HOUSTON, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States decreased to 624 this week, down by five from the previous week and down 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 509 oil rigs operating in the U.S. oil fields, down by one from the previous week; 112 gas drilling rigs, down by four from last week; and three miscellaneous rigs, the same as last week.
