Expansion in oilfield activity extends three-month streak Three of four major oil drilling regions show gains this week U.S. oil producers put more rigs back to work, marking the highest level of activity since February as crude markets headed for a second monthly gain. Rigs targeting crude in the U.S. rose a fifth consecutive week, up 7 to 425, Baker Hughes Inc., said on its website Friday. Explorers have added 109 rigs since the end of May. Natural gas rigs rose by 4 to 96 this week, bringing the total for oil and gas up by 11 to 522. Three of the four biggest oil fields expanded this week. West Texas Intermediate for November delivery rose 26 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $48.09 a barrel at 1:43 p.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices are up 8.1 percent this week and down 0.5 percent this quarter. “The push […]