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

HOUSTON, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States decreased to 630 this week, down by 11 from the previous week and by 134 from one year ago, according to the weekly data released Friday by Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes.

These active drilling rigs included 507 oil rigs operating in the U.S. oil fields, down by eight from the previous week; 118 gas drilling rigs, down by three from last week; and five miscellaneous rigs, unchanged from last week.