The U.S. natural gas rig count fell two units to 153 for the week ended Friday (Dec. 9), and a two-rig drop in oil activity lowered the overall domestic tally four units to 780, according to updated numbers from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

rigs

Land drilling declined by three rigs in the United States for the period, with one rig exiting from inland waters. Horizontal rigs were off three for the period, with directional rigs down two. Partially offsetting was the addition of one vertical rig, the BKR data show.

The combined 780 active U.S. rigs as of Friday compares with 576 rigs running in the year-earlier period, according to the BKR numbers, which are partly based on data from Enverus.

The Canadian rig count, meanwhile, rose seven units week/week to 202, from 177 in the year-ago...