The U.S. natural gas rig count rose four units to 166 during the week ended Friday (Sept. 9), while a slowdown in the oil patch dropped the combined domestic tally one unit overall to 759, according to the latest numbers from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

rigs

Oil-directed rigs in the United States fell five units to end the week at 591. The 759 active U.S. rigs as of Friday is up from 503 rigs running in the year-earlier period, according to the BKR numbers, which are partly based on data from Enverus.

U.S. land drilling was unchanged overall week/week, while the Gulf of Mexico count eased one unit lower to 13. A four-rig increase in directional drilling was offset by declines of three horizontal rigs and two vertical units, according to the BKR data.

The Canadian rig count dropped...