January 26, 2024 - US coal production sank to the lowest level in at least 13 years in the week ended Jan. 20, according to US Energy Information Administration data released Jan. 25.

Weekly US coal production tumbled 18.4% from the previous week to an all-time low of 8.1 million st in the latest reported week, according to EIA data dating back to January 2011. Compared with the year-ago week, US coal production was 31.6% lower. All major US coal producing regions produced less week on week and year on year.

Central Appalachia coal production declined by the steepest margin week on week nationwide, down 19.7% to 1.1 million st. Compared with the year-ago week, CAPP Coal production was 27.7% lower. Through the first three weeks of 2024, CAPP produced 3.8 million st of coal, down 13.6% from the year-ago period.

Prompt-quarter CAPP 12,000 Btu/lb barge coal declined 60 cents from the previous session to $70.90/st on Jan. 19, according to the Platts assessment by S&P Global Commodity Insights. Over the past five sessions, the CAPP barge coal price has fallen twice and risen once.

Northern Appalachia coal production declined 18.3% on the week to 1.3 million st. Compared with the year-ago week, NAPP coal production was 29.9% lower. From Jan. 1 through Jan. 20, NAPP coal production was at a 16.8% deficit to the year-ago period at 4.2 million st.

Platts Jan. 19 assessed second quarter-delivered NAPP Pittsburgh Seam 13,000 Btu/lb rail coal 50 cents lower on the session at $50.10/st. The assessment was based on a broker indication of value at $51.75/st and a sulfur-normalized broker indication of value at $47.50/st, tested in the market through 11:30 am ET.

Illinois Basin coal production fell 19.6% week on week and 31.6% year on year at 1.1 million st. Through the first three weeks of 2024, ILB coal production totaled 3.8 million st, down 18.7% from the 2024 period.

Q2-delivered ILB 11,800 Btu/lb rail coal slid 50 cents from the prior session to $42.40/st on Jan. 19, the Platts assessment showed. Over the past five sessions, the ILB 11,800 Btu/lb rail coal price has fallen three times and risen zero times.

The Powder River Basin produced 3.6 million st of coal in the week ended Jan. 20, down 18% on the week. PRB coal production was 31.4% lower than the year-ago week. From Jan. 1 through Jan. 20, PRB coal production was 18.9% lower than the 2023 term at 12.1 million st.

PRB 9,400 Btu/lb rail coal for Q2 was unchanged on the session at $14.95/st, the Platts Weekly Price Survey showed Jan. 19. The assessment was based on a heat-adjusted PRB 8,800 Btu/lb rail coal price at $13.95/st. The Jan. 19 session was the ninth consecutive session for PRB 9,400 Btu/lb coal at $14.95/st.