U.S. oil drillers add rigs for 5th week in six -Baker Hughes

July 8 (Reuters) - U.S. drillers this week added oil rigs

for a fifth week in six, according to a closely followed report

Friday, prompting analysts to predict the rig count has bottomed

and production will start to edge up early next year.

Drillers added 10 oil rigs in the week to July 8, bringing

the total rig count up to 351, compared with 645 a year ago,

energy services firm Baker Hughes Inc said.

Before this week, drillers added oil rigs in only five out

of 26

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