Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 36,152	$ 36,795	$ 58,817	$ 77,373
Cost of sales	31,299	46,930	62,894	103,296
Gross profit (loss)	4,853	(10,135)	(4,077)	(25,923)
Total operating expenses	21,441	30,554	42,640	61,455
Loss from operations	(16,588)	(40,689)	(46,717)	(87,378)
Interest expense, net	(4,702)	(4,607)	(9,436)	(9,232)
Intercompany interest, net	0	0	0	0
Equity in losses of investments	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	(1,717)	101,600	(1,597)	98,381
Income (loss) before income taxes	(23,007)	56,304	(57,750)	1,771
Income tax expense (benefit)	2,256	532	2,549	1,515
Net income (loss)	(25,263)	55,772	(60,299)	256
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(79)	297	(57)	549
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	(25,342)	56,069	(60,356)	805
Comprehensive net income (loss)	(28,000)	57,725	(64,498)	864
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(79)	297	(57)	549
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	(28,079)	58,022	(64,555)	1,413
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | ION Geophysical Corporation [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Gross profit (loss)	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	9,791	6,466	17,202	14,382
Loss from operations	(9,791)	(6,466)	(17,202)	(14,382)
Interest expense, net	(4,641)	(4,506)	(9,334)	(9,057)
Intercompany interest, net	219	143	451	282
Equity in losses of investments	(8,976)	66,986	(32,111)	24,129
Other income (expense)	(2,112)	(29)	(2,086)	(58)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(25,301)	56,128	(60,282)	914
Income tax expense (benefit)	41	59	74	109
Net income (loss)	(25,342)	56,069	(60,356)	805
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	(25,342)	56,069	(60,356)	805
Comprehensive net income (loss)	(28,057)	58,022	(64,555)	1,413
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	(28,057)	58,022	(64,555)	1,413
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | The Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	17,590	22,465	28,752	41,314
Cost of sales	22,910	28,227	44,337	53,002
Gross profit (loss)	(5,320)	(5,762)	(15,585)	(11,688)
Total operating expenses	6,685	12,805	14,501	25,885
Loss from operations	(12,005)	(18,567)	(30,086)	(37,573)
Interest expense, net	(77)	(100)	(147)	(172)
Intercompany interest, net	(1,095)	(745)	(2,112)	(1,402)
Equity in losses of investments	5,932	(14,028)	4,124	(32,950)
Other income (expense)	182	101,954	(177)	101,969
Income (loss) before income taxes	(7,063)	68,514	(28,398)	29,872
Income tax expense (benefit)	496	123	749	174
Net income (loss)	(7,559)	68,391	(29,147)	29,698
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	(7,559)	68,391	(29,147)	29,698
Comprehensive net income (loss)	(7,559)	70,390	(29,147)	30,337
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	(7,559)	70,390	(29,147)	30,337
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | All Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	18,564	14,765	30,065	36,900
Cost of sales	8,391	19,138	18,557	51,135
Gross profit (loss)	10,173	(4,373)	11,508	(14,235)
Total operating expenses	4,965	11,283	10,937	21,188
Loss from operations	5,208	(15,656)	571	(35,423)
Interest expense, net	16	(1)	45	(3)
Intercompany interest, net	876	602	1,661	1,120
Equity in losses of investments	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	213	(325)	666	(3,530)
Income (loss) before income taxes	6,313	(15,380)	2,943	(37,836)
Income tax expense (benefit)	1,719	350	1,726	1,232
Net income (loss)	4,594	(15,730)	1,217	(39,068)
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(79)	297	(57)	549
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	4,515	(15,433)	1,160	(38,519)
Comprehensive net income (loss)	1,800	(13,731)	(3,039)	(38,429)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(79)	297	(57)	549
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	1,721	(13,434)	(3,096)	(37,880)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	(2)	(435)	0	(841)
Cost of sales	(2)	(435)	0	(841)
Gross profit (loss)	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Loss from operations	0	0	0	0
Interest expense, net	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest, net	0	0	0	0
Equity in losses of investments	3,044	(52,958)	27,987	8,821
Other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	3,044	(52,958)	27,987	8,821
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	3,044	(52,958)	27,987	8,821
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	3,044	(52,958)	27,987	8,821
Comprehensive net income (loss)	5,816	(56,956)	32,243	7,543
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	$ 5,816	$ (56,956)	$ 32,243	$ 7,543