The U.S. natural gas rig count slid to 102 during the week ended Friday (May 3) as three rigs were sent packing for the period, according to updated figures from oilfield services provider Baker Hughes Co. (BKR).

The 102 active U.S. natural gas rigs as of Friday represented a decline of 55 rigs versus the year-earlier count of 157, according to the BKR numbers, which are partly based on data from Enverus.

The U.S. oil-directed rig count, meanwhile, fell seven units to 499 for the period, down from 588 a year ago. Two miscellaneous rigs were added for the week. The combined U.S. rig count finished at 605 overall, down eight week/week and down from 748 at this time a year ago, BKR data show.

Land drilling saw a net decline of nine rigs domestically, while the Gulf of Mexico...