System and method for performing distant geophysical survey

Abstract

A downhole drilling tool is adapted to be placed in a borehole formed in the earth. The downhole drilling tool has mounted thereto at least one of a transmitter for generating and a receiver for sensing at least one component of an electromagnetic field within a distant earth region. The tool also has a device configured to acquire subsurface data from the at least one component of the electromagnetic field; and a device configured to calculate a resistivity distribution of the distant earth region from the subsurface data. A geophysical survey is performed with a downhole drilling tool by transmitting at least one component of an electromagnetic field through the distant earth region; acquiring subsurface data from the at least one component of the electromagnetic field; and calculating a resistivity distribution of the distant earth region from the subsurface data.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.