The magnetotelluric sounding (MT) method is used to detect and study the deep stratigraphic structure and hidden faults in the Shangqiu Uplift. A total of 4 MT profiles are arranged, and 97 stations are collected. The nonlinear conjugate gradient (NLCG) two-dimensional inversion method is used to jointly invert data from both the TE and TM modes after a dimensionality analysis and impedance tensor decomposition; reliable two-dimensional resistivity models are produced since the data quality is excellent. Three-dimensional inversion is carried out to full impedance tensor as well to produce a three-dimensional resistivity model of the study area, which shows good consistency with the two-dimensional models. The results show that the electrical structure of the Shangqiu Uplift has typical layered characteristics, which can be divided into three layers from top to bottom, namely low-, medium-to-high-, and high-resistivity layers. According to the resistivity models and in combination with the gravity, aeromagnetic, seismic, and regional geological data of the study area, a geological map of the basement rock of the Shangqiu Uplift is produced. Two prospective geothermal anomaly areas are proposed according to the distribution of the high-resistivity anomaly formed by the basement uplift, which has a good corresponding relationship with the high-value area of the regional geothermal field. A geothermal exploration well (SR-1) is constructed in one of the inferred prospective geothermal anomaly areas. The well is 1702 m deep, with a water output of 1500 m³/day and a wellhead water temperature of 51.5 °C. This is the geothermal well with the largest water yield in the Shangqiu area at present, which provides a new basis for future geothermal exploration, development, and utilization.

Geothermal resources are abundant in the Southern North China Basin, which is one of the prospective areas hosting low–medium-temperature geothermal resources in sedimentary basins in China. The purpose of this work is to reveal the formation and storage conditions of the geothermal resources in the western margin of the Taikang Uplift and delineate the range of potential geothermal reservoirs. This paper uses five magnetotelluric sounding profiles for data processing and analysis, including the calculation of 2D skewness and electric strike. Data processing, analysis, and NLCG 2D inversion were performed on MT data, which consisted of 111 measurement points, and reliable two-dimensional resistivity models and resistivity planes were obtained. In combination with drilling verification and the analysis of geophysical logging data, the stratigraphic lithology and the range of potential geothermal reservoirs were largely clarified. The results show that using the magnetotelluric sounding method can well delineate the range of deep geothermal reservoirs in sedimentary basins and that the MT method is suitable for exploring buried geothermal resources in deep plains. The analytical results showed that the XZR-1 well yielded 1480 cubic meters of water per day, with the water temperature of the wellhead being approximately 78 °C, and combined with the results of this electromagnetic and drilling exploration, a geothermal geological model and genesis process of the west of the Taikang Uplift area was constructed. The water yield and temperature were higher than those of previous exploration results, which has important guiding significance for the future development and utilization of karst fissure heat reservoirs in the western Taikang Uplift.