During traditional peak of the drilling season, 33 rigs were making hole in Sask

By Brian Zinchuk

ESTEVAN – Right around now is historically the annual peak of oilwell drilling activity in Saskatchewan. As of Feb. 14, there were 32 rigs making hole in this province, according to RiggerTalk.com, which publishes data from the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors (CAOEC).

While you were giving flowers to your sweetie, these rigs were turning to the right.

The data also showed which companies were doing the most drilling, both on the oil company side, and on the drilling company side.

For the top five operators, Whitecap Resources Inc. came in on top, with six rigs working. They were followed by Crescent Point Energy Corp. at four, and Teine Energy at three. Baytex Energy and Saturn Oil & Gas and Tundra Oil & Gast all had two rigs each, in a tie for fourth.

Stampede Drilling, Rig 1, back in 2013. Photo by Brian Zinchuk

As for drilling companies, Stampede Drilling had seven rigs, followed by Precision Drilling at six, and Savanna Drilling at four. Betts Drilling and Bonanza had three rigs each.

In southeast Saskatchewan there were 15 rigs working, with a cluster of five close to Lampman, and the rest spread out.

At Gainsborough, Tundra Oil & Gas had Ensign Drilling Rig 10 working about a kilometre east of town. About 12 kilometres north of Gainsborough, Spectrum Resources had Stampede Drilling Rig 1 working.

Saturn Oil & Gas had Betts Drilling Rig 3 near Glen Ewen. Taprock Energy Inc. had Betts Rig 4 near the intersection of Highways 18 and 9.

Northeast of North Portal, Vermillion Energy Inc. had Panther Drilling Corp. Rig 2 drilling south of the Souris River.

West of Willmar, Stampede Rig 3 was drilling for Anova Resources.

To the west of there was the Lampman cluster. Just north of town, Whitecap Resources Inc. had Stampede Rig 17 drilling. About 15 kilometres north-northwest, the same company employed Ensign Drilling Rig 423. Aldon Oils had Betts Rig 2 working west of Lampman (the road directions read “follow the turkey trail into location”).

East of Benson, Surge Energy had Stampede Drilling Rig 2 working. A little south of that, near Woodley, Stampede Rig 7 was drilling for Crescent Point Energy Corp.

Crescent Point’s next rig was working about 10 kilometres north of Stoughton, with Savanna Drilling Rig 419 making hole. Their third rig was just north of Warmley, itself north of Kisbey. That was Precision Drilling Rig 195.

Whitecap had Precision Drilling Rig 275 working in the Weyburn Unit.

Stampede Rig 4 was working for Tundra at Radcliff, near the U.S. border.

Shifting to southwest Saskatchewan, Whitecap had two rigs going. Predator Drilling Rig 9 was just southeast of Hazlet, and Bonanza Drilling Rig 3 halfway between Hazlet and Gull Lake.

About 22 kilometres southwest of Gull Lake, North American Helium continued its quest to expand their working areas. This well was being drilled by Savanna Rig 629.

About 25 kilometres north-northwest of Shaunavon, Crescent Point had Savanna Rig 416 working.

Moving into west central Saskatchewan, 15 kilometres south of Elrose, Baytex Energy Corp.

Teine Energy had Ensign Rig 537 just northeast of Plato.

In an area that doesn’t see much drilling, Saturn Oil & Gas had Savanna Rig 431 working. About 18 kilometres north of Kindersley, Teine had Ensign Rig 350 employed. It also had Ensign Rig 356 working northwest of Brock.

About 11 kilometres north of Coleville, Whitecap had Bonanza Rig 2 working, while Baytex had Ensign Rig 650 drilling.

About the same distance west of Coleville, Baytex had Savanna Rig 425 drilling.

Teine had Ensign Rig 351 drilling southwest of Hoosier. Novus had Bonanza Rig 1 drilling a little further south of that.

A little north of Macklin, Longshore Resources Employed Tempco Drilling Rig 9.

West of Cut Knife, Lycos Energy Inc had Stampede Rig 22 drilling.

There were four rigs working in northwest Saskatchewan. Cenovus Energy Inc had Precision Drilling Rig 197 at Vawn and PD Rig 198 at Rush Lake.

Strathcona Resources had Precision Drilling Rig 188 at Vawn.

Rife Resources employed Precision Drilling Rig 204 north of Lashburn.