The U.S. natural gas rig count rose five units to 102 during the week ended Friday (Sept. 3), while Hurricane Ida dropped the drilling tally in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) to zero, according to the latest figures from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

The overall U.S. rig count plummeted 11 units to 497 for the week, including a steep 14-rig decline in the GOM for the period that left zero active rigs there in the oilfield services company’s latest weekly data. Offsetting the net increase in natural gas rigs, 16 oil-directed rigs exited the patch in the United States for the week. Three rigs exited inland waters, while five rigs were added on land.

The reported drop in GOM activity comes in the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ida, which had shut in most of the region’s...