U.S. rig count rises by 15, largest increase in 8 months

HOUSTON, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. rig count jumped by 15 this week, the largest increase since May 2017, with oil prices surging past 63 U.S. dollars a barrel, according to weekly data collected by Baker Hughes released on Friday.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes reported that the number of oil rigs in U.S. fields jumped by 10 to 752 while gas rigs increases by five to 187. The total, 939, was still 19 off its recent peak of 958, by the end of July 2017.

This count has risen 280 over this time last year, with oil rigs up 230, gas 51, and miscellaneous rigs down one.

According to this week's data, the Louisiana and New Mexico count rose by five rigs respectively, Oklahoma three, Colorado two, Utah and Alaska one each. Texas lost two rigs.

Meanwhile, U.S. oil prices leaped above 63 dollars a barrel this week, closing Thursday at 63.80 dollars a barrel, a rise of 23 cents. Enditem