EIA: Intrastate additions again outpace interstate

In 2023, 5.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas intrastate pipeline capacity was added in the United States, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Natural Gas Pipeline Projects Tracker.

Intrastate pipelines are within a single state and are regulated by state agencies. Interstate pipelines cross state and international borders and are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Interstate pipeline capacity additions have declined since 2018 and totaled less than 1.0 Bcf/d last year. New capacity on pipelines crossing state lines accounted for 14% of total new capacity in 2023 compared with 65% in 2017.

Nearly all the intrastate pipeline capacity additions in 2023 were located in Texas and Louisiana to serve natural gas demand in U.S. Gulf Coast markets, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) export demand.

Intrastate projects included:

Enterprise Products Partners’ Acadian Haynesville Extension: A 0.4 Bcf/d capacity expansion with added compression on the Acadian System, which delivers natural gas from the Haynesville producing region in northwestern Louisiana to U.S. Gulf Coast markets

Kinder Morgan’s Eagle Ford Project: A new 2.0 Bcf/d pipeline that begins at the Kinder Morgan Texas Pipeline compressor station in Freer, Texas; extends to the Kinder Morgan Tejas Pipeline system near Sinton, Texas; and delivers natural gas from the Eagle Ford producing region to U.S. Gulf Coast markets

DTE Midstream’s Louisiana Energy Access Project (LEAP) Expansion Phases 1 and 2: A combined expansion of 0.7 Bcf/d achieved by looping and compression of the LEAP system, which transports natural gas from the Haynesville producing region to U.S. Gulf Coast markets

Kinder Morgan’s Permian Highway Pipeline Expansion: A 0.6 Bcf/d capacity expansion with added compression on the Permian Highway Pipeline, which transports natural gas from the Permian Basin to U.S. Gulf Coast and Mexico markets

Howard Energy Partners’ (HEP) Spears Expansion Project: A new 1.0 Bcf/d pipeline that begins at HEP’s existing facilities in Webb County, Texas; extends to the Kinder Morgan Texas Pipeline compressor station in Freer, Texas; and delivers natural gas from the Eagle Ford producing region to U.S. Gulf Coast markets

WhiteWater Midstream’s Whistler Pipeline Expansion: A 0.5 Bcf/d expansion on the Whistler Pipeline, which transports natural gas from the Permian Basin to Agua Dulce, Texas, with connections to U.S. Gulf Coast markets, including the Corpus Christi LNG terminal

In 2023, the United States added 0.9 Bcf/d of natural gas interstate pipeline capacity, about 3% less than in 2022.