Systems and methods for remote electromagnetic exploration for mineral and energy resources
First Claim
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1. A method for measuring the resistivity of geologic formations comprising:
- generating an electromagnetic field using at least one stationary long-range or short-range transmitter, wherein the electromagnetic field is generated by a transmitter formed by a system of grounded electric bipoles of at least 500 meters in length or formed by a loop of wire with the radius of at least 500 meters, wherein the frequency of the electromagnetic field is between or including the ULF/ELF range;
measuring at least one component of the electromagnetic field using at least one airborne receiver that is remotely located from the at least one long-range or short-range transmitter;
determining a conductivity distribution based on the at least one measured component; and
correlating the determined conductivity distribution with geological formations or hydrocarbon deposits.
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Abstract
A method for measuring the resistivity of geologic formations is described. An electromagnetic field may be generated using at least one stationary long-range transmitter. The frequency of the electromagnetic field may be between and/or including the ULF/ELF range. At least one component of the electromagnetic field may be measured by land, marine, and/or airborne receiver. A conductivity distribution may be determined based on the at least one measured component. The determined conductivity distribution may be correlated with geological formations and/or hydrocarbon deposits.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for measuring the resistivity of geologic formations comprising:
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generating an electromagnetic field using at least one stationary long-range or short-range transmitter, wherein the electromagnetic field is generated by a transmitter formed by a system of grounded electric bipoles of at least 500 meters in length or formed by a loop of wire with the radius of at least 500 meters, wherein the frequency of the electromagnetic field is between or including the ULF/ELF range; measuring at least one component of the electromagnetic field using at least one airborne receiver that is remotely located from the at least one long-range or short-range transmitter; determining a conductivity distribution based on the at least one measured component; and correlating the determined conductivity distribution with geological formations or hydrocarbon deposits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for locating mineral or hydrocarbon deposits, comprising:
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generating an electromagnetic field using at least one stationary long-range or short-range transmitter located on land or in the sea, wherein the frequency of the electromagnetic field is between or including the ULF/ELF range, the electromagnetic field propagating to an airborne receiver through an ionospheric waveguide or underground waveguide; measuring at least one component of the electromagnetic field using the airborne receiver, the airborne receiver being located remotely from the at least one stationary long-range or short-range transmitter; determining at least one transfer function based on the at least one measured component, wherein the at least one transfer function is independent of a location of the at least one stationary long-range or short-range transmitter; and correlating the determined transfer function with geological formations or hydrocarbon deposits.
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26. A method for locating mineral or hydrocarbon deposits comprising:
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generating an electromagnetic field using at least one stationary long-range transmitter carrying a frequency domain current, wherein the frequency of the electromagnetic field is within the ELF range; measuring a plurality of components of the electromagnetic field using at least one magnetic or electric airborne movable receiver, wherein the at least one receiver measures the electromagnetic field over a plurality of frequencies, wherein the at least one magnetic or electric airborne movable receiver is located remotely from the at least one stationary long-range transmitter; determining at least one transfer function based on the plurality of measured components, wherein at least one of the following transfer functions is selected from the group consisting of;
an electric transfer function, a magnetic transfer function, an impedance transfer function, and an admittance transfer function is determined;correlating the determined at least one transfer function with geological formations or hydrocarbon deposits by determining a three-dimensional conductivity distribution using a three-dimensional inversion technique based on a regularized three-dimensional focusing nonlinear inversion of the plurality of measured components of the electromagnetic field; comparing observed data with predicted data by minimizing a parametric functional using gradient type methods or a misfit functional and a stabilizer; and stacking the plurality of measured components of the electromagnetic field with a corresponding plurality of measured components of the electromagnetic field measured at another period.
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27. A physical non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause a computing system to perform method for measuring the resistivity of geologic formations, the method comprising:
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generating an electromagnetic field using at least one stationary long-range or short-range transmitter, wherein the electromagnetic field is generated by a transmitter formed by a system of grounded electric bipoles of at least 500 meters in length or formed by a loop of wire with the radius of at least 500 meters, wherein the frequency of the electromagnetic field is between or including the ULF/ELF range; measuring at least one component of the electromagnetic field using at least one airborne receiver that is remotely located from the at least one stationary long-range or short-range transmitter; determining a conductivity distribution based on the at least one measured component; and correlating the determined conductivity distribution with geological formations or hydrocarbon deposits.
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28. A system for measuring the resistivity of geologic formations, the system comprising:
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at least one stationary long-range or short-range transmitter formed by a system of grounded electric bipoles of at least 500 meters in length or formed by a loop of wire with the radius of at least 500 meters, at least one airborne receiver that is remotely located from the at least one stationary long-range or short-range transmitter; and a computing system, the computing system comprising; a processor; and one or more physical non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor, cause the computing system to perform the following; generate an electromagnetic field using the at least one stationary long-range or short-range transmitter, wherein the frequency of the electromagnetic field is between or including the ULF/ELF range; measure at least one component of the electromagnetic field using the least one airborne receiver; determine a conductivity distribution based on the at least one measured component; and correlate the determined conductivity distribution with geological formations or hydrocarbon deposits.
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Specification