| Abstract: | Transiel is the name given to a qualitative, time domain induced polarization (IP) method. The aim of the method is twofold: to locate and to distinguish between deep and shallow polarizable media. This discrimination is based on the data analysis, which distinguishes Transiel from the conventional IP methods. Two case histories are presented: one related to mineral prospecting and the other to geothermal exploration. The information supplied by Transiel on the deep polarizable layers is checked at each test site by an independent inversion of the recorded transients. At the mineral test site, the method correctly predicts the target location. In this particular survey, the maximum penetration depth of the method is 700 m. At the geothermal test site, a fair correlation is found between IP anomalies and the productive wells. Since the method's penetration depth does not exceed 500 m, we believe that the observed IP anomalies are related to reduction phenomena occurring in the overburden and leading to pyrite formation. We suppose that these phenomena are caused by thermochemical exchanges between the reservoir and the overburden above zones of high reservoir permeability. |
