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MAGNETOTELLURIC SOUNDING IN THE NORTHERN
NEGROS
GEOTHERMAL FIELD, CENTRAL
PHILIPPINES
Felixberto C. Maneja, Carlos F. Los Baños,
Domingo B. Layugan, Nilo A. Apuada,
and David M. Rigor, Jr.
PNOC Energy Development Cnrp., Philippines
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ABSTRACT |
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Interpretation of magnetotelluric (MT)
soundings collected in 92 stations in
1995 and 2000 provide a better and
deeper picture of the resistivity
structure of the Northern Negros
geothermal field (NNGF) than previously
obtained from DC electrical resistivity
surveys. The resulting three-layer
resistivity structure interpreted from
MT data is consistent with drillhole
information as well as data from
previous geophysical surveys. A thin, ~
300-m thick, highly resistive (30 to
>100 ohm-m) layer blanketing the area
corresponds to young and fresh
extrusives from Mt. Canlaon. Immediately
underlying this stratum is a 0.5- to
1.0-km thick highly conductive (1-10
ohm-m) second layer that extends from
Mambucal in the northwest to Sumaguan in
the southeast. This conductor represents
the hydrothermal system’s clay cap and
may also partly coincide with the
shallow and structurally-confined
outflow in the northwest. Over the
productive region of NNGF, the base of
this conductive second layer coincides
with the transition from smectite- and
illite-smectite-dominated argillic
alteration to a secondary assemblage
dominated by higher temperature but less
conductive minerals like biotite,
epidote, and illite. The resistivity of
the third layer varies from place to
place. In Pataan, the bottom layer is a
2-km thick moderately resistive (20-30
ohm-m) stratum that drillhole data
confirm to be part of the geothermal
reservoir. This block is juxtaposed to
the north by the Mambucal B Fault
against highly resistive (30 to >100
ohm-m) third layer that underlies the
Catugasan and Mambucal and which
corresponds to cold geothermal aquitard.
In Sumaguan, southeast of Pataan, the
third layer becomes slightly more
conductive (10-20 ohm-m) implying the
presence of saline and hotter fluids in
this sector; the identification of
Sumaguan as the prime resource block in
NNGF should be tested by deep
exploratory drilling. South of Pataan, a
narrow resistive block bounded by the
Pataan C and Maao East faults separates
the high-temperature geothermal reource
in Pataan-Sumaguan from that in Hagdan.
In addition to being geophysically less
coherent, the Hagdan resource is
believed to be of lower grade and merits
lower priority for deep delineation
drilling.
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