An employee of Basra Oil Company, works at the Nahr Bin Umar Oil and Gas Field on the outskirts of the southern Iraqi city of Basra on April 29, 2026. Hussein Faleh | Afp | Getty Images Oil and gas giants benefited significantly from their trading desks through the first quarter, shining a light on a commercially sensitive and often-overlooked unit that tends to outperform during periods of market volatility. Europe's oil supermajors TotalEnergies , Shell and BP all pointed to robust trading results as they reported stronger-than-expected profits through the first three months of the year. The earnings followed a period of extreme volatility for oil prices, particularly in March, as energy market participants closely monitored severe disruption through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran war . Oil trading desks are specialized divisions that buy, sell and transport physical oil and gas while managing price risks.…