The U.S. active rig count slipped to 543 for the week ending April 17, 2026, down 2 from the prior week's 545 and tracking 7.0% below the year-ago comparable of 584 rigs (week of May 2, 2025), underscoring a sustained contraction in drilling activity. Oil-directed rigs hold at 410 while gas-directed rigs stand at 125, reflecting continued operator caution on the gas side amid lingering price uncertainty. Offshore rigs number 12, with no onshore breakdown by basin available in this report cycle. Crude inventories drew by 913,000 barrels in the week ending April 10, pulling stocks to 463.8 million barrels, though the four-week trend remains broadly constructive for builds. The total DUC backlog stands at 2,699 wells, with the Permian Basin (793) and Haynesville (594) carrying the heaviest uncompleted inventories.