Weekly US coal production totaled an estimated 16.5 million st in the week ended October 22, up 2.7% from the prior week but off 10.5% from the year-ago week, Energy Information Administration data showed Thursday.
It was the third highest weekly estimate reported year to date, with each of the top three producing weeks in October. Each of the four major producing US basins increased production from the previous week, as producers take advantage of increased utility demand ahead of winter months.
PRB PRODUCTION UP 2.7% ON WEEK
For the week, coal production in Wyoming and Montana, which is mostly made up of production from the Powder River Basin, totaled an estimated 7.5 million st, up 2.7% from the prior week but off 12.3% from the year-ago week.
Year-to-date coal production in the region totals an estimated 258.5 million st, down 24.6% from last year, and would total 313.9 million st on an annualized basis, off 24.8% from last year.
In Central Appalachia, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 1.6 million st, up 0.5% from the prior week but down 12% from the year-ago week. Year-to-date production in the basin totaled an estimated 63.4 million st, down 28.4% from last year, and would total 76.5 million st on an annualized basis, off 26.1% from last year.
Weekly coal production in Northern Appalachia totaled an estimated 2.3 million st, up 3.8% from the previous week and up 1.1% from last year.
Year-to-date production totaled an estimated 82.3 million st, down 14.4% from last year, and would total 99.2 million st on annualized basis, off 14.6% from last year.
In the Illinois Basin, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 2.2 million st, up 2.4% from the prior week but down 3.7% from the year-ago week. Year-to-date production totaled an estimated 82.8 million st, down 20.6% from last year, and would total 99.7 million st on an annualized basis, off 19.6% from last year.
For the US, year-to-date coal production is estimated to total 589.6 million st, down 20.7% from the same period last year, and would total 712 million st on an annualized basis, down 20.5% from last year.
