Gravity & Magnetic Data Processing

Gravity & Magnetic Data Processing is EDCON-PRJ's geophysicist-supervised service for turning raw gravity and magnetic survey data into consistent data sets for petroleum and mineral exploration decisions. EDCON-PRJ, a Denver-based subsidiary of The Sanborn Map Company, processes data acquired by its own crews and by other contractors, and also reprocesses older data sets.

The service handles high-resolution data from marine gravity, airborne gravity and aeromagnetic systems. It applies proprietary de-correlation algorithms to optimise correction signals, and the proprietary Virtual Network Adjustment (VNA) for micro-levelling and equivalent-source line adjustment. VNA uses the whole data set in three dimensions to correct survey lines iteratively, so marine gravity shot without tie-lines, as is common alongside 3D seismic surveys, can still be levelled while keeping its high-frequency detail. EDCON-PRJ's processing brochure also lists Eötvös and base-magnetic corrections, magnetic de-culturing, intersection analysis, complete 3D Bouguer correction, a gravity tie to EGM2008 that needs no in-port base station, and integration with regional data sets.

When land, airborne and marine surveys are merged into uniformly processed databases, satellite gravity and the EGM2008 global gravity model are used to set the regional datum and anomaly control. Processing can run at EDCON-PRJ's office, at remote sites or in clients' offices on portable processing facilities, which helps where data movement or confidentiality is restricted. Software engineers handle unusual data formats and special processing requirements.