Amid a mix of regional changes to drilling activity, the U.S. natural gas and oil rig count finished one unit lower at 695 for the week ended Friday (June 9), according to the latest tally from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

Domestic changes for the period included a two-rig decline in natural gas-directed drilling, which was partly offset by a net increase of one oil-directed rig. Land drilling declined by one overall, with the Gulf of Mexico count flat week/week at 20. Three vertical rigs were added for the period, countered by declines of three horizontal rigs and one directional rig, according to BKR.

The combined 695 active U.S. rigs as of Friday compares with 733 rigs running in the year-earlier period. While modest compared to recent weeks, the latest net decline in U.S. rigs...