While coal production across Northern Appalachia has decreased this year, the blow from output cuts has been softened at the region's largest longwall mines, industry data showed.
The Energy Information Administration estimates total NAPP production fell 14 million st, or 16%, through three quarters compared with the same period a year ago, but Murray Energy and CNX Coal each saw single-digit production declines.
US Mine Safety and Health Administration data shows production slid 5.8%, or 1.4 million st, through nine months at Murray Energy's five longwall mines in northern West Virginia and fell 3.3%, or 602,000 st, for CNX Coal's longwall complex in Pennsylvania.
Combined, the eight mines produced 40.2 million st in three quarters, accounting for more than half 73.3 million st of total NAPP output. Production at the eight longwall mines fell 4.7%, or about 2 million st.
Murray saw increases at three facilities offset by a sharp decline at its Marion County mine, which was idled for parts of the first and second quarters because of a weak coal market. Production at Marion County was down 1.89 million st, or 41%, through three quarters compared with the year-ago period, and output fell 284,800 st, or 5.6%, for the Harrison County mine.
Production through three quarters at the Marshall County mine -- Murray's largest facility -- rose 18,000 st year on year to 7.72 million st. Output was up 675,000, or 16.2%, for the Ohio County mine to 4.84 million st and was up 89,000 st, or 3.6%, at the Monongalia County mine to 2.53 million st.
For CNXC, production increased 504,700 st, or 6.3%, at the Bailey mine, the largest of its Pennsylvania complex, to 10.2 million st. Output dipped 384,100 st, or 5.3%, at the Enlow Fork mine to 9 million st and fell 723,000 st, or 25.9%, at the Harvey mine to 3.6 million st. Harvey also was idled earlier this year.
