Incremental activity gains in the Williston Basin helped nudge the U.S. rig count two units higher to 695 for the week ended Friday (April 22), updated numbers from oilfield services provider Baker Hughes Co. (BKR) show.

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One oil-directed rig and one natural gas-directed rig were added overall in the United States for the week. Two rigs were added on land, along with one offshore (not in Gulf of Mexico), while one rig exited from inland waters for the period, according to the BKR numbers, which are partly based on data from Enverus.

Total domestic horizontal rigs increased by three for the week, partially offset by a one-rig decline in directional drilling. The 695 active U.S. rigs as of Friday compares with 438 rigs running in the year-earlier period.

The Canadian rig count...