Weekly US coal output totaled an estimated 15.16 million st in the week that ended Saturday, down 1.1% from the prior week and 3.5% below the same week a year ago, US Energy Information Administration data showed Thursday.
It was the third time this year the weekly production estimate has dipped below last year's levels, and the second time in past three weeks.
Anecdotally, a number of utility sources have indicated that stockpiles remain relatively high, partly because of a milder summer and low natural gas prices, which has dampened coal demand.
The EIA's most recent estimate put utility stockpiles at 148.1 million st at the end of July, down 12.6% from the same month a year ago month and 7.1% below the five-year average for July.
But, on a days-of-burn basis, bituminous stockpiles stood at 76 days at the end of July, up 19.5% from the five-year average, while subbituminous stockpiles stood at 72 days, up 13.2% from the five-year average.
Platts Analytics' Bentek Energy estimates utility stockpiles stood at 129 million st in the week ended last Thursday.
For the recently concluded week, coal production in Wyoming and Montana, which primarily comprises coal from the Powder River Basin, totaled an estimated 7.11 million st, down 1.8% from last week and an 8.1% drop from the year-ago week.
On an annualized basis, coal production in Wyoming and Montana would total 355.1 million st, up 7.7% from a year ago.
In Central Appalachia, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 1.64 million st, up 8% from last week and up 10.1% from last year. Annualized 2017 production would total 89.3 million st, up 16.9% from last year.
In Northern Appalachia, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 2.1 million st, down 4.2% from last week and a 0.3% dip from the year-ago week. Annualized production would total 111.1 million st, up 9% from last year.
In the Illinois Basin, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 1.93 million st, down 0.3% from last week and a 0.1% dip from last year. Annualized production would total 106.6 million st, up 8.3% from 2016.
Based on the most recent EIA estimates and first-quarter revisions, US coal production in 2017 on an annualized basis would total 787.2 million st, up 8.1% from last year.
Annualized data reflects Q2 revisions EIA released this week showing that actual production in the CAPP region was 25% higher than initial estimates, while the NAPP region was revised 9% lower, the Illinois Basin 1.1% higher, and the PRB 2.4% lower.
