The U.S. natural gas rig count rose four units to 160 for the week ended Friday (Jan. 27), while an offsetting decline in oil-directed drilling left the combined domestic tally unchanged at 771 for the period, according to updated figures from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

Countering the rise in natural gas activity, domestic changes for the period included a decline of four oil-directed rigs. Land drilling increased by three rigs, while three rigs exited in the Gulf of Mexico. Five horizontal rigs were added domestically for the week, offset by declines of four directional rigs and one vertical rig.

The combined 771 active U.S. rigs as of Friday compares with 610 rigs running in the year-earlier period, according to the BKR numbers, which are based partly on data from Enverus.

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