Number of active U.S. drilling rigs up this week

HOUSTON, March 24 (Xinhua) --The number of active drilling rigs in the United States increased to 758 this week, up by four from the previous week and by 88 from this time last year, according to the weekly data released by Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes on Friday.

These active drilling rigs included 593 oil rigs operating in U.S. oil fields, up by four from the previous week; 162 gas rigs, unchanged from last week; and three miscellaneous rigs, also the same as last week.