US weekly coal production totals 11.3 million st, up 9.6% on week: EIA

Houston — Weekly US coal production was estimated at 11.3 million st in the week ended Aug. 22, up 9.6% from the previous week, Energy Information Administration data showed Aug. 27.

It was the largest week on week rise since the first week of 2020, and the first time production has reached 11 million st or above in 26 weeks. From the year-ago week, output declined 19.8%, the smallest drop compared to the year-ago week in eight weeks.

Additionally, the most recent week had the ninth highest level of weekly output in the year so far.

The five-year average for week 34 is over 15.9 million st, leaving the most recent week at a 28.9% deficit, the lowest in 21 weeks.

Through 34 weeks, estimated US output is about 344 million st, down 25.2% year on year. Annualized, production is expected to total about 526 million st, down 25.2% from 2019.

Northern Appalachian production led the way with a jump of 11% week on week and a drop of 11.4% from the year-ago week. NAPP output totaled 1.7 million st.

Additionally, NAPP weekly output was at its highest in 30 weeks.

While production from Wyoming and Montana, which is largely made up of Powder River Basin coal, rose 9.7% from the week before to 5.2 million st, Illinois Basin output rose 9.4% to about 1.5 million st and Central Appalachian rose 9% to 1.4 million st week on week.

From the year-ago week, production from Wyoming and Montana was down 20.5%, while IB declined 24.4% and CAPP output fell 21.4%.

Weekly output from Wyoming and Montana reached a 29-week high, while IB production hit a 22-week high and CAPP hit a 26-week high.

Through 34 weeks, NAPP production was estimated at 49.6 million st, output form Wyoming and Montana was estimated at 148 million st, IB was 45.6 million st and CAPP was about 42 million st.

On an annualized basis, NAPP output is projected to be 75.9 million st, down 26.7% from 2019. From Wyoming and Montana, annualized output is 227 million st, down 27% year on year. IB and CAPP production are annualized to 69.8 million st and 64.2 million st, respectively, down 29.9% and 25.6%.