_Applied_  
_sciences_  
_Article_  
**OpenMP Implementation of a Novel**  
**Potential-Field-Data Source-Growth-Based Inversion**  
**Approach for 3D Salt Imaging in Deepwater Gulf**  
**of Mexico**  
**[PERSON] 1,\({}^{\dagger}\), [PERSON] 2,\({}^{\ddagger}\)\({}^{\ddagger}\), [PERSON] 3,\({}^{\star,\dagger}\), [PERSON] 3,\({}^{\ddagger}\), [PERSON] 5,\({}^{\ddagger}\) and [PERSON] 6,\({}^{\ddagger}\)**  
\({}^{1}\) Instituto de Geofisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito de la InvestigacioN Cientifica S/N, Coyoacan, C.P. 04510 Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
\({}^{2}\) Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Centro de Desarrollo Aeroespacial, Belisario Dominguez 22, Centro, Cuauhtemoc, 06610 Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
\({}^{3}\) Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas Norte 152, San Bartolo Atepebuuacan, 07730 Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
\({}^{4}\) Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Fisica y Matematicas, Av. [PERSON] S/N, Unidad Professional [PERSON], Zacatenco, Gustavo A. Madero, 07738 Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico  
\({}^{5}\) Tecnologico Nacional de Mexico/IT de Merida, Departamento de Sistemas y Computacion, Av. Tecnologico km. 4.5 S/N, 97118 Merida, Mexico; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
\({}^{6}\) Centro Geo, Litoeteca Nacional de Hidrocarburos, Sede Yucatan, Parque Cientifico Tecnologico Yucatan (PCTY), Carretera Sierra Papacal, Chuburna Puerto, Sierra Papacal, CP. 97302 Merida, Mexico; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
\({}^{\star}\) Correspondence: [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
\({}^{\dagger}\) These authors contributed equally to this work. Received: 30 May 2020; Accepted: 7 July 2020; Published: 13 July 2020  
**Featured Application: This paper introduces a novel parallelized technique for potential-field-data modelling and inversion. Inversion of potential field data is a powerful tool for regional geophysical exploration, particularly in zones with complex geology that often require the integration of multiple sources of geophysical information. It is applicable in the exploration of oil reservoirs in environments with the presence of salt tectonics, in order to be able to define the geometry of subsalt geological features, which cannot be obtained by other more expensive methods such as seismics. Also, in the exploration of karst terrains, inversion of potential field high-resolution data is quite useful in order to determine the three-dimensional geometry of tunnels, caves, and caverns located in the near-surface, of great interest for estimating geological and geotechnical risks. Other potential applications are archaeology, volcanology, location of groundwaters, etc. **  
**Abstract: Potential-field-data imaging of complex geological features in deepwater salt-tectonic regions in the Gulf of Mexico remains an open active research field. There is still a lack of resolution in seismic imaging methods below and in the surroundings of allochthonous salt bodies. In this work, we present a novel three-dimensional potential-field-data simultaneous inversion method for imaging of salt features. This new approach incorporates a growth algorithm for source estimation, which progressively recovers geological structures by exploring a constrained parameter space; restrictions are posed from _a priori_ geological knowledge of the study area. The algorithm is tested with synthetic data corresponding to a real complex salt-tectonic geological setting commonly found in exploration areas of deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Due to the huge amount of data involved in three-dimensional inversion of potential field data, the use of parallel computing techniques becomes mandatory. In this sense, to alleviate computational burden, an easy to implement parallelization strategy for the inversion scheme through OpenMP directives is presented. The methodology was applied to invert and integrate gravity, magnetic and full tensor gradient data of the study area.