The number of oil rigs in the US rose by seven in the week ended Friday, according to data compiled by energy services company Baker Hughes (BKR).

The count for oil increased to 488 rigs from 481 last week, while gas lost two rigs to 99. The number of miscellaneous rigs fell by one to five. The US had 503 oil, 120 gas and three miscellaneous rigs in operation a year earlier, the data showed.

Overall, 592 rigs were operating in the US as of Friday, down from 626 a year earlier. Among US states, Oklahoma added five rigs sequentially, while New Mexico and Utah lost one each.

Across North America, oil and gas rigs rose by three to 836 from a week earlier. The tally in Canada dropped by one to 244.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 3% at $70.31 a barrel in late trading Friday, while Brent fell 2.8% to $74.32. Both were headed for weekly losses.

The market is dealing with "an increasingly erratic message flow from Washington, which on one hand has raised the prospect of increased US production, while on the other causing concerns about the outlook for global growth and demand," Saxo Bank Head of Commodity Strategy Ole Hansen said in a report published Friday.

Markets are also awaiting a decision from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies on output, according to Hansen.

"With limited clarity on the impact of current US threats and policies, as well as the outlook for key producers such as Russia and Iran, we believe the group is likely to tread with caution, leaving production unchanged while once again reiterating the need for compliance," Hansen said.

On Thursday, data from the Energy Information Administration showed that commercial crude stockpiles in the US jumped more than projected last week.