1. n. [Drilling]

An existing wellbore close to a proposed well that provides information for planning the proposed well. In planning development wells, there are usually numerous offsets, so a great deal is known about the subsurface geology and pressure regimes. In contrast, rank wildcats have no close offsets, and planning is based on interpretations of seismic data, distant offsets and prior experience. High-quality offset data are coveted by competent well planners to optimize well designs. When lacking offset data, the well planner must be more conservative in designing wells and include more contingencies.

Synonyms: offset

See related terms: bit record,  drilling procedure,  wildcat