The Quarterly Coal Report (QCR) provides detailed quarterly data on U.S. coal production, exports, imports, receipts, prices, consumption, quality, and stocks. The report also provides data on U.S. coke production, consumption, stocks, imports, and exports. All data for 2022 and previous years are final. All data for 2023 are preliminary.
Highlights for the third quarter of 2023
- U.S. coal production during the third quarter of 2023 totaled 145.6 million short tons (MMst), which was 2.3% higher than the previous quarter and 5.7% lower than the third quarter of 2022. Production in the western region, which accounted for about 57% of total U.S. coal production in the third quarter of 2023, totaled about 83 MMst (7.3% lower than the third quarter of 2022).
- U.S. coal exports for the third quarter of 2023 (24.9 MMst) increased 3.2% from the second quarter of 2023. The average price of U.S. coal exports during the third quarter of 2023 was $136.34 per short ton.
- The United States continued to import coal primarily from Colombia (61.9%) and Canada (23%). No imports from Australia or Indonesia were recorded for the third quarter of 2023. U.S. coal imports in the third quarter of 2023 totaled 1 MMst. The average price of U.S. coal imports during the third quarter of 2023 was $143.34 per short ton..
- Steam coal exports totaled 11.3 MMst (1.9% lower than the second quarter of 2023). Metallurgical coal exports totaled 13.6 MMst (8% higher than the second quarter of 2023).
- U.S. coal consumption totaled 131.9 MMst in the third quarter of 2023, which was 44.2% higher than the 91.5 MMst reported in the second quarter of 2023 and 9.6% lower than the 145.9 MMst reported in the third quarter of 2022. The electric power sector accounted for about 93% of the total U.S. coal consumption in the third quarter of 2023.
- In the third quarter of 2023, coal stocks dropped to 139.7 MMst from 154.4 MMst at the end of the second quarter of 2023 (a 9.5% decrease). Stocks in the electric power sector decreased to 116.6 MMst from 127.7 MMst at the end of the second quarter of 2023.