US oil firms profited over $130bn during Iran war, driving up household bills, NYT estimates. According to a New York Times estimate based on 51 large US oil and gas companies, these firms earned more than $130 billion in profits from April through September, significantly up from less than $47 billion in the same period last year. Meanwhile, American consumers have spent an additional $150 billion on petrol and diesel since the war began on February 28, averaging over $1,150 per household, per a Brown University analysis. Valero Energy's third-quarter profit surged more than sixfold to $6.83 billion, and Phillips 66 reported a record quarterly net income of $5.62 billion. Analysts attribute these gains to higher oil prices, tightening fuel supplies, and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Middle Eastern/Russian refineries.