TRANSPORTATION AND MARKET ANALYSIS OF ALASKA COAL

The United States is expected to export between 157 and 252 million short tons of coal annually by the year 2000. The development and export of Alaska coal could contribute materially to the production increases required to meet the export market. Alaska coal has several advantages over conterminous US coal reserves with respect to export trade: (1) its proximity to potential Far East markets offers transportation cost advantages; (2) large quantities of Alaska coal are located near tidewater; and (3) Alaska coal entry into the export market would displace the need for expensive and environmentally sensitive overland transportation routes that would otherwise be required to move coal from conterminous United States' fields to marine ports. This report examines the development and marketability of coal from three areas in Alaska. At each of these sites, an assessment was made of the economics of mine development, inland transportation requirements, loading facilities and overseas transportation costs. Selling prices were developed for coal at both the Alaska port and the port of entry for the potential markets. In addition, competitive coal sources (Australia, South Africa, Canada and the contiguous US) were assessed for export projections and selling price. Legal, institutional and environmental considerations of coal development in Alaska were also addressed. The study found that Alaska coal could be delivered to primary market areas (Puget Sound, Northern California, Japan, Taiwan, and Korea) for a cost of between $1.87 to $3.31 per million Btu ($28 to $53 per ton) depending on the coal source and the destination. Coal from competing countries (Canada, Australia, South Africa) can be delivered to the same markets for $33 to $45 per ton. The Far East will probably be the principal market when Alaska coal is developed. (ERA citation 06:004507)

• Corporate Authors:

  Department of Energy

  Region X
  Seattle, WA  United States 
• Publication Date: 1980-11

Media Info

• Pagination: 220 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Coal; Coal industry; Economics; Exports; Feasibility analysis; Forecasting; Freight traffic; International trade; Markets; Prices; Statistics; Trade; Traffic forecasting; Transportation
• Geographic Terms: Alaska; Australia; Canada; South Africa; United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Numerical data
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Economics; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00337775
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 15 1981 12:00AM