The CEO of Australian commodity giant BHP Billiton, Andrew Mackenzie, called on the US to repeal the ban on the export of crude oil in a September 16 speech at the Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC.

"The United States will send a strong signal by lifting the export ban on crude oil. A change in policy direction will lead to hundreds of thousands of jobs and it will emphasize the nation's ongoing commitment to economic freedom and the promotion of global growth," he said.