Exploitation well
18 July 2017
Fastline
18 July 2017

Exploration well

A well drilled either in search of an as yet undiscovered pool of oil or gas (a wildcat well) or to extend greatly the limits of a known pool. It involves a relatively high degree of risk. Exploratory wells may be classified as (1) wildcat, drilled in an unproven area; (2) field extension or step-out, drilled in an unproven area to extend the proved limits of a field; or (3) deep test, drilled within a field area but to unproven deeper zones.