Weekly US coal production totaled an estimated 14.81 million st in the week ended March 10, down 1.9% from the prior week but up 2.4% from the year-ago week, US Energy Information Administration data showed Thursday.
Production estimates peaked in the week ended February 3 at 15.87 million st and have largely declined since, with the most recent estimate being the weakest since the early February peak.
Production estimates were down across all major basins as natural gas prices struggle to reach $3/MMBtu as weak demand continues despite cold weather. The NYMEX April gas futures contract settled Thursday at $2.681/MMBtu, down 5 cents from Wednesday.
Based on EIA estimates through the first 10 weeks of the year, annualized US coal production in 2018 would total 765 million st, down 0.7% from last year.
For the recently concluded week, coal production in Wyoming and Montana, which primarily consists of coal from the Powder River Basin, totaled an estimated 6.68 million st, down 2.1% compared with last week but up 3.8% from the year-ago week.
On an annualized basis, coal production in Wyoming and Montana would total 333 million st, down 5.8% from last year.
In Central Appalachia, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 1.85 million st, down 1% from last week but up 0.4% from last year. Annualized 2018 production would total 96.12 million st, down 7.3% from last year.
In Northern Appalachia, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 2.01 million st, down 2.2% from last week but up 9.9% from the year-ago week. Annualized production would total 103.96 million st, down 0.3% from last year.
In the Illinois Basin, weekly coal production totaled an estimated 2 million st, down 2.2% from last week and 2.2% from last year. Annualized production would total 104.32 million st, up 0.9% from 2018.
