HOUSTON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States decreased by four to 983 this week, and 76 rigs down from this time last year, according to the weekly data released by oilfield services provider Baker Hughes on Friday.
The number of rigs operating in the U.S. oil fields decreased by five to 797 rigs this week, and more than half of them were in the Permian Basin region of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The number of gas drilling rigs increased by one to 186, and miscellaneous drilling rigs remained same as the previous week at zero.
The Houston-based oilfield services company reported that the number of land drilling rigs declined by four to 957 rigs. The number of inland waters drilling rigs and offshore drilling rigs both stayed levels as last week at four and 22, respectively.
The number of directional drilling rigs decreased by four to 69 rigs. The number of horizontal drilling rigs decreased by three to 863 rigs and vertical drilling rigs increased by three to 51 rigs.
The number of drilling rigs in the state of California increased the most by three to 18 rigs, while New Mexico decreased the most by four to 99 rigs. The number of drilling rigs decreased by one to 481 rigs in Texas.
