Precision Drilling Corporation increased its market share and was the most active driller in the first half of this year which saw a surprisingly strong increase in contractor drilling days compared to a year ago.

Operators nearly doubled the amount of metres drilled in the second quarter of this year compared to same three months in 2009 while the well count rose by a more modest 55% to 1,197 holes. The rapid move to horizontal wells, which will set a new record for Canada this year, resulted in 2.49 million metres drilled for the April to June period, a 95% surge from 1.28 million metres a year earlier. While well counts remain significantly below most years in the past decade, on a metres drilled basis the second quarter of 2010 was back to levels experienced in 2008 and 2007, albeit still below the 4.1 to 4.4 million metres finished in the gas boom years of 2006 and 2005.