The oil and gas industry is a major contributor to Saskatchewan's economy, and thus it has a direct effect on an average resident's pocketbook.

That said, there are some positive signs appearing for the sector, and Assistant Deputy Minister with the Ministry of the Economy, Ed Dancsok, outlined some examples.

"We saw the number of wells drilled for oil in Saskatchewan more than double in the first quarter. We had 856 wells drilled, as compared to last year when at this time we had 399, so its a very good uptick on that side of things."

He noted that, as a result, the province should see an increase in the amount of oil being produced in the near future.

Another trend pointed out by the assistant deputy minister is that there has been an increase in thermal projects under construction, and companies engaging in water-flooding.

"Of course that's a pretty big investment. Tens of millions of dollars would be put into doing that type of activity."

"For the Estevan area, we are seeing very strong numbers. It's one of the leading areas of the province. We've seen a total of about 250 wells that have been drilled by the end of the first quarter," he shared.

Dancsok identified stability in the price of oil and the cautiousness and increased operational efficiency of companies as major influences on the current trend.

"The price will not have to get back to where it was prior to the collapse, because they can be profitable at a lower cost now. That's why we are seeing these early indications of more drilling happening."

Looking ahead, he said that the the forecast from Petroleum Services Association of Canada, based on the contracts received by industry companies, predicts a 60 percent increase in drilling for Saskatchewan over the rest of year.