The U.S. natural gas rig count picked up one unit to finish at 118 for the week ended Friday (Nov. 3), while a slowdown in oil-directed drilling dropped the combined domestic count seven units to 618, according to the latest numbers published by Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

Total domestic oil rigs declined by eight to 496 for the period, down from 613 a year ago. The 118 natural gas-directed rigs active as of Friday compares with 155 a year ago, according to the BKR numbers, which are partly based on data from Enverus.

Declines of six land rigs and three offshore rigs were countered by the addition of two rigs in inland waters. Horizontal rigs fell by nine for the period, with one directional rig and one vertical rig added week/week.

The Canadian rig count, meanwhile, finished...