The U.S. rotary rig count edged up one unit to 544 for the week ending April 24, 2026, recovering fractionally from 543 the prior week but remaining well below the year-ago comparable of 578 rigs — a 34-rig, or roughly 6%, year-over-year deficit that underscores the sustained contraction in domestic drilling activity. Oil-directed rigs account for 407 of the total while gas-directed rigs stand at 129, reflecting continued operator discipline amid a cautious commodity price environment. Offshore activity holds at 11 rigs, with onshore figures not separately itemized in current data. Crude inventories built by 1.925 million barrels to 465.729 million barrels for the week ending April 17, extending a four-week building trend. The national DUC backlog stands at 2,699 wells, with the Permian Basin carrying the largest single-basin inventory at 793 uncompleted wells.