HOUSTON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States fell to 748 this week, down by seven from the previous week but up by 43 from last year, according to the weekly data released Friday by Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes.
These active drilling rigs included 588 oil rigs operating in the U.S. oil fields, down by three from the previous week; 157 gas drilling rigs, down by four from last week; and three miscellaneous rigs, the same as last week.
The rigs included 725 land drilling rigs, two inland water rigs, and 21 offshore drilling rigs.
Of them, 51 are directional drilling rigs, 676 are horizontal drilling rigs and 21 are vertical drilling rigs.
The Permian Basin in western Texas and eastern New Mexico has been 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 in past years.
