The U.S. natural gas rig count finished flat at 99 for the week ended Friday (Oct. 8), while continued expansion in the oil patch lifted the combined domestic tally five units higher to finish at 533, according to the latest data from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

rigs Oct 8

A net gain of five oil-directed rigs in the United States for the week put the combined domestic tally at nearly double the 269 rigs active in the year-earlier period. Land drilling increased by seven week/week to offset a two-rig decline in offshore drilling. Horizontal rigs increased by nine, offsetting a four-rig decline in vertical units, according to the BKR numbers, which are based partly on data from Enverus.

The Canadian rig count climbed two units week/week to end at 167, up from 80 at this time last year. Four...