Coal and natural gas producer Consol Energy Inc reported a nearly 50 percent fall in quarterly profit as exploration and production costs shot up. Net income from continuing operations fell to $73.7 million, or 32 cents per share, in the quarter ended Dec. 31, from $146.6 million, or 64 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 13 percent to $935.7 million. Exploration and production costs rose nearly 24 percent to $294.3 million. Reporting by Narottam Medhora