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

HOUSTON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States fell to 696 this week, down by 15 from the previous week and by 16 from last year, according to the weekly data released Friday by Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes.

These active drilling rigs included 555 oil rigs operating in U.S. oil fields, down by 15 from the previous week; 137 gas drilling rigs, unchanged from last week; and four miscellaneous rigs, the same as last week.