The Permian Basin had 273 active rigs in the latest weekly count from Baker Hughes, up one from the week before. A year earlier, 251 rigs were active in the region. Nationally, the count was 604 rigs, up one from last week and up from 548 a year ago.
By type, Baker Hughes counted 463 rigs seeking oil, up one, and 131 exploring for natural gas, also up one. The count showed ten miscellaneous rigs, down one from the previous week.
The regional benchmark, Plains-West Texas Intermediate Posting, ended Friday at $87.31 per barrel, down $13.29 from the previous Friday. National benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude ended at $90.83 per barrel, also down $13.29 from the week before.