A small decline in the oil patch and a small gain in natural gas-directed drilling left the combined U.S. rig count unchanged at 470 during the week ended Friday (June 25), according to the latest figures from oilfield services provider Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

shale rig count June 25

One natural gas rig was added and one oil rig exited the patch in the United States during the week. The 470 active rigs as of Friday represents a sharp increase from the 265 rigs running in the year-ago period, according to the BKR numbers, which are based partly on data from Enverus.

While the U.S. count held flat week/week, more than 100 rigs have been added domestically since the start of the year amid continued recovery from the drilling lows observed during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, BKR data show.

The...