A small net decline in natural gas-directed activity saw the U.S. rig count ease one unit lower to finish the week ended Friday (Aug. 19) at 762, according to the latest figures from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

rig count

Total domestic natural gas-directed rigs declined by one to 159, while the oil-directed rig count held steady week/week at 601. The 762 active U.S. rigs as of Friday compares with 503 rigs running in the year-earlier period, according to the BKR numbers, which are based partly on data from Enverus.

Land drilling declined by one unit in the United States for the week, while the Gulf of Mexico count finished unchanged at 16. Horizontal units increased by one, while total vertical rigs were down two.

The Canadian rig count was similarly steady for the week, as no net change...