Magnetotellurics and its application to petroleum exploration

Discussion of the magnetotelluric method will include: (1) the concepts underlying the magnetotelluric method; (2) instrumentation and data collection, including the use of SQUID magnetometers and in-field data processing; (3) noise reduction through the use of the remote magnetic reference method of data processing; and (4) data interpretation and numerical modeling. The application of MT to petroleum exploration will be discussed in terms of the areas where MT is being applied and the geologic questions being addressed, with an example from the Columbia Plateau showing the correlation of MT data with lithologic and electric log data from a deep well.