Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Balance Sheet (Details) $ in Thousands, € in Millions	Jun. 30, 2016 EUR (€)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 52,433	$ 84,933	$ 117,060	$ 173,608
Accounts receivable, net		20,094	44,365
Unbilled receivables		22,011	19,937
Inventories		34,377	32,721
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		17,461	14,807
Total current assets		146,376	196,763
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net		58,412	72,027
Multi-client data library, net		118,547	132,237
Investment in subsidiaries		0	0
Goodwill	€ 15.7	24,025	26,274
Intangible assets, net		3,947	4,810
Intercompany receivables		0	0
Other assets		2,514	2,977
Total assets		353,821	435,088
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt		20,371	7,912
Accounts payable		26,969	29,799
Accrued expenses		27,284	34,287
Accrued multi-client data library royalties		23,473	25,045
Deferred revenue		7,666	6,560
Total current liabilities		105,763	103,603
Long-term debt, net of current maturities		145,130	175,080
Intercompany payables		0	0
Other long-term liabilities		44,051	44,365
Total liabilities		294,944	323,048
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock		118	107
Additional paid-in capital		897,476	894,715
Accumulated earnings (deficit)		(819,887)	(759,531)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(18,980)	(14,781)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation		0	0
Treasury stock		0	(8,551)
Total stockholders' equity		58,727	111,959
Noncontrolling interests		150	81
Total equity		58,877	112,040
Total liabilities and equity		353,821	435,088
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | ION Geophysical Corporation [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		25,983	33,734	60,097	109,514
Accounts receivable, net		2,479	0
Unbilled receivables		0	0
Inventories		0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		3,699	5,435
Total current assets		32,161	39,169
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net		2,617	4,521
Multi-client data library, net		0	0
Investment in subsidiaries		648,831	680,508
Goodwill		0	0
Intangible assets, net		0	0
Intercompany receivables		303,615	75,641
Other assets		2,135	1,724
Total assets		989,359	801,563
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt		15,053	486
Accounts payable		4,567	2,086
Accrued expenses		9,092	11,199
Accrued multi-client data library royalties		0	0
Deferred revenue		0	0
Total current liabilities		28,712	13,771
Long-term debt, net of current maturities		143,748	171,672
Intercompany payables		757,674	503,621
Other long-term liabilities		498	540
Total liabilities		930,632	689,604
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock		118	107
Additional paid-in capital		897,476	894,715
Accumulated earnings (deficit)		(819,887)	(759,531)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(18,980)	(14,781)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation		0	0
Treasury stock			(8,551)
Total stockholders' equity		58,727	111,959
Noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total equity		58,727	111,959
Total liabilities and equity		989,359	801,563
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | The Guarantors [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net		7,295	35,133
Unbilled receivables		16,766	19,046
Inventories		10,210	10,939
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		994	1,458
Total current assets		35,265	66,576
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net		15,616	21,072
Multi-client data library, net		107,922	120,550
Investment in subsidiaries		241,166	243,319
Goodwill		0	0
Intangible assets, net		3,766	4,523
Intercompany receivables		0	0
Other assets		145	146
Total assets		403,880	456,186
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt		4,896	6,856
Accounts payable		12,358	19,839
Accrued expenses		10,223	16,200
Accrued multi-client data library royalties		23,435	25,045
Deferred revenue		6,026	5,071
Total current liabilities		56,938	73,011
Long-term debt, net of current maturities		1,382	3,408
Intercompany payables		128,422	68,286
Other long-term liabilities		33,639	33,305
Total liabilities		220,381	178,010
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock		290,460	290,460
Additional paid-in capital		180,700	180,700
Accumulated earnings (deficit)		202,061	231,208
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		4,420	4,420
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation		(494,142)	(428,612)
Treasury stock			0
Total stockholders' equity		183,499	278,176
Noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total equity		183,499	278,176
Total liabilities and equity		403,880	456,186
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | All Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		26,450	51,199	$ 56,963	$ 64,094
Accounts receivable, net		10,320	9,232
Unbilled receivables		5,245	891
Inventories		24,167	21,782
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		12,768	7,914
Total current assets		78,950	91,018
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net		40,179	46,434
Multi-client data library, net		10,625	11,687
Investment in subsidiaries		0	0
Goodwill		24,025	26,274
Intangible assets, net		181	287
Intercompany receivables		0	0
Other assets		234	1,107
Total assets		154,194	176,807
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt		422	570
Accounts payable		10,044	7,874
Accrued expenses		7,969	6,888
Accrued multi-client data library royalties		38	0
Deferred revenue		1,640	1,489
Total current liabilities		20,113	16,821
Long-term debt, net of current maturities		0	0
Intercompany payables		175,193	7,355
Other long-term liabilities		9,914	10,520
Total liabilities		205,220	34,696
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock		19,138	19,138
Additional paid-in capital		232,590	234,234
Accumulated earnings (deficit)		(20,569)	(21,729)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(18,803)	(14,604)
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation		(263,532)	(75,009)
Treasury stock			0
Total stockholders' equity		(51,176)	142,030
Noncontrolling interests		150	81
Total equity		(51,026)	142,111
Total liabilities and equity		154,194	176,807
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		0	0
Total current assets		0	0
Property, plant, equipment and seismic rental equipment, net		0	0
Multi-client data library, net		0	0
Investment in subsidiaries		(889,997)	(923,827)
Goodwill		0	0
Intangible assets, net		0	0
Intercompany receivables		(303,615)	(75,641)
Other assets		0	0
Total assets		(1,193,612)	(999,468)
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
Total current liabilities		0	0
Long-term debt, net of current maturities		0	0
Intercompany payables		(1,061,289)	(579,262)
Other long-term liabilities		0	0
Total liabilities		(1,061,289)	(579,262)
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock		(309,598)	(309,598)
Additional paid-in capital		(413,290)	(414,934)
Accumulated earnings (deficit)		(181,492)	(209,479)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		14,383	10,184
Due from ION Geophysical Corporation		757,674	503,621
Treasury stock			0
Total stockholders' equity		(132,323)	(420,206)
Noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total equity		(132,323)	(420,206)
Total liabilities and equity		$ (1,193,612)	$ (999,468)