Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 88,239	$ 173,608	$ 129,847	$ 148,056
Accounts receivable, net	21,587	114,325
Unbilled receivables	32,387	22,599
Inventories	34,683	51,162
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	10,124	13,662
Total current assets	187,020	375,356
Deferred income tax asset	5,706	8,604
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net	77,081	69,840
Multi-client data library, net	135,907	118,669
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill	26,809	27,388
Intangible assets, net	5,306	6,788
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other assets	9,380	10,612
Total assets	447,209	617,257
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	6,612	7,649
Accounts payable	27,950	36,863
Accrued expenses	54,302	65,264
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	12,443	35,219
Deferred revenue	5,575	8,262
Total current liabilities	106,882	153,257
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	179,666	182,945
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	39,830	143,804
Total liabilities	326,378	480,006
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	1,200	1,539
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	1,648	1,645
Additional paid-in capital	892,007	887,749
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(753,987)	(734,409)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(13,564)	(12,807)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	0	0
Treasury stock	(6,565)	(6,565)
Total stockholders' equity	119,539	135,613
Noncontrolling interests	92	99
Total equity	119,631	135,712
Total liabilities and equity	447,209	617,257
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | ION Geophysical Corporation [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	25,470	109,514	84,294	124,701
Accounts receivable, net	6	123
Unbilled receivables	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,638	6,692
Total current assets	28,114	116,329
Deferred income tax asset	0	(7,852)
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net	5,051	6,412
Multi-client data library, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	684,815	675,499
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Intercompany receivables	78,982	29,979
Other assets	8,000	10,191
Total assets	804,962	830,558
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	1,763	4,308
Accrued expenses	16,282	3,904
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	0	0
Deferred revenue	0	0
Total current liabilities	18,045	8,212
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	175,000	175,000
Intercompany payables	491,902	509,124
Other long-term liabilities	476	2,609
Total liabilities	685,423	694,945
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	1,648	1,645
Additional paid-in capital	892,007	887,749
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(753,987)	(734,409)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(13,564)	(12,807)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	0	0
Treasury stock	(6,565)	(6,565)
Total stockholders' equity	119,539	135,613
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	119,539	135,613
Total liabilities and equity	804,962	830,558
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | The Guarantors [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	11,017	49,892
Unbilled receivables	30,719	18,548
Inventories	12,578	4,013
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,971	2,697
Total current assets	56,285	75,150
Deferred income tax asset	8,296	6,675
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net	24,064	33,065
Multi-client data library, net	121,329	96,423
Investment in subsidiaries	232,637	278,294
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	4,956	6,254
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other assets	141	147
Total assets	447,708	496,008
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	6,533	6,965
Accounts payable	20,508	12,028
Accrued expenses	25,546	34,738
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	11,926	34,624
Deferred revenue	3,135	5,263
Total current liabilities	67,648	93,618
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	4,626	7,839
Intercompany payables	69,852	8,892
Other long-term liabilities	31,834	130,985
Total liabilities	173,960	241,334
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	290,460	290,460
Additional paid-in capital	180,700	180,700
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	224,206	208,846
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	5,663	6,229
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	(427,281)	(431,561)
Treasury stock	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	273,748	254,674
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	273,748	254,674
Total liabilities and equity	447,708	496,008
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | All Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	62,769	64,094	$ 45,553	$ 23,355
Accounts receivable, net	10,564	64,310
Unbilled receivables	1,668	4,051
Inventories	22,105	47,149
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	6,160	8,769
Total current assets	103,266	188,373
Deferred income tax asset	200	749
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net	47,966	30,363
Multi-client data library, net	14,578	22,246
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill	26,809	27,388
Intangible assets, net	350	534
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other assets	1,239	274
Total assets	194,408	269,927
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	79	684
Accounts payable	5,679	20,527
Accrued expenses	12,526	21,807
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	517	595
Deferred revenue	2,440	2,999
Total current liabilities	21,241	46,612
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	40	106
Intercompany payables	9,130	21,087
Other long-term liabilities	10,904	10,489
Total liabilities	41,315	78,294
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	1,200	1,539
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	19,138	19,138
Additional paid-in capital	234,234	234,234
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(23,589)	26,981
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(13,361)	(12,795)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	(64,621)	(77,563)
Treasury stock	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	151,801	189,995
Noncontrolling interests	92	99
Total equity	151,893	190,094
Total liabilities and equity	194,408	269,927
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Unbilled receivables	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(645)	(4,496)
Total current assets	(645)	(4,496)
Deferred income tax asset	(2,790)	9,032
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net	0	0
Multi-client data library, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(917,452)	(953,793)
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Intercompany receivables	(78,982)	(29,979)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(999,869)	(979,236)
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued expenses	(52)	4,815
Accrued multi-client data library royalties	0	0
Deferred revenue	0	0
Total current liabilities	(52)	4,815
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	0	0
Intercompany payables	(570,884)	(539,103)
Other long-term liabilities	(3,384)	(279)
Total liabilities	(574,320)	(534,567)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	(309,598)	(309,598)
Additional paid-in capital	(414,934)	(414,934)
Accumulated earnings (deficit)	(200,617)	(235,827)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	7,698	6,566
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation	491,902	509,124
Treasury stock	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	(425,549)	(444,669)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(425,549)	(444,669)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (999,869)	$ (979,236)