Western Canada’s fleet of drilling rigs jumped from 139 to 150 according to data collected by Baker Hughes for the week of August 30th.
Alberta gained 2, moving to 96, while Saskatchewan had a large increase in drilling, rising from 32 to 40 rigs.
The number of oil rigs rose from 95 to 105 as natural gas drilling also increased, from 44 from 45.
Despite this nearly 8% increase from the previous week, drilling remains depressed as producers continue to face challenges related to continued Alberta production curtailments and record low natural gas prices.