The BLS has released the second volume of Beyond the Numbers for 2013, focusing on energy exports.
The data analysis provides insight into the bureau’s statistics and provides data on the latest trends in US coal exports.
Coal is the only major energy source that the US demonstrates a trade surplus in. In 2011, the US exported more than $16 billion worth of coal.
The report states export volumes of coal have increased in recent years. They were 31% higher in 2011 than in 2010.
The expansion of coal fired power plants in both China and India is cited as the main reason for the increase in the international demand for coal.
The proportion of coal trade dollars coming from Asia experienced sizeable increases in 2010 and 2011, with the dollar value of US exports to just China and India increasing by more than $1.8 billion from 2002 to 2011.
The bulk of US coal production is thermal or steam coal but the majority of US coal exports is actually in metallurgical coal.
In 2011, metallurgical coal exports accounted for 77% of US coal exports in terms of trade dollars and 65% in terms of trade volume.
Complete data for the 2012 calendar year is not yet available but initially data exhibits a sharp downturn in export prices in comparison to 2011.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, in 2013, US coal export volumes are expected to remain above 100 million tons for the third straight year.
International coal prices are expected to be lower due to the difference between domestic and international gas prices, increased coal use in newly industrialized economies, and Asian domestic production levels for coal, among other things.
