In terms of changes to overall activity levels, it was a quiet week for U.S. drillers, with the natural gas rig count holding steady at 155 for the week ended Friday (Dec. 2), according to the latest figures from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

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Total oil-directed drilling in the United States was also flat for the period. Land drilling declined by one rig overall, while one rig was added in the Gulf of Mexico. Horizontal units declined by three, offset by gains of two vertical rigs and one directional rig.

The total number of active U.S. rigs stood at 784 as of Friday, flat week/week but up from 569 rigs running in the year-earlier period, according to the BKR numbers, which are partly based on data from Enverus.

The Canadian rig count, meanwhile, climbed one unit overall to end the...