The U.S. natural gas rig count held flat at 144 for the week ended Friday (April 29), while oil-directed drilling gains lifted the combined domestic tally three units to 698, according to updated figures from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

rig count

Activity gains in the United States included net increases of two rigs on land and one in the Gulf of Mexico. The 698 active U.S. rigs as of Friday compares with 440 rigs running in the same period last year, according to the BKR numbers, which are based partly on data from Enverus.

Four horizontal units were added overall in the United States for the period, partially offset by a one-rig decline in directional drilling.

The Canadian rig count fell six units to 95 for the week, up from 51 in the year-ago period. Changes there included declines of...