Price Fixing FTW!

Was bored so joined a short debate online about gas prices.

So the corporate and government line for the increase sounds like:
"We can't get it any cheaper, we are constantly working to get it for the best price possible. This combined with higher cost to refine with new environmental concerns is the cause."

Now if this combination is the cause the large gas companies should show a profit margin equal to, or slightly lower than what it was before the price increases started going up by large percentages right?

Exxon Mobile - The most profitable company in the US:
Revenue rose to $70.7 billion, up from $57.2 billion a year earlier.

Earnings from the exploration and production side of the business was $3.8 billion, up $1.0 billion from year-earlier results. Earnings from the refining and sales side of the business rose to $1.5 billion from $1.1 billion a year earlier. The chemical business earned $607 million, up from $439 million a year earlier.
(these numbers are taken from a 1st half of 2004 Fiscal report, wasn't able to find a public listing of a newer report)

Thats a nice wad of fresh cash methinks :D

Shell:
Shell had an increase of 13% from 2003-2004 in profit. They want you to pay for the full reports :(