forage sauvage

OBS: En jargon de métier, un puits d'exploration en territoire vierge est un «wild cat», un chat sauvage, par opposition aux puits de confirmation et aux puits de développement dans un sous-sol déjà éprouvé.

CONT: The success ratio in modern drilling has been about one producing well out of nine wildcat wells. Exploratory wells are drilled to extend the boundary of a known producing area in an attempt to discover new pools or define the limits of known reservoirs.
OBS: In general, wildcat wells are drilled from mobile, floating vessels (as semisubmersible drilling rigs and drill ships) or from jack-up drilling rigs, while development wells are drilled from platforms.