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Drilling activity has increased in British Columbia this year, with year-over-year rig release counts and meterage up almost 20 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively, through the first four months of 2023.
There have been 151 wells drilled in B.C. to the end of April compared to 127 in January-April 2022 (up 19 per cent). Metres drilled rose to 766,125 from 616,812 metres in the first four months of last year (up 24 per cent).
Overall, producers rig released 1,861 wells across Canada over the first four months of 2023, excluding experimental holes, an increase of five per cent from 1,769 wells drilled to the end of April last year.
Total metres drilled across the country rose to 6.28 million metres (excluding experimental wells) in the January-April period, up eight per cent from 5.80 million metres drilled the previous year.
Provincial stats, excluding experimental wells
Producers working in Alberta rig released 1,249 wells during the first four months of 2023 compared to 1,201 a year ago (up four per cent). Operators drilled 4.51 million metres in the province compared to 4.17 million metres in the year-prior quarter (an increase of eight per cent).
Saskatchewan’s four-month rig release tally lifted eight per cent to 405 wells from 375 last year. Metres drilled rose to 883,969 from 857,653 metres in the January-April period last year (up three per cent).
Operators in Manitoba drilled 55 wells to the end of April versus 62 wells a year ago, while metres drilled declined to 119,964 from 136,622 metres last year.
Operators in Western and Northern Canada rig released 6.28 million metres of development and exploratory hole in the first four months of 2023 compared to 5.78 million metres a year ago.
Rig release counts, including experimental wells
Operators drilled 2,281 wells to the end of April, including experimental wells, an increase of 12 per cent from 2,039 wells rig released in the year-prior period.
In April, producers drilled 256 wells, including experimental holes, down one per cent from 259 a year ago.
Of the wells rig released to the end of April in Alberta, 1,116 were licensed to drill for oil or bitumen, up from last year’s 1,017 wells.
There were also 368 gas wells rig released in Alberta in the January-to-April period, up from 307 in the comparable timeframe a year ago.
In Saskatchewan, 368 of the wells drilled were licensed to search for oil (compared to 365 last year), while seven wells targeted natural gas (up from two last year).
