Consol to create MLP for thermal coal assets

US-based coal and natural gas producer Consol Energy on Tuesday announced plans to create a master limited partnership (MLP) for its thermal coal assets by year-end. The Pittsburgh-based company said in a telephone call with analysts that it hoped to announce an MLP by the end of the year, saying it was considering various structuring alternatives for all three of its business segments – the Utica/Marcellus shale assets, thermal coal and metallurgical coal.