Onshore gains in both oil and natural gas-directed drilling saw the U.S. rig count surge seven units higher to finish at 586 during the week ended Thursday (Dec. 23), according to the latest figures from Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

Five oil-directed rigs and two natural gas-directed rigs were added domestically for the period, with the combined U.S. tally outpacing its year-earlier total by 238 units.

The Gulf of Mexico held flat at 15 rigs for the period, down from 17 a year ago. Seven horizontal units were added, along with one vertical rig. Partially offsetting was a decline of one directional unit, according to the BKR numbers, which are partly based on data from Enverus.

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