Gravity and Magnetic Methods in

Petroleum Exploration

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Presentation overview

Geophysics in Petroleum Exploration

Geophysical methods

Gravity prospecting

Magnetic prospecting

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Geophysics in Petroleum
Exploration

Geophysics in Petroleum Exploration

Geophysics provides tools for studying structure and

composition of earths interior
Physical measurements are made at the surface
Existence and properties of earths crust, mantle, and core
are determined primarily by geophysical tools

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Geophysical methods

Potential field methods

Gravity
Magnetic
Electrical
Magneto-telluric
Non-potential field method
Seismic

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Gravity prospecting

Gravity prospecting
Gravity surveys carried out in search of oil are designed for
reconnaissance of large, previously unexplored areas
Gravity method provides presence of sediments in a basin
rapidly and economically
Field observed in gravitational prospecting is a composite of
contributions from all depths within the usual range of
exploration interest
Quantity actually observed is not earths true gravitational
attraction but its variation from one point to another
Variations in gravity observed depend upon lateral changes in
density of earth materials in the vicinity of measuring point

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Gravity prospecting
Rocks have density which may differ from those that are
laterally adjacent
An anomaly in earths gravity can be related to a buried
geological feature e.g. salt dome, diapir
It is possible to map boundaries and estimate depth distribution
of sedimentary basins
Gravity surveys are useful in initial exploration of water
covered shelf areas where no geological information is
available at all.

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Gravity prospecting
r
m1

m2

Theory behind gravitational prospecting is based on Newtons law

of force of attraction between two bodies
12
2
where m1 & m2 are the masses of two bodies placed at a distance
of r apart.



If

1  1, 2  1
   1



G is called universal gravitational constant and is the force exerted

in between two bodies of unit mass placed unit distance apart. In
cgs system G is 6.670 x 10-8.
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Gravity prospecting
Gravitational acceleration
Acceleration of a mass 2 due to attraction of a mass 1 at a
distance  away

/2   1/2
i.e. acceleration is the force acting on a unit mass.
In case of earth 1   (mass of the earth)

    (radius of earth)
    /2
It is the conventional quantity used to measure gravitational field
acting on any point. In cgs system unit of acceleration is cm per
sec. per sec i.e. cm/sec2. It is called as gal
1 
  1 /sec2
1 
  1/1000 


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Gravity prospecting

In case of earth
Homogeneous
Spherical
Non-rotating
1   (mass of the earth)

    (radius of earth)

    /2

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Gravity prospecting

In gravity prospecting for hydrocarbon exploration, variation

in gravitational acceleration are measured which are very
small. Therefore, milligal is genarally used as the most
suitable unit for measuring gravitational acceleration.
g = g2 g1

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Gravity prospecting

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Gravity prospecting

Earths gravitational field and its relation to gravity

exploration
Gravity measurements made in exploration work show only
variation in gravity from one place to another.
Gravitational attraction due to earth itself is significant only
as far as it varies laterally over the earths surface.
Only such variations are significant in evaluating the gravity
effect of buried bodies.
Any variation in gravity is a positive gravity anomaly if it is
higher than from that over the area surrounding it and
negative when lower.

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Gravity prospecting

Gravity high over a mass

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Gravity low over a valley

Gravity prospecting
gmax= 983,217.72 mgal
(pole)

gmin = 978,031.85mgal
(equator)

6356 Kms

North Pole

Latitude

South Pole

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6378 Kms

Total gravity field on the

earth is controlled by

Mass distribution within

the earth

Ellipsoidal shape of the

earth

Centrifugal force due to

rotation of earth

Gravity prospecting

Gravity Corrections

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Standard Gravity Corrections

Instrument drift correction
Compensates for drift in the instrument's spring

Earth tide correction

Corrects for tidal effects of moon & sun

Latitude correction
Incorporates the variation of the Earth's gravity with latitude

Free air correction

Accounts for the variation in gravity due to elevation relative to sea level

Bouguer correction
corrects for the attraction of material between the station and sea level

Terrain correction
Removes the effect of topography to a radial distance of 166.7 km

Isostatic correction
Removes long-wavelength variations in the gravity field related to topography

Etvs correction
For a moving platform
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Correction in gravity field

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Correction in gravity field

a) Bouguer correction
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b) Terrain correction

Measurement of gravity field

Absolute gravity

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Measurement of gravity field

Relative gravity

L = L2-L1
g L

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Measurement of gravity field

Relative gravimeters

Wordon gravimeter
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CG-5 gravimeter

Interpretation of gravity data

Geological interpretation of gravity data is not easy as it involves
more uncertainties than interpretation of seismic data.
Gravity maps resembles so much to structural maps that one can
wrongly identify gravity contours as indicative of structure.
In evaluating gravity maps it is important to keep in mind the true
nature of the contours.
It is to be noted that
1. The field observed at any point is the summation of gravitational
attractions of all subsurface causatives but our objective is to obtain
information on the individual sources.
2. Lack of uniqueness in gravity field from a subsurface source means
that an infinite number of different configurations can result in
identical gravity data at the surface.
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Interpretation of gravity data

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Separation of anomalies

Extraction of anomalies associated with individual sub-surface source

involves filtering operations.
Two types of problems are often encountered in gravity interpretation
where anomalies must be separated from one another.
1. When the source with larger dimensions is a regional geologic
feature, such as a basin or geosyncline and the smaller is a local
feature, such as an anticline or salt dome.
The first anomaly can be considered to have a low spatial frequency
(equivalent to a large lateral extent or a long wavelength) and the
second a high spatial frequency (corresponding to a short lateral
distance or wavelength).

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Residual gravity

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Separation of anomalies

2. When two sources of approximately same size and

buried at about same depth are close together, field
appears to come from a single source. Resolution of
such individual sources is not always possible.

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Interpretation of gravity data

Direct interpretation
Determines possible mass distribution from gravity data
This approach is impractical because of the inherent
limitations associated with the ambiguity.

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Interpretation of gravity data

Indirect interpretation
This consists of a model for the buried source and predicting
the gravity effect from it at the surface.
Observed and computed gravity are compared and model is
modified by iterative procedures, to minimize the difference.
The model that gives the best fit is then considered to be the
most probable one.

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Interpretation of gravity data

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Gravity field of buried body

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Gravity field over a fault

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Gravity field of syncline

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Gravity map over salt dome

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Location of gravity points

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Bouguer anomaly map

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Gravity modeling

SEDIMENTARY SECTION

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Magnetic prospecting

Magnetic prospecting
Magnetic prospecting is used to explore for both oil and minerals.
It gives information to determine depth to basement rocks, locate
and define the extent of sedimentary basins.
This information is of importance in previously unexplored areas
such as continental shelves newly opened for prospecting.
Sedimentary rocks exert a very small magnetic effect compared to
igneous rocks.
Virtually all variations in magnetic intensity result from
topographical or lithlogic changes associated with the basement
or from igneous intrusives.
Today, all magnetic surveys are done from air or from ships due to
speed, economy and convenience.
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Basic concept
Magnetic force
r
P

P0

If two poles of strength 0

  are placed at a distance r apart,
the magnetic force
between them will be
0


2
The constant known as the permeability, depends upon the
magnetic properties of the medium in which the poles are
situated.  1 for air or vacuum

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Basic concept

Magnetic field
If 0  1

 / 2
Magnetic field strength at a point is defined as the magnetic
force exerted on a pole of unit strength placed at that point.
In cgs system the unit of magnetic field is orested and in mks
system it is tesla which is 104Oe.
In magnetic prospecting, variation in magnetic field are very
small. Therefore, gamma defined as 10-5Oe is most commonly
used unit in geophysical work.

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Magnetization of rocks

Magnetic rocks have almost always acquired their polarization

from the earths field.
If the rock is igneous, its direction of magnetization will be that of
the earths field at the time it cooled from its initial molten state to
a temperature below the Curie point. This is called thermo
remnant magnetization.
If the rock is sedimentary, any orientation of its magnetic grains
during deposition would have been in alignment with the field
that existed when the deposition occurred. This is depositional
remnant magnetization.

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Magnetization of rocks

Total magnetization M consists of

Remnant magnetization Mr
Induced magnetization Mi
M =Mr + Mi

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Earth magnetic field

Magnetic field of earth depends on

Latitude
Longitude
Time

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Measurement of magnetic field

Basic Principle
A: Protons of atom originally aligned with natural field
B: External coil is energized with a DC current resulting in a
strong field that aligns protons.
C: Current turned off and protons precess back to alignment with
external field, generating AC current in coil
Larger fields higher frequencies

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Instruments for measuring magnetic field

Proton-precession magnetometer

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Magnetic surveys techniques

Magnetic prospecting may be carried on ground, from

aircraft and from ships.
Field techniques are of course different for the three types
of surveys.
On land, magnetic observations are usually made at fixed
positions.
In aerial and marine surveys, magnetic fields are recorded
continuously from sensors.

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Reduction of magnetic data

Diurnal correction
Geomagnetic correction
Elevation correction

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Magnetic anomaly

It is a local variation in earths magnetic field

resulting from variations of the rocks

Magnetic Anomaly = Observed mag. field - Computed mag. field (IGRF)

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Interpretation of magnetic data

In magnetic survey the objective is to ascertain the

presence of sedimentary basins and to map their
approximate boundaries.
Direct interpretation
A basin is characterized by smooth contours and low
magnetic relief in the magnetic contours. Boundary
between zones with appreciably different degrees of
relief can indicate the presence of a major basement
fault.

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Presence of basement fault

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Interpretation of magnetic data

Indirect interpretation
Attempt is made to match the observed anomaly with that
calculated for a model by iterative adjustments to the
model.

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Interpretation of magnetic data

Magnetic anomaly of a finite body contains +ve & -ve

elements arising from the dipole nature of
magnetism.
Intensity of magnetization in a body controls the
shape of its magnetic anomaly.
Bodies of identical shape can give rise to different
magnetic anomalies.

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Earths magnetic field

magnetic anomalies occur in local field from magnetic rock
below surface (similar to gravity anomalies)

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Earths magnetic field

removal of magnetic material from near surface
causes negative anomaly (example is normal faulting)

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Magnetic field contours

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