Weekly coal production down across US, PRB sees highest drop YTD: EIA

9th April 2018

Weekly US coal production totaled an estimated 14.7 million st in the week ended March 31, down 4.9% from the prior week and up 3.1% from the year-ago week, US Energy Information Administration data showed Thursday.

Production was down across all the regions, with the Powder River Basin showing the largest drop, 23,000 st, after rallying for two straight weeks. This the lowest production estimate for the US since production peaked for the year on February 3 at 15.9 million st.

For the recently concluded week, coal production in Wyoming and Montana, which primarily consists of coal from the Powder River Basin, totaled an estimated 6.5 million st, down 7% or 23,000 st week on week but up 2.9% from the corresponding week in 2017.

Based on EIA estimates through the first 13 weeks of the year, annualized US coal production in 2018 would total 770.2 million st, a slight drop of 0.1% compared to 2017.

On an annualized basis, coal production in Wyoming and Montana would total 345.4 million st, down 2.3% from the corresponding week in 2017.

In Central Appalachia, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 1.9 million st, down 1.2% from the previous week but 12.9% from the year-ago week. Annualized 2018 production would total 97 million st, up 8.3% from 2017.

In Northern Appalachia, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 2 million st, down 4.9% from the previous week but up by 0.4% from the year on year. Annualized production would total 104.6 million st, up 0.4% from the year-ago week.

In the Illinois Basin, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 2 million st, down 4.2% from the previous week and 0.4% from the corresponding week in 2017. Annualized production would total 105.1 million st, up 1.6% on the year.

S&P Global Platts Analytics estimates utility stockpiles for the week ended March 22 at 111.27 million st, up 0.8% from the previous week but down 32.5% compared to last year.

Source: PLATTS