Coal news and updates

Weekly US coal production declines below 18 million st: EIA

Weekly US coal production totaled an estimated 17.4 million st in the week ended September 12, down 6.7% from the prior week and down 11.2% from the year-ago week, Energy Information Administration data showed Thursday.

The declines come after a roughly 4% dip in railroad loadings during the week, which the agency uses to estimate weekly coal production. For the week, estimated production dipped back into the 17 million st range after five successive weeks of weekly estimated production above 18 million st.

Weekly coal production has averaged 17.5 million st so far this year.

Coal production in Wyoming and Montana, which is mostly made up of production from the Powder River Basin, during the week totaled an estimated 7.9 million st, down 5.5% from the prior week and down 8.5% compared with the year-ago week.

Year-to-date coal production in Wyoming and Montana is estimated to total 286 million st, down 5.2% compared with the same period last year.

In Central Appalachia, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 2.1 million st, down 9.7% from the prior week and down 20.4% from last year. Year-to-date coal production is estimated to total 80 million st, also down 16.7% from last year.

Weekly coal production in Northern Appalachia totaled an estimated 2.3 million st, down 7.5% from the prior week and down 7.8% compared with last year. Year-to-date coal production is estimated to total 87.4 million st, down 7.1% from last year.

In the Illinois Basin, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 2.5 million st, down 6.2% from the prior week and down 7.6% from last year. For the year, Illinois Basin coal production is estimated to total 91 million st, down 4.6% through the same period last year.

The agency estimates year-to-date US coal production totals 637.8 million st, down 8.4% from the comparable period last year.

source: http://www.platts.com