HOUSTON, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The number of active drilling rigs in the United States decreased by two to 794 this week, down by 265 rigs year-on-year, according to the weekly data released by a Houston-based oilfield services company on Friday.
According to Baker Hughes, these active drilling rigs included 676 oil rigs operating in the U.S. oil fields, up by three from the previous week; 115 gas drilling rigs, down by five from the previous week; and three miscellaneous rigs, unchanged from last week.
The 794 rigs included 772 land drilling rigs, down by three from the previous week; 21 offshore drilling rigs, up by one; and one inland waters drilling rig which remained unchanged from last week.
During the week, the number of drilling rigs increased the most in New Mexico by four, to 109 rigs, while Texas lost the most with four to 397 rigs. Wyoming lost two in the week, to 23 rigs.
The number of vertical drilling rigs in the country decreased by six, down by 31 rigs year-on-year, while the number of directional rigs increased the most by three, down by 12 rigs year-on-year.
By far, the Permian Basin in western Texas and eastern New Mexico has been the largest source of shale oil production growth in the United States, having become an engine of supply growth outside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in the past years.
