Baker Hughes BKR on Friday reported that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil fell by 15 to 555 this week. That marked a fifth straight week of declines in the number of oil rigs. The total active U.S. rig count, which includes those drilling for natural gas, also declined by 15 to stand at 696, according to Baker Hughes. The number of active natural-gas drilling rigs stood at 137, unchanged for the week. Oil prices continued to trade higher in Friday dealings, with July West Texas Intermediate crude contract CLN23 up $1.45, or 2.1%, at $71.55 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
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