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Potential Field Methods: Dwa Desa Warnana

The document discusses potential field methods, specifically gravity and magnetics exploration techniques. It provides an overview of how these methods use variations in rock density and magnetization to image subsurface structures. Gravity and magnetics have advantages of being non-invasive and low-cost compared to seismic. However, they also have drawbacks like low resolution and non-unique interpretations. The document gives examples of applications for both methods and compares their similarities and differences.

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Sugeng Kurniawan
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85 views17 pages

Potential Field Methods: Dwa Desa Warnana

The document discusses potential field methods, specifically gravity and magnetics exploration techniques. It provides an overview of how these methods use variations in rock density and magnetization to image subsurface structures. Gravity and magnetics have advantages of being non-invasive and low-cost compared to seismic. However, they also have drawbacks like low resolution and non-unique interpretations. The document gives examples of applications for both methods and compares their similarities and differences.

Uploaded by

Sugeng Kurniawan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Potential Field

Methods

Dwa Desa Warnana


Text Books
Introduction
Gravity and magnetic exploration, also referred
to potential fields exploration is used to give
geoscientists an indirect way to see beneath
the Earths surface by sensing physical
properties of rocks.
Gravity density
Magnetic magnetization

Gravity and magnetic exploration can help


locate minerals, faults, geothermal or petroleum
resources, and ground-water reservoirs.
Introduction
Advantages:
+natural source methods
+non-invasive
+inexpensive
+fast
+ easydata collection, reduction,
Drawbacks:
- non-straightforward interpretation
- low resolution
- ambiguous
- not always applicable
Introduction
Method Advantages Disadvantages Cost Ratio

Poor resolution, not always


Magnetics Very fast, very cheap 1
applicable

Gravity Fast, cheap Poor resolution 10

Fine detail, good correlation to


Seismic $$$ 100
geology

Edcon brochure advertising their aerogravity/magnetic


surveys:

"The cost of conducting an aerogravity/magnetic survey over a


5,000 square kilometer concession in South America is in the
order of $200,000 to $300,000. The cost of a 3-D seismic
survey over only 250 square kilometers can be ten times
that amount."
Introduction
x $106 %
Petroleum Exploration
seismic 802 89.7
surface grav/mag 17 1.9
airborne mag 6 0.7
Mineral Exploration
airborne mag 19 2.1
ground mag 12 1.5
Other 34 3.8
Total 894 100
Pat Millegan, Marathon Oil, on use of G&M in industry:

Pat stresses the importance of diversifying your skills: "


seismic does NOT answer all the questions, all the
time...there are MANY seismic failures (e.g., one current
Marathon project). The main reason G&M does not see
more use is true "ignorance". My job is 10-100 times
harder when my "clients" (the exploration groups...I'm
in a service group) know nothing about G&M. Please
stress geophysical integration to your students. It is the
smart way to explore, but you don't just throw G&M at
everything...don't bother if the geology isn't conducive
to geophysical results."
Gravity and Magnetics
Methods
Gravityis useful wherever the formations of interest
havedensitiesthat are appreciably different from
those of surrounding formations.
Some examples:
Hydrocarbon exploration
Regional geological studies
Isostatic compensation determination
Exploration for, and mass estimation of, mineral deposits
Detection of sub-surface cavities (microgravity)
Location of buried rock-valleys
Determination of glacier thickness
Tidal oscillations
Archaeogeophysics (micro-gravity); e.g. location of tombs
Shape of the earths (geodesy)
Military (especially for missile trajectories)
Monitoring volcanoes.
Gravity and Magnetics
Methods
Magneticsis useful whenever object of investigation
has a contrast in magnetic susceptibility or remanence

Some examples:
locating buried tanks and drums
fault studies
mineral exploration
geothermal exploration
mapping buried utilities, pipelines
buried foundations, fire pits for archaeological
studies
Gravity and Magnetics
Methods

A, airborne surveys; B, borehole surveys; and G, ground surveys


Gravity and Magnetics
Methods
Similarities Between Gravity
and Magnetics
Gravity and magnetics methods are passive.

Identical physical and mathematical


representations can be used to understand
magnetic and gravitational forces.
point mass fundamental element of gravity force
Magnetic monopole fundamental element of magnetic
force

The acquisition, reduction, and interpretation of


gravity and magnetic observations are very
similar.
Similarities Between Gravity
and Magnetics
Differences Between Gravity
and Magnetics
The fundamental parameter that controls gravity
variations is rock density the densities of rocks and
soils vary little from place to place near the surface of the
earth (1 3 g/cm3)

The fundamental parameter controlling the magnetic field


variations is magnetic susceptibility can vary as much
as four to five orders of magnitude.
This variation is not only present amongst different rock types,
but wide variations in susceptibility also occur within a given rock
type.
it will be extremely difficult with magnetic prospecting to
determine rock types on the basis of estimated susceptibilities.
Differences Between Gravity
and Magnetics
Unlike the gravitational force, which is always attractive, the
magnetic force can be either attractive or repulsive.
Mathematically, monopoles can assume either positive or negative
values

Unlike the gravitational case, single magnetic point sources


(monopoles) can never be found alone in the magnetic case.
Differences Between Gravity
and Magnetics
A properly reduced gravitational field is always generated by
subsurface variations in rock density. A properly reduced
magnetic field, however, can have as its origin at least two
possible sources:
induced magnetization,
remanent magnetization.

Unlike the gravitational field, which does not change significantly


with time, the magnetic field is highly time dependent.

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