The 948 billion short tons of recoverable coal reserves estimated by the Energy Information Administration are equal to about 4,196 BBOE (billion barrels of oil equivalent).[1] The amount of coal burned during 2007 was estimated at 7.075 billion short tons, or 133.179 quadrillion BTU's.[2] This is an average of 18.8 million BTU per short ton. In terms of heat content, this is about ৫,৭০,০০,০০০ barrel (91,00,000 মি৩) of oil equivalent per day. By comparison in 2007, natural gas provided ৫,১০,০০,০০০ barrel (81,00,000 মি৩) of oil equivalent per day, while oil provided ৮,৫৮,০০,০০০ barrel (1,36,40,000 মি৩) per day.
BP, in its 2007 report, estimated at 2006 end that there were 147 years reserves-to-production ratio based on proven coal reserves worldwide. This figure only includes reserves classified as "proven"; exploration drilling programs by mining companies, particularly in under-explored areas, are continually providing new reserves. In many cases, companies are aware of coal deposits that have not been sufficiently drilled to qualify as "proven". However, some nations haven't updated their information and assume reserves remain at the same levels even with withdrawals. Speculative projections predict that global peak coal production may occur sometime around 2025 at 30 percent above current production, depending on future coal production rates.[3]
Of the three fossil fuels, coal has the most widely distributed reserves; coal is mined in over 100 countries, and on all continents except Antarctica. The largest reserves are found in the USA, Russia, China, India and Australia. Note the table below.
Proved recoverable coal reserves at end-2008 (million tons (teragrams))[4]
The reserve life is an estimate based only on current production levels and proved reserves level for the countries shown, and makes no assumptions of future production or even current production trends. Countries with annual production higher than 100 million tonnes are shown. For comparison, data for the European Union is also shown.
Shares are based on data expressed in tonnes oil equivalent.
Production of Coal by Country and year (মিলিয়ন মেট্ৰিকটন)[6]
Countries with annual gross export higher than 10 million tonnes are shown. In terms of net export the largest exporters are still Australia (328.1 millions tonnes), Indonesia (316.2) and Russia (100.2).
Exports of Coal by Country and year (million short tons)[7][8][9]
Countries with annual gross import higher than 20 million tonnes are shown. In terms of net import the largest importers are still Japan (206.0 millions tonnes), China (172.4) and South Korea (125.8).[10]
Imports of Coal by Country and year (million short tons)[11]
Walter Licht, Thomas Dublin (2005). The Face of Decline: The Pennsylvania Anthracite Region in the Twentieth Century. Cornell University Press. ISBN0-8014-8473-1. OCLC60558740.
Long, Priscilla (1991). Where the Sun Never Shines: A History of America's Bloody Coal Industry. প্ৰকাশক New York, NY: Paragon House. ISBN1557784655. OCLC25236866.
Rottenberg, Dan (2003). In the Kingdom of Coal; An American Family and the Rock That Changed the World. Routledge. ISBN0-415-93522-9. OCLC52348860.
