The U.S. natural gas rig count fell one unit to finish at 73 for the week ending Friday (Oct. 9), while a rise in oil drilling kept the combined domestic tally on a modest upward trajectory from recent pandemic-induced lows, the latest numbers from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR) show.

rig count Oct 9

With a four-rig increase in oil-directed rigs offsetting the departure of one gas unit, the U.S. rig count climbed to 269 for the week, 587 units behind the 856 rigs active in the year-ago period. BKR’s U.S. count has now posted four straight week/week gains since falling to 254 during the week ending Sept. 11.

All of the gains occurred on land, with Gulf of Mexico rigs flat week/week at 14. Four horizontal units were added in the United States during the week, with one vertical unit exiting the patch,...