The number of rigs at work in the East Texas-Louisiana Haynesville Shale this week pulled ahead of the Northeast's Marcellus Shale for the first time since 2011, Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday.

Led by declines in the Marcellus, the total rig count fell by six this week to 940.

Oil prices gained, both on continuing declines in the rig count and the approach of Hurricane Harvey, which also promises to crimp supply. 

The number of U.S. rigs exploring for oil fell for a fourth straight week, Baker Hughes said. 

Four fewer oil rigs were at work this week, bringing the total to 759. It was the fourth straight weekly decline. The number of rigs drilling for natural gas fell by two, to 180. 

With a one-rig gain to 46, the Haynesville surpassed the total number of rigs working in the Marcellus Shale for the first time in six years. The Marcellus took the biggest decline of the week, dropping three to 43 rigs, Baker Hughes said.

The last time the Haynesville had more rigs than the Marcellus was in 2011, when both plays had more than 100 rigs standing. The Haynesville began to fall off in 2012 and had as few as 12 rigs at work during the depths of the downturn last year. Both plays have seen steady growth in drilling activity since, though the Haynesville has added more rigs year over year at 32, compared with 18 in the Marcellus.

Oklahoma's Cana Woodford added two rigs, to 69, while the Utica and Williston each dropped one, to 30 and 52, respectively. 

North Texas' Barnett was flat on seven, South Texas' Eagle Ford dropped one to 74 and the West Texas-New Mexico Permian was flat on 377.

By state, Louisiana, North Dakota and Ohio each added one rig.

Pennsylvania and Texas each lost three rigs. Alaska, Oklahoma and Utah were down one apiece.

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