net	91	31	338	127
Intercompany interest, net	2,012	3,384	(1,109)	7,937
Equity in earnings of investments	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	(203)	74	(677)	(476)
Income (loss) before income taxes	21,939	3,414	32,008	16,023
Income tax expense (benefit)	4,112	4,721	7,711	4,276
Net loss	17,827	(1,307)	24,297	11,747
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(394)	(74)	(841)	(527)
Net loss attributable to ION	17,433	(1,381)	23,456	11,220
Comprehensive net loss	16,403	11,382	22,444	10,505
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(394)	(74)	(841)	(527)
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	16,009	11,308	21,603	9,978
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 of investments	(27,386)	(1,990)	(34,116)	(255)
Other income (expense), net	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(27,386)	(1,990)	(34,116)	(255)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net loss	(27,386)	(1,990)	(34,116)	(255)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net loss attributable to ION	(27,386)	(1,990)	(34,116)	(255)
Comprehensive net loss	(25,962)	(14,678)	(32,220)	1,035
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	$ (25,962)	$ (14,678)	$ (32,220)	$ 1,035