Tourmaline Oil Corp. was the top operator across the basin during the first three months of 2022 based on metres drilled, including experimental/test wells.

The company drilled 366,882 metres during the first quarter and rig released 74 wells. Ranked by wells drilled, Cenovus Energy Inc. led the pack by drilling 190 wells in Q1.

Based on total metres rig released, Tourmaline was followed by Cenovus, which drilled 254,855 metres.

Third place was taken by Canadian Natural Resources Limited, (240,051 metres), followed by Whitecap Resources Inc. (229,880 metres) and Crescent Point Energy Corp. (200,254 metres).

The top 10 was rounded out by: ARC Resources Ltd. (199,007 metres), Baytex Energy Corp. (170,984 metres), Teine Energy Ltd. (156,740 metres), Tamarack Valley Energy Ltd. (130,342 metres) and Torxen Resources Ltd. (126,146 metres).

The top explorers in Canada in the first quarter of the year, ranked by metres drilled, were B-32 Exploration Ltd. (13,000 metres), Baytex (7,000 metres) and Bonavista Energy Corporation (5,900 metres).

Including exploratory, development and test metres, Cenovus was the top operator in Alberta (225,717 metres), Tourmaline was the leader in B.C. (166,774 metres), Teine led in Saskatchewan (156,740 metres), while Tundra Oil & Gas Ltd. led in Manitoba (98,792 metres).

Based on the rig release count, and including test/experimental wells, the top operators in the first quarter of 2022, after Cenovus, were: Canadian Natural (114 wells rig released), Syncrude Canada Ltd. (92), Suncor Energy Inc. (80), Whitecap (75), Tourmaline (74), Teine (72), Baytex (67), Crescent Point (54) and Tundra (51).

Top operator, excluding test metres

Based on rig releases, excluding experimental/test wells, the top operators were Canadian Natural (92 wells rig released), Cenovus (88), Whitecap (75), Tourmaline (74), Teine (72), Baytex (67), Crescent Point (54), Tundra (51), Tamarack Valley (41) and Torxen (39).

Alberta’s top operator in the first three months of 2022 was Canadian Natural, which drilled 76 wells. Second-place finisher Cenovus rig released 71 wells, followed by Tamarack Valley (41). Torxen drilled 39 wells, while Tourmaline rig released 36 wells.

Heading the list in Saskatchewan were Teine (72), Whitecap (58), Crescent Point (45), Baytex (43) and Strathcona Resources Ltd. (19).

In British Columbia, Tourmaline led the pack with 38 wells rig released, followed by Petronas Energy Canada Ltd. with 12. Murphy Oil Company Ltd. drilled 11 wells, while Pacific Canbriam Energy Limited rig released nine wells and Canadian Natural drilled eight wells.

Tundra was the most active operator in Manitoba in Q1 and rig released 43 wells. Corex Resources Ltd. drilled 12 wells.