Name:	dwsn_FinanceLeaseLiabilityNetOfImputedInterestPaymentsDueInNextRollingTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	dwsn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease, due in rolling year three following latest statement of financial position date. For interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

No definition available.

Name:	dwsn_FinanceLeaseLiabilityNetOfImputedInterestPaymentsDueInRollingYearThree
Namespace Prefix:	dwsn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease, due in rolling year two following latest statement of financial position date. For interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

No definition available.

Name:	dwsn_FinanceLeaseLiabilityNetOfImputedInterestPaymentsDueInRollingYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	dwsn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of long-term and short-term debt maturing in the next twelve rolling months

No definition available.

Name:	dwsn_LongTermAndShortTermBorrowingsRepaymentsOfPrincipalNextTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	dwsn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Represents the aggregate of total long-term debt, including current maturities and short-term debt.

No definition available.

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

- References

No definition available.

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

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from finance lease.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918701-209980

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977

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

Discount rate used by lessee to determine present value of finance lease payments.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918673-209980

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

- References

No definition available.