Marine magnetic studies over a lost wellhead in Palk Bay, Cauvery Basin, India

Close grid marine magnetic surveys in the vicinity of a drill well site PH 9-1 in Palk Bay revealed that the area is characterized by smooth magnetic field except for a local anomaly caused by a lost wellhead. The smooth magnetic field is attributed to the deep burial of Precambrian granitic basement devoid of any charnockite intrusions. The seismic reflection records of the study area show >3200 m thick sediments over the basement.