February 8, 2019 - Weekly U.S. coal production totaled an estimated 13.04 million st in the week that ended February 2, down 8.2% from a week earlier and 16.4% from the year-ago week, as all four major basins saw four-week lows, U.S. Energy Information Administration data showed Thursday.

It was the fifth time in the last 21 weeks that all four basins saw week-on-week decreases.

The total for Week 5 was 23.7% lower than the five-year average and was the lowest output in the last 20 years for the corresponding week.

Utility stockpiles remain low on an aggregate basis, totaling an estimated 85.97 million st as of January 31, down roughly 30.3% from a year earlier, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics.

For the latest week, estimated coal production in Wyoming and Montana, which is primarily made up of production from the Powder River Basin, totaled 5.73 million st, down 8.7% from last week and 19.3% from the year-ago week.

Since January 1, the states have produced 29.17 million st, down 3.8% from the same period in 2018. It is the only major basin with totals lower than a year ago.

Annualized production in the two states would total 318.8 million st, down 6.2% from a year ago.

In Central Appalachia, estimated weekly coal production was at 1.8 million st, down 4.9% from a week earlier and 10.1% lower than the year-ago week.

Year to date production is up 4.9% year on year at 8.97 million st, while on an annualized basis, CAPP production would total 97.64 million st, up 2.3% year on year.

In the Illinois Basin, estimated weekly coal production was at 1.89 million st, down 7.7% from last week and 15.2% from the year-ago week. Cumulative production is at 9.55 million st, up 0.2% on year, while annualized production in the Illinois Basin would total 103.96 million st, down 0.8% from estimated 2018 totals.

Weekly coal production in Northern Appalachia totaled 1.83 million st, down 9.3% from the prior week and 13.7% lower than the year-ago week.

Year-to-date production is 2.9% higher than a year ago at 9.31 million st, while annualized NAPP production would total 101.45 million st, down 1.3% from last year.

Through the first five weeks of the year, U.S. coal production totals an estimated 66.13 million st, down 0.7% year on year, while production on an annualized basis is expected around 721.62 million st, which would be down 3.9% from last year.