Powering Industry Into the Future

Powering Industry Into the Future

Coal makes up about 27 percent of the world's total energy use. And in the United States, coal produces 45 percent of the nation's electricity.

A worker takes a GPS survey of Chevron's Kemmerer Mine in Wyoming.

What Are the Benefits?

In addition to generating electricity, coal is used in steel production, cement manufacturing and other industrial processes.
From 2008 to 2035, world coal consumption is expected to increase roughly 60 percent. The most significant increase in the use of coal will come from developing countries, primarily China and India.
With a 300-year supply in the United States alone, coal's growth potential is promising. We anticipate many new applications for its use. In addition, new "clean coal" technologies will continue to enhance our ability to tap coal reserves while minimizing the effects of its extraction on the environment.

What Chevron Is Doing

As part of its diverse portfolio of energy resources, Chevron owns three U.S.-based coal mines.
Chevron Mining Inc. is one of the oldest continuously operating mining companies in the United States and currently operates the North River Mine in Alabama, the Kemmerer Mine in Wyoming and the McKinley Mine in New Mexico. The company's coal sales in 2010 reached 7.8 million tons.
In the United States, coal is used primarily to generate electricity, but it also is a valuable resource for various industries that use its ingredients to make plastics, tar, synthetic fibers and other products.

Restoring the Landscape

Chevron employees are committed to operating in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. After suspending production at the McKinley Mine at the end of 2009, we focused in 2010 on restoring the area to its pre-mining landscape.
The McKinley Mine drew top honors in 2008 from the New Mexico Mining & Minerals Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department for using innovative reclamation techniques.