Baker Hughes: Oil and gas rigs increase for second week

The total active U.S. rig count, which includes those drilling for natural gas, climbed by six to stand at 550, according to Baker Hughes.

December West Texas Intermediate crude continued to trade sharply higher, up $2.40, or 3.1%, at $81.21 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

U.S. energy firms and drillers this week have added oil and natural gas rigs for the second successive week as oil prices held near seven-year highs.

Baker Hughes on Friday reported that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil rose by six to 450 this week.

That was the biggest increase since the week ended 15 October, Baker Hughes data show, though the latest weekly climb followed a slight rise of just one oil rig last week.