Matterhorn Express Gas Pipeline
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Matterhorn Express Gas Pipeline is an operating natural gas pipeline in Texas, United States.[1][2]
Location
The pipeline runs from Waha, Texas to Katy and Wharton, Texas, United States. The pipeline would transport gas from the Permian Basin southeast across Texas.
Project Details
- Operator: WhiteWater Midstream[3]
- Owner: WhiteWater Midstream; ENLink Midstream; Devon Energy; MPLX[4]
- Parent company: WhiteWater Midstream; ENLink Midstream; Devon Energy; MPLX[4]
- Capacity: 2.5 billion cubic feet per day[4][5][6][3]
- Length: 580 mi / 933 km[6][5]
- Diameter: 42 in[4][6][3]
- Status: Operating[7]
- Start year: 2024[3][4][8][7]
- FID: FID reached (May 2022)[4][9]
Blackfin Pipeline
- Operator: WhiteWater Midstream[10]
- Owner: Blackfin Pipeline, LLC[11]
- Parent company: WhiteWater Midstream; ENLink Midstream; Devon Energy; MPLX[4]
- Capacity: 3.5 billion cubic feet per day[12]
- Length: 193 mi / 311 km[13][12]
- Diameter: 36, 48 in[13]
- Status: Construction[10]
- Start year: 2026[10]
Background
Main Line
WhiteWater Midstream first applied to the Texas Railroad Commission for a permit to build the pipeline in February 2022.[4]
In May 2022, the project reached final investment decision (FID) with WhiteWater Midstream, EnLink Midstream, Devon Energy, and MPLX.[4]
The pipeline was slated to be placed into service by the third quarter of 2024, pending regulatory approvals.[4][9] East Daly Analytics noted some delays[14], but as of 3 August 2024, the pipeline was scheduled to begin operations in October, 2024.[8]
On 1 October 2024, gas began flowing through the pipeline.[7]
Opposition
In June 2022, Burnet County commissioner's court passed a resolution against the Matterhorn Express Pipeline. The resolution requested immediate action by the Texas Legislature to protect landowners and communities and listed three ways for the same.These included creating better regulatory process for pipeline routing, incorporating environmental and economic studies for all fossil pipelines and ensuring substantial governmental oversight. Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle said, "These pipelines can take a better route, but it's a longer route. It's not as direct, and it will cost more, but they can go further south where other pipelines are already there."[15]
Blackfin Pipeline
In February 2023, WhiteWater Midstream applied for a permit from Texas Railroad Commission for the Blackfin pipeline project that will connect Colorado County (Eagle Ford) to Hardin County Texas.[16] In March 2023, WhiteWater Midstream received the permit to build Blackfin, a 48-inch pipeline of 193 miles from Colorado County to Jasper north of Beaumont in southeast Texas. It’s expected to intersect with and be an extension of the Matterhorn Express Pipeline.[13] Construction of the pipeline is expected to being in late 2024 and begin operations by third quarter 2025.[17][18]
In 2023, "negotiations were initiated by the Bayou Land Conservancy concerning a portion of the pipeline moving through the Lake Creek Preserve."[18] After a number of meetings, Blackfin, Montgomery County, and the Bayou Land Conservancy reached an agreement "to build the portion of the pipeline that goes through the preserve underground to reduce environmental impact to the 64-acre area."[18] On June 4, 2024, Montgomery County commissioners approved a right-of-way and easement agreement for the pipeline to begin work, following the resolution of the disagreement.[18]
Construction began in October 2024, and the in-service date was pushed to 2026. In February 2025, two laterals were approved, one 0.5 mi lateral to the CP Express Pipeline, and another 0.2 mi lateral in Austin County.[10]
Articles and resources
References
- ↑ "Matterhorn Sanctioning May Signal Unleashing More Permian Natural Gas Supply". Natural Gas Intelligence. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Matterhorn Express reaches FID". Oil & Gas Journal. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Natural Gas Data - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 "Matterhorn Express Pipeline Reaches Final Investment Decision". www.businesswire.com. 2022-05-19. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Matterhorn Express Pipeline. "Matterhorn Express Pipeline". Matterhorn Express Pipeline. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Matterhorn Express Pipeline Project: Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan" (PDF). Whitewater Midstream. 07 October, 2022. Retrieved 07 September, 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=and|date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Permian gas starts flowing through Matterhorn pipeline in Texas". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 McEwen, Mella (August 3, 2024). "Countdown to Matterhorn Express extended to October". mrt. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Pipeline projects announced to expand Permian natural gas capacity". Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 "Natural Gas - Pipeline Projects". eia.gov. 2025-07-01. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Railroad Commission of Texas (03/08/2024). "Railroad Commission of Texas Oversight and Safety Division - Pipeline Safety Pipeline Permitting and Mapping Section Permit to Operate a Pipeline in Texas". Retrieved August 5, 2024.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); line feed character in|title=at position 78 (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 12.0 12.1 Blackfin Pipeline. "Blackfin Pipeline". Blackfin Pipeline. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "Blackfin pipeline by WhiteWater Midstream to help move Permian natural gas". PB Oil & Gas. 21 April, 2023. Retrieved 08 September, 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=and|date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Matterhorn Pipe Start Pushed to 4Q24". www.eastdaley.com. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
- ↑ Freeman, Suzanne (16 June, 2022). "Burnet County opposes Matterhorn pipeline, moves two polling places". Daily Trib. Retrieved 08 September, 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=and|date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "WhiteWater Midstream 185 Mile Blackfin Pipeline Approval". Oil Gas Leads. 14 March, 2023. Retrieved 08 September, 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=and|date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". Blackfin Pipeline. Retrieved 08 September, 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Shorten, Jessica (2024-06-05). "Montgomery County grants right of way for Blackfin Pipeline construction". Community Impact. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
