This is the 53rd consecutive annual report on drilling activity for the United States. Canadian drilling data have been included with these annual reports since 1948; Mexico provided data for the period 1948-1980.

For 1988, Canada showed a 25.5% increase in total wells drilled (8,886 wells) and an 18.1% increase in the amount of footage drilled (33,497,448 ft). The 66 new-field wildcat discoveries represented a success rate of 30.4%. Of these discoveries, 26 were in Alberta, 20 were in Saskatchewan, 16 were in British Columbia, 2 were in Quebec, 1 was in the Northwest Territories, and 1 was in the East Coast offshore. New-field and new-pool wildcats accounted for 33.4% of the 1,642 exploratory discoveries. In Canada, 55.6% of the 2,953 exploratory wells drilled were successful.

In the United States, total drilling activity during 1988 increased 1.1% (to 36,307 wells), and footage drilled increased 4.8% (to 31,919 mi) compared with 1987. There were 469 new-field discoveries--a 7.3% decrease from 1987. The ratio of new-field dry holes to producers was 6.38:1, and the success rate was 13.6%.

Estimates of ultimate reserves reported as discovered in 1983-1988 in the United States are being reviewed by the Joint Task Group on Statistical Integrity of the Committee on Statistics of Drilling. Results of this study will be published in a later issue of the Bulletin.