PetroChina booked a record-high operating profit for the first half of the year amid rising crude oil and natural gas production, which more than offset weak Chinese fuel demand. PetroChina, the country’s biggest oil and gas producer, saw its net profit rise by 3.9% year-on-year to $12.44 billion (88.61 billion Chinese yuan) for the first half of 2024, the company said on Monday. Operating income jumped by 5% and stood at $224 billion (1.6 trillion yuan) as oil and gas production rose and “The core oil and gas businesses and other operations…