After falling below 800 rigs a week prior, the U.S. oil and natural gas rig count remained unchanged at 799 rigs during the week ended Dec. 13, according to the latest Rotary Rig Count released by Baker Hughes Co.

The count is down by 272 rigs, or 25%, from the corresponding period a year ago.

Gas-directed rigs fell by four to 129 rigs during the week to Dec. 13 and are 69 rigs lower than levels posted during the same week in 2018. Oil-directed rigs added four to come in at 667 rigs for the week but are down by 206 rigs from a year ago.

During the review week, the Marcellus Basin noted a four-rig increase to 41 rigs, while a two-rig decline was seen in the Utica Basin, which reported 11 rigs for the period. One-rig decreases were also noted at the Barnett, DJ-Niobrara and Haynesville Basins, which reported counts of 1, 20 and 50 rigs, respectively.

Up north, Canadian rigs rose by 15 to 153 rigs for the week ended Dec. 13. However, the count is down by 21 rigs, or 12%, from values reported a year ago.