Weekly US coal production tumbled to an estimated 8.62 million st in the week ended April 18, down 7.5% from a week earlier and 41.5% lower than the year-ago week, US Energy Information Administration data showed Thursday.
The total for week 16 was the lowest for any week in the last 10 years and was also 38.9% lower than the five-year average.
Despite the lower production, utility stockpiles remained higher on an aggregate basis, totaling an estimated 125.4 million st, as of April 9, up roughly 24% from a year earlier, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics.
Production was down across the board as all four major basins saw multi-year lows in the week ended April 18.
For the latest week, estimated coal production in Wyoming and Montana, which is primarily made up of production from the Powder River Basin, totaled 3.76 million st, down 6.7% from the prior week and 39.7% lower than the year-ago week.
Since January 1, the states have produced 73.35 million st, down 18.2% from the same period in 2019. Annualized production in the two states would total 245.68 million st, down 15.4% from a year ago.
In Central Appalachia, estimated weekly coal production fell to 1.1 million st, down 6.3% from a week earlier and 43.1% lower than the year-ago week.
Year-to-date production in Central Appalachia is down 20.9% on the year to 21.67 million st, while on an annualized basis, CAPP production would total 72.41 million st, down 17% from a year ago.
Coal production in Northern Appalachia totaled 1.3 million st, down 10.2% from the prior week and 44.3% below the year-ago week.
Year-to-date production is 16.1% lower than a year ago at 27.05 million st, while annualized NAPP production would total 90.42 million st, down 11.9% from last year.
In the Illinois Basin, estimated weekly coal production was at 1.22 million st, down 8.5% from last week and 42.8% from the year-ago week. Cumulative production is at 26.05 million st, down 21.8% on the year, while annualized production in the IB basin would total 87.19 million st, down 15.4% from 2019 totals.
Through the first 16 weeks of the year, US coal production totals an estimated 173.61 million st, down 19.6% year on year, while production on an annualized basis is expected around 581.04 million st, which would be down 17.4% from last year.
Source: Platts |
