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

HOUSTON, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States rose to 623 this week, down by seven from the previous week and by 142 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 502 oil rigs operating in U.S. oil fields, down by five from the previous week; 116 gas rigs, down by two; and five miscellaneous rigs, unchanged from last week.

The rigs included 600 land drilling rigs, three inland water drilling rigs, and 20 offshore drilling rigs.

Of them, 55 were directional drilling rigs, 553 were horizontal drilling rigs and 15 were vertical drilling rigs.