The U.S. government virtually banned the export of crude oil in the wake of the mid-1970s energy crisis. But as America pumps more crude, 2014 could be the year those constraints are lifted. For decades, even discussing the possibility of exporting domestic oil was a political nonstarter in Washington. Now, surging U.S. production has led to the beginning of a glut along the Gulf Coast, home to the largest refinery complex in the world. Too much crude is driving down prices there, making producers eager to export some of their oil to places like Europe where prices are higher. Signs that the energy industry would challenge the export restrictions began appearing in the final months of 2013, with the American Petroleum Institute, the oil industry’s main lobbying group in Washington, D.C., saying it was looking to end the ban. Last month, Ken Cohen, vice president of public and government […]