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US Developers Plan 44.9 Bcf/d of New Gas Pipeline Capacity by 2027, EIA Says

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US developers plan to add 44.9 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas pipeline capacity in 2026 and 2027, with Texas accounting for 29.7 Bcf/d, the Energy Information Administration said Tuesday.

Developers already started construction on about 31.6 Bcf/d, representing nearly 70% of the planned capacity additions, while Louisiana ranked second with 8.4 Bcf/d of new pipeline projects, the agency said.

Texas projects will expand takeaway capacity from the Permian Basin and reduce congestion at the Waha Hub, helping move natural gas toward liquefied natural gas export terminals and industrial, residential and power markets.

NextDecade's (NEXT) Rio Bravo Pipeline project will transport up to 4.5 Bcf/d via a 138-mile pipeline in Texas to supply the Rio Grande LNG terminal, with operations targeted for the second half of this year.

Developers are building the 365-mile Blackcomb pipeline to move 2.5 Bcf/d from the Waha Hub to the Agua Dulce Hub by the third quarter of 2026, helping ease Permian bottlenecks.

The Hugh Brinson project will add 2.2 Bcf/d of Permian takeaway capacity, with developers planning phase 1 startup in Q4 2026 and phase 2 operations in Q1 2027, the EIA said.

Louisiana will add 2 Bcf/d of pipeline capacity when the Port Arthur Pipeline Louisiana Connector enters service in the second half of 2026, while the Pelican Pipeline will lift the state's added capacity to 8.4 Bcf/d by the end of 2027.

Virginia will gain 1.6 Bcf/d of new capacity in 2027 through Williams' (WMB) Southeast Supply Enhancement Project, which expands the Transcontinental Pipeline from Virginia to Alabama, according to the EIA.

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