国际英语新闻：Exxon Mobil's third-quarter earnings up by 55 percent

HOUSTON, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. oil giant Exxon Mobil, the largest publicly traded oil company in the world, said Thursday its third-quarter profit rose 55 percent on higher oil prices, improved refining margins and solid chemical results.

The Irving, Texas-based company said its profit increased to 7. 35 billion U.S. dollars from 4.73 billion in the same period last year, beating analysts' expectations of some 7.2 billion. Revenue climbed to 95.3 billion U.S. dollars from 82.3 billion.

The company's CEO Rex Tillerson cited higher crude oil and natural gas realization, improved refining margins and "solid" chemical results as the factors that help drive the company's third-quarter earnings up.

Crude prices jumped 11.7 percent year-over-year to an average of 76.24 dollars per barrel. Increased production of natural gas also seems to have helped boost the company's third-quarter profit.

Exxon Mobil said its oil and gas production rose 20 percent from the year-ago period to 4.45 million barrels of oil equivalent per day.

A day ago, ConocoPhillips, the third-largest oil company in the United States, said its third-quarter earnings more than doubled, standing at 3.06 billion U.S. dollars, from 1.47 billion in the same period last year.

ConocoPhillips is the first oil major in the U.S. to report third-quarter earnings. Chevron will announce its third-quarter earnings on Friday.