The U.S. natural gas rig count fell one unit to 160 for the week ended Friday (Aug. 12), helping to send the overall domestic tally one unit lower to 763, according to the latest Baker Hughes Co. (BKR) data.

rig count

Net changes domestically for the week included a three-rig increase in oil-directed drilling. However, a decline of three miscellaneous units, along with the loss of one rig in the natural gas patch, resulted in a net decline in the overall domestic count, according to the BKR numbers, which are based partly on data from Enverus. The 763 U.S. rigs running as of Friday compares with 501 rigs active in the year-earlier period.

Land drilling declined by four rigs for the week, partially offset by a two-rig increase in the Gulf of Mexico and the addition of one rig operating in...