The active oil and gas rig count in Western Canada was flat for the week ending April 24 according to Baker Hughes data. The active oil rig count gained one rig, with 76 rigs active last week (red line in right chart below), compared to 80 active rigs at this time last year. The active gas rig count fell by one rig to 52 rigs last week (blue line in left chart below), compared to 47 rigs active this time last year. At 36 rigs (down two vs. the prior week) the Northeastern Alberta active horizontal oil rig count is still 33% higher than at any point in April in the prior 15 years, likely reflective of a combination of favorable weather and access conditions, strong oil prices, and larger planned drilling programs for 2026.
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- Analyst Insight
Canadian Rig Counts - Gas Rig Count May Have Bottomed, Oil Rig Count Down By 6
The Western Canadian rig count fell by 5 rigs for the week ending April 17, according to Baker Hughes data. The gas-directed rig count was up 1 to 53 rigs (blue line in left-hand chart below), while the oil-directed rig count was down 6 to 75 rigs (red line in right-hand chart below). After following last year's rig count quite closely so far in 2026, the gas-directed rig count has recently plateaued and is now ahead of this time last year by 6 rigs, while the oil-directed rig count was 6 rigs below this time last year, and continued its typical decline during spring break-up season.
- Analyst Insight
Canadian Rig Count: Six Oil Rigs and One Gas Rig Added This Week
In Western Canada the oil-directed rig count increased by six this week, to 113 active rigs, which is 32% higher than the prior 10-year high for this time of year, while the gas-directed rig count increased by one to 54 rigs this week, in line with the prior five-year high for this time of year.
- Analyst Insight
Canadian Rig Counts - Continuing Their Seasonal Decline
For the week ending March 27, 2026, Baker Hughes reported that the Western Canadian gas-directed rig count fell by 5 rigs week-over-week, to 58 active rigs (blue line and text in left hand chart below), while the Western Canadian oil-directed rig count dropped by 19 week-over-week to 93 active rigs (red line and text in right hand chart below). At 58 rigs, the gas-directed rig count is 4 higher than this time last year, but well below the prior five-year high for this time of year of 81 in 2023, while the oil-directed rig count is 14 lower than at this time in 2025, which was the previous five-year high for this time of year. Rig counts in Western Canada tend to decline this time of year, especially oil-directed rig counts, as "spring break-up" season gets underway. Despite very strong oil prices, unseasonably warm weather through much of February and March has likely triggered a relatively early spring break-up season for oil drilling.
