Resource Exploration: Magnetotellurics and Electromagnetics

Magnetotellurics (MT) and Electromagnetics (EM) are used in exploration for almost any resource. This includes:
  • Oil and Gas
  • Geothermal
  • Minerals
  • Water
  • HVDC Transmission Lines

Within these targets, applications of MT and EM include:

  • Basin or lease reconnaissance
  • Prospect/Target definition
  • Reservoir monitoring
  • EOR

Magnetotellurics is particularly useful for:

  • Overthrust plays: High-resistivity/High-velocity rocks thrust over clastics or lower-resistivity rocks
  • Limestone or Volcanic cover over sedimentary section
  • Geothermal mapping of alteration cap/zone and thickness of volcanic cover
  • Mapping of conductive mineralized zones, such as sulfides
  • Determination of aquifer extent and depth
  • Premium location for ground electrodes of HVDC lines, so that current is dispersed and non-interfering

Electromagnetics is best suited for:

  • Mapping of reservoirs in sedimentary basins
  • Determining position of water or other floods in producing fields
  • Mapping mineralization, almost any type
  • Reconnaissance of large mineral leases, via airborne surveys
  • Definition of Aquifer depth and extent
  • Near-surface mapping for many other applications such as UXO, archaeology, forensics, construction

Both MT and EM can be done

  • Offshore or onshore
  • Airborne
  • Land - via foot, truck, ATV, horse, etc.
  • Shipborne

We provide consulting and pre-survey modeling to determine the applicability of either MT or EM to a given project.