Coal production in the US totaled 12.01 million st in the week ended Sept. 18, up 1% week on week and 11% from year-ago levels, according to Energy Information Administration data released Sept. 23.
From January through Sept. 18, US coal production stood at 415.98 million st, up 8.4% from the corresponding period of 2020.
Powder River Basin
As usual, the lion’s share of coal was produced in the Powder River Basin, primarily made up of Wyoming and Montana. At 5.5 million st, PRB production rose 1% on the week and 9.1% on the year in week 38. PRB production for the year to Sept. 18 stood at 185.76 million st, up 6.4% from the same period last year. In the latest EIA reported week, Montana produced an estimated 551,387 st of coal, while Wyoming produced 4.95 million st.
NAPP
After the PRB, the Northern Appalachian region was the most productive coal region in week 38. An estimated 1.86 million st of coal was produced, down 1.2% on the week but 22.6% above year-ago levels. NAPP production from January through Sept. 18 was 67.07 million st, up 26.9% from 52.86 million st in 2020.
Illinois Basin
The Illinois Basin was the third-most productive coal region in week 38 at 1.55 million st, up 3.9% on the week and 14.6% on the year. In terms of week-on-week production growth, the Illinois Basin rose by the highest percentage in the nation. From January through week 38, IB production totaled 55.37 million st, up 13.4% from the corresponding year-ago period.
CAPP
The Central Appalachian region produced the least coal in the week that ended Sept. 18 at 1.25 million st, down 0.2% from the previous week, but up 10.3% from the year-ago week.
From January through Sept. 18, CAPP production was 46.4 million st, up 4.7% from the corresponding period of 2020.
Production in nonprimary coal basins totaled 1.86 million st in the week ended Sept. 18.
Source: Platts