Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 62,540		$ 33,065	$ 29,563
Accounts receivable, net	10,577		29,548
Unbilled receivables	12,937		11,815
Inventories, net	11,862		12,187
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	4,462		6,012
Total current assets	102,378		92,627
Deferred income tax asset, net	7,987		8,734
Property, plant and equipment, net	11,920		13,188
Multi-client data library, net	51,935		60,384
Investment in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill	18,029		23,585			$ 22,915
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Right-of-use assets	40,467		32,546
Other assets	3,513		2,130
Total assets	236,229		233,194
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	23,685		2,107
Accounts payable	37,254		49,316
Accrued expenses	25,606		30,328
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	21,316		18,831
Deferred revenue	4,058		4,551
Current maturities of operating lease liabilities	8,355		11,055
Total current liabilities	120,274		116,188
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	119,234		119,352
Operating lease liabilities, net of current maturities	40,409		30,833
Intercompany payables	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	422		1,453
Total liabilities	280,339		267,826
(Deficit) Equity:
Common stock	142		142
Additional paid-in capital	957,746		956,647
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(981,773)		(974,291)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(21,833)		(19,318)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	0		0
Total stockholders’ deficit	(45,718)		(36,820)
Noncontrolling interest	1,608		2,188
Total deficit	(44,110)	$ (38,603)	(34,632)	(19,381)	$ (11,439)	$ 7,824
Total liabilities and deficit	236,229		233,194
ION Geophysical Corporation
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	47,328			9,153
The Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	20			62
All Other Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	15,192			$ 20,348
Reportable legal entities | ION Geophysical Corporation
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	47,328		8,426
Accounts receivable, net	8		8
Unbilled receivables	0		0
Inventories, net	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,975		3,292
Total current assets	49,311		11,726
Deferred income tax asset, net	0		402
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,524		786
Multi-client data library, net	0		0
Investment in subsidiaries	853,858		841,522
Goodwill	0		0
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Right-of-use assets	21,870		11,934
Other assets	2,637		1,171
Total assets	929,200		867,541
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	22,500		972
Accounts payable	1,854		2,259
Accrued expenses	11,318		9,933
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	0		0
Deferred revenue	0		0
Current maturities of operating lease liabilities	3,526		4,429
Total current liabilities	39,198		17,593
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	119,105		118,618
Operating lease liabilities, net of current maturities	21,037		11,208
Intercompany payables	795,192		755,524
Other long-term liabilities	386		1,418
Total liabilities	974,918		904,361
(Deficit) Equity:
Common stock	142		142
Additional paid-in capital	957,746		956,647
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(981,773)		(974,291)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(21,833)		(19,318)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	0		0
Total stockholders’ deficit	(45,718)		(36,820)
Noncontrolling interest	0		0
Total deficit	(45,718)		(36,820)
Total liabilities and deficit	929,200		867,541
Reportable legal entities | The Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	20		26
Accounts receivable, net	5,912		19,493
Unbilled receivables	7,514		7,314
Inventories, net	6,836		6,902
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,366		1,513
Total current assets	21,648		35,248
Deferred income tax asset, net	7,882		8,417
Property, plant and equipment, net	7,095		8,112
Multi-client data library, net	44,347		54,479
Investment in subsidiaries	278,300		279,327
Goodwill	0		0
Intercompany receivables	284,828		287,692
Right-of-use assets	14,022		15,802
Other assets	825		905
Total assets	658,947		689,982
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,185		1,135
Accounts payable	33,806		44,641
Accrued expenses	6,274		9,982
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	21,101		18,616
Deferred revenue	2,922		3,465
Current maturities of operating lease liabilities	3,668		5,469
Total current liabilities	68,956		83,308
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	129		734
Operating lease liabilities, net of current maturities	15,319		15,346
Intercompany payables	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	36		35
Total liabilities	84,440		99,423
(Deficit) Equity:
Common stock	290,460		290,460
Additional paid-in capital	180,700		180,700
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	404,753		396,793
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	4,238		4,281
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	(305,644)		(281,675)
Total stockholders’ deficit	574,507		590,559
Noncontrolling interest	0		0
Total deficit	574,507		590,559
Total liabilities and deficit	658,947		689,982
Reportable legal entities | All Other Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	15,192		24,613
Accounts receivable, net	4,657		10,047
Unbilled receivables	5,423		4,501
Inventories, net	5,026		5,285
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,121		1,207
Total current assets	31,419		45,653
Deferred income tax asset, net	105		(85)
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,301		4,290
Multi-client data library, net	7,588		5,905
Investment in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill	18,029		23,585
Intercompany receivables	118,065		99,884
Right-of-use assets	4,575		4,810
Other assets	51		54
Total assets	183,133		184,096
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	1,594		2,416
Accrued expenses	8,014		10,413
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	215		215
Deferred revenue	1,136		1,086
Current maturities of operating lease liabilities	1,161		1,157
Total current liabilities	12,120		15,287
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	0		0
Operating lease liabilities, net of current maturities	4,053		4,279
Intercompany payables	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	16,173		19,566
(Deficit) Equity:
Common stock	47,776		47,776
Additional paid-in capital	203,909		203,909
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	24,715		18,837
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(24,393)		(21,907)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	(86,655)		(86,273)
Total stockholders’ deficit	165,352		162,342
Noncontrolling interest	1,608		2,188
Total deficit	166,960		164,530
Total liabilities and deficit	183,133		184,096
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Unbilled receivables	0		0
Inventories, net	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	0		0
Deferred income tax asset, net	0		0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Multi-client data library, net	0		0
Investment in subsidiaries	(1,132,158)		(1,120,849)
Goodwill	0		0
Intercompany receivables	(402,893)		(387,576)
Right-of-use assets	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Total assets	(1,535,051)		(1,508,425)
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses	0		0
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	0		0
Deferred revenue	0		0
Current maturities of operating lease liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	0		0
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	0		0
Operating lease liabilities, net of current maturities	0		0
Intercompany payables	(795,192)		(755,524)
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	(795,192)		(755,524)
(Deficit) Equity:
Common stock	(338,236)		(338,236)
Additional paid-in capital	(384,609)		(384,609)
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(429,468)		(415,630)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	20,155		17,626
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	392,299		367,948
Total stockholders’ deficit	(739,859)		(752,901)
Noncontrolling interest	0		0
Total deficit	(739,859)		(752,901)
Total liabilities and deficit	$ (1,535,051)		$ (1,508,425)