Represents the ratio of current assets to current liabilities

No definition available.

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the ratio of debt to tangible net worth ratio to be maintained during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the maximum borrowing capacity of the second feature on the Line Of Credit.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of letters of credit issued and outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of outstanding notes payable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the percentage of maximum borrowing capacity on eligible accounts receivable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dwsn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the maximum percentage allowed to be borrowed against core equipment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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- Definition

Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal through the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The reference rate for the variable rate of the debt instrument, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate and the maturity of the reference rate used, such as three months or six months LIBOR.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
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-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Principal amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligation maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsRepaymentsOfPrincipalInNextTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The lowest amount of net worth (total assets minus total liabilities) required by secondary market investors or state-imposed regulatory mandates.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
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-Paragraph 5
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of debt having initial terms less than one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=dwsn_CityOfMidlandTexasMember
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=dwsn_TermNoteMember
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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

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DEBT (Details)	6 Months Ended
DEBT (Details)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Debt Instruments
Capital lease obligations	$ 157,000
Letter Of Credit
Debt Instruments
Number of letters of credit \| item	2
Letter Of Credit \| AIG Assurance Company
Debt Instruments
Letters of credit issued	$ 1,767,000
Letter Of Credit \| City of Midland, Texas
Debt Instruments
Letters of credit issued	$ 75,000
Notes payable to finance companies for insurance
Debt Instruments
Number of outstanding notes payable \| item	1
Aggregate principal amount outstanding	$ 139,000
Interest rate	2.80%
Credit Agreement
Debt Instruments
Borrowing, repaying and re-borrowing capacity	$ 20,000,000
Percentage of maximum borrowing capacity on eligible accounts receivable	80.00%
Percentage of maximum borrowing capacity on eligible core equipment	50.00%
Maximum borrowing capacity on core equipment	$ 12,500,000
Number of outstanding notes payable \| item	1
Interest rate	4.50%
Minimum tangible net worth	$ 125,000,000
Credit Agreement \| Term Note
Debt Instruments
Number of outstanding notes payable \| item	0
Credit Agreement \| Prime rate
Debt Instruments
Variable interest rate basis	prime rate
Credit Agreement \| Minimum
Debt Instruments
Ratio of current assets to current liabilities	1.50
Credit Agreement \| Minimum \| Prime rate
Debt Instruments
Interest rate	2.50%
Credit Agreement \| Maximum
Debt Instruments
Debt to tangible net worth ratio	1.00
Notes payable to commercial banks and finance companies
Aggregate maturities of notes payable and obligations under capital leases
July 2017 - June 2018	$ 647,000
Notes payable to commercial banks
Debt Instruments
Aggregate principal amount outstanding	$ 508,000	$ 1,938,000
Interest rate	4.25%
Notes payable to commercial banks \| Minimum
Debt Instruments
Interest rate		3.50%
Notes payable to commercial banks \| Maximum
Debt Instruments
Interest rate		4.50%
Obligations under capital leases
Aggregate maturities of notes payable and obligations under capital leases
July 2017 - June 2018	$ 157,000
Obligations under capital leases \| Minimum
Debt Instruments
Interest rate	3.16%
Obligations under capital leases \| Maximum
Debt Instruments
Interest rate	6.72%