With activity ramping up on land and offshore, the U.S. rig count surged 13 units higher to 430 during the holiday-shortened week ended Thursday (April 1), according to data published by Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

shale rig count

As has often been the case recently, the increase in domestic drilling for the week was driven by the oil patch. Thirteen oil-directed rigs were added in the United States, along with one miscellaneous unit. Those gains offset a one-rig decrease in natural gas-directed rigs. 

The combined 430 rigs running as of Thursday compares with 664 rigs active in the year-ago period, according to the BKR numbers, which are based partly on data provided by Enverus.

Land drilling increased by 11 rigs for the week, while two rigs were added in the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven horizontal...