Reuters Increased refinery maintenance in Asia and the Middle East is expected to boost profits for operators in other regions in the first half of this year, market watchers said on Wednesday. Refineries worldwide ran hard during the past two years to capitalise on low oil prices, with Chinese refineries processing a record amount of crude in 2016, meaning …

  Bloomberg Iraq’s decision not to reciprocate for US President Donald Trump’s visa ban on citizens of seven mostly Muslim countries offers some reassurance for US oil companies working in OPEC’s second-biggest crude producer. US companies working in Iraq include Exxon Mobil Corp. and oil-service providers Schlumberger Ltd., Halliburton Co. and Baker Hughes Inc. Most expatriates in Iraq work on …

  Bloomberg US crude exports are poised to surpass production in four OPEC nations in 2017 and may grow even more if President Donald Trump honors pledges to ease drilling restrictions and maximize output. The world’s largest oil-consuming country could sell as much as 800,000 barrels a day of crude overseas this year, according to four analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. …