February 22, 2019 - Weekly U.S. coal production totaled an estimated 13.78 million st in the week that ended February 16, up 5.6% from a week earlier but down 10% compared with the year-ago week, U.S. Energy Information Administration data showed Thursday.

It was the third time in the first seven weeks of the year that all four basins saw week-on-week increases.

The total for Week 7 was 18.3% below 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 89.89 million st as of February 14, down roughly 26.4% compared with a year earlier, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics.

In the latest week, estimated coal production in Wyoming and Montana, which is primarily made up of production from the Powder River Basin, totaled 6.09 million st, up 5.3% week on week, but down 12.6% compared with the year-ago week.

Since January 1, the states have produced 41.04 million st, down 6.9% from the same period in 2018. Annualized production in the two states would total 315.89 million st, down 7.1% from a year ago.

In Central Appalachia, estimated weekly coal production was 1.84 million st, up 4.8% from a week earlier but 6.5% lower than in the year-ago week.

Year-to-date production in Central Appalachia is up 1% year on year at 12.56 million st and is the only major basin ahead of where it was a year ago. On an annualized basis, CAPP production would total 96.43 million st, also up 1% year on year.

Weekly coal production in Northern Appalachia totaled 1.96 million st, up 6.8% from the prior week, but 5.8% lower than the year-ago week's figure.

Year-to-date production in the basin is down 0.4% year on year at 13.09 million st, while annualized NAPP production would total 100.58 million st, down 2.1% from last year.

In the Illinois Basin, estimated weekly coal production was 1.99 million st, up 6.5% from last week but 9.1% lower than in the year-ago week. Cumulative production in 2019 is up to 13.4 million st, down 3.3% on year, while annualized production in the basin would total 102.9 million st, down 1.8% from the estimated 2018 total.

Through the first seven weeks of the year, U.S. coal production totaled an estimated 92.96 million st, down 4% year on year, while production on an annualized basis is expected to be around 714.72 million st, which would be down 4.8% from last year.