NEW YORK, June 5 (Reuters) - U.S. energy firms this week

added rigs for a seventh week in a row for the first time since

May 2022, energy services firm Baker Hughes ( BKR ) said in its

closely followed report on Friday.

The oil and natural gas rig count, an early indicator of

future output, rose by one to 563 in the week to June 5, its

highest since May 2025.

With this week's rig increase, Baker Hughes ( BKR ) said the total

count was up four rigs, or 1% above this time last year.

Baker Hughes ( BKR ) said oil rigs rose by two to 431 this week, the

highest since June 2025, while gas rigs fell by one to 124, the

lowest since January 2026. Other miscellaneous rigs held at

eight.

The oil and gas rig count declined by 7% in 2025, 5% in

2024, and 20% in 2023 as lower U.S. oil prices prompted

energy firms to focus more on boosting shareholder returns and

paying down debt rather than increasing output.

Now, spot U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude prices

are expected to rise in 2026 due to the Iran War after declining

in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The U.S. Energy Information

Administration (EIA) projected crude output would rise from a

record 13.6 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2025 to

13.7 million bpd in 2026.

On the gas side, EIA projected output would rise from a

record 107.7 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2025 to 110.6

bcfd in 2026, even though spot prices at the U.S. Henry Hub

benchmark in Louisiana were expected to ease by about 1% in

2026.