A method for modeling an electromagnetic (EM) telemetry signal includes straightening a well in a model and dividing the well into a plurality of segments. The method also includes determining an electrical current in one or more of the segments when the well is straightened. The method also includes replacing the well with equivalent electrical sources based at least partially upon the electrical current in one or more of the segments. The method also includes bending the well back into its original shape in the model and determining the electrical current in one or more of the segments by projection when the well is back in its original shape. The method also includes summing EM fields for each of the one or more segments to estimate the EM telemetry signal.