The U.S. natural gas rig count slid one unit to 101 for the week ended Friday (Sept. 10), while a partial post-Ida recovery in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) helped lift the overall domestic drilling tally six units to 503, the latest figures from oilfield services provider Baker Hughes Co. (BKR) show.

rig count Sept 10

Offsetting the one-rig decline in natural gas activity, seven oil-directed rigs were added in the United States for the week. Total GOM rigs rose to four overall from zero in the week-earlier period, while two rigs were added on land. The combined 503 active U.S. rigs as of Friday compares with 254 rigs running in the year-ago period, according to the BKR data, which is based in part on data provided by Enverus.

Five directional rigs were added domestically, along with three vertical...