The U.S. natural gas rig count dropped two units to finish at 150 for the week ended Friday (Jan. 13), while gains in the oil patch lifted the combined domestic tally three units higher to 775, according to the latest figures from oilfield services provider Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

rigs

Domestic drilling activity on land was unchanged overall for the week, while the Gulf of Mexico added three rigs to raise its total to 19. Directional rigs increased by three, while total horizontal and vertical units were flat week/week.

The combined 775 active U.S. rigs as of Friday compares with 601 rigs running in the year-earlier period, according to the BKR numbers, which are partly based on data from Enverus.

The Canadian rig count jumped 38 units higher to 227 for the week, up from 191 in...