Bolstered by an uptick in drilling in the Haynesville Shale, the U.S. natural gas rig count climbed one unit to reach 154 for the week ended Friday (Dec. 16), while a slowdown in the oil patch saw the combined domestic tally retreat four units to 776, according to updated Baker Hughes Co. (BKR) data.

rigs

Net changes in the United States for the week included a five-rig decline in oil drilling. Land drilling declined by one rig overall, while the Gulf of Mexico dropped three rigs from its total to fall to 15. Domestic declines included three directional rigs and one horizontal rig, with vertical drilling unchanged week/week.

The combined 776 active U.S. rigs as of Friday compares with 579 rigs running in the year-earlier period, according to the BKR figures, which are partly based on...