HOUSTON, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States rose to 782 this week, up by three from the previous week and 219 from last year, according to the weekly data released Friday by Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes.
These active drilling rigs included 623 oil rigs operating in the U.S. oil fields, up by one from the previous week; 157 gas drilling rigs, up by two from last week; and two miscellaneous rigs, the same as last week.
The rigs included 762 land drilling rigs, three inland water rigs, and 17 offshore drilling rigs.
Of them, 45 are directional drilling rigs, 714 are horizontal drilling rigs and 23 are vertical drilling rigs.
The Permian Basin in western Texas and eastern New Mexico is the largest source of shale oil production growth in the United States, and an engine of supply growth outside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
