Total active U.S. natural gas rigs decreased by one to 119 for the week ended Friday (Jan. 26), while an uptick in Permian Basin activity helped lift the combined domestic tally one rig overall to 621, according to the latest count from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

U.S. oil-directed rigs increased by two for the period to reach 499. Two rigs were added on land domestically, while the Gulf of Mexico dropped one rig to fall to 17, up from 13 a year ago. Gains in the United States included one directional rig and one vertical rig, partly offset by a decline of one horizontal rig, BKR data show.

The 119 active U.S. natural gas rigs as of Friday compares with 160 rigs running in the year-earlier period. At 621, the combined U.S. rig count is down 150 from a year ago, according to the BKR...