Enstor Closes Deal to Buy Black Bear Transmission Pipelines
In August, MDN told you that Black Bear Transmission (BBT), the owner of nine regulated short pipeline transmission systems in the Southeastern U.S. totaling approximately 1,700 miles of pipeline, with a throughput capacity of about 2.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), was selling itself to Enstor Pipeline Holdings, LLC, for an undisclosed sum (see Black Bear Transmission (Southeast Pipeline Co.) Selling to Enstor). Black Bear’s pipelines interconnect with 16 major long-haul pipelines and storage facilities across seven states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Last week, the deal was sealed. Yes, there is a connection to the Marcellus/Utica. Read More “Enstor Closes Deal to Buy Black Bear Transmission Pipelines”
We continue to win so much, it feels strange. But hey, we can get used to it! Back in April 2021, we reported that the leftist Democrats who run the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) had, for the third time, rejected giving the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) Southgate project a necessary Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 water quality certification permit (see 
Powerhouse consulting firm McKinsey & Co. has released a new report titled, “The infrastructure imperative: Who benefits from pipeline expansion?” The report digs into some of the key considerations, upsides, and challenges of pipeline expansion for consumers, operators, and beyond. In the report, McKinsey analysts model two hypothetical infrastructure development plans for the Appalachian Basin—northward pipeline expansion and southward pipeline expansion—and compare them to a baseline scenario. The report finds a southward expansion could potentially reduce costs to consumers by $4-5 billion from 2025 to 2030 vs. reducing costs by $2-3 billion with a northward expansion. 
Donald Trump once famously said, “We’re gonna win so much. You’re gonna get tired of winning. And you’re going to say, ‘Please, please, it’s too much winning. We can’t take it anymore. Mr. President, it’s too much.’ And I’ll say, ‘No, it isn’t. We have to keep winning. We have to win more!'” He’s keeping his promise to win! However, we’re not tired of winning just yet. 😉 Last Friday, Williams announced that both New York and New Jersey have issued the required federal water permits needed to build the Transco pipeline project called the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE). President Trump made a deal (so the rumor goes) with NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, allowing her to continue building a $5 billion offshore wind farm boondoggle in return for building NESE and another project, the Constitution Pipeline (see 
Following some intense conversations between President Trump and New York Governor Kathy Hochul earlier this year, she caved (according to the White House) and agreed to allow two long-stalled pipeline projects—the Constitution and NESE—to get built in NY in return for Trump allowing her to continue to sink $5 billion into an offshore wind project (see 
AltaGas is a Canada-based corporation that owns and operates both midstream (pipeline) and utilities businesses. AltaGas is a minority owner of the 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), which stretches from Wetzel County, West Virginia, to Pittsylvania County, Virginia. AltaGas issued a press release yesterday stating that it has decided to continue owning its minority stake in MVP (a 10% ownership stake) and, instead of selling its stake to raise capital, will issue new common stock to raise $400 million. The company will not only retain its ownership stake in the original MVP, but also its stake in expanding MVP by another 600 MMcf/d (called MVP Boost) and in extending MVP into North Carolina (called MVP Southgate). 
DT Midstream (DTM), headquartered in Detroit, owns significant assets in the Marcellus/Utica region, as well as in other regions, including the Haynesville. The company recently issued its third quarter report with some interesting updates. Among the pipeline projects discussed during the update were Vector, Midwestern Gas Transmission, Millennium, and NEXUS. It was chatter about NEXUS and the AI data center market that caught our interest. 
Yesterday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and JobsOhio (a private nonprofit economic development corporation) launched the $100 million JobsOhio Energy Opportunity Initiative, a five-year fund to bolster economic development through energy production. The initiative will provide grants and low-interest loans to qualifying companies to offset costs related to natural gas, power generation, and nuclear power, specifically Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). 
The Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (NESE), part of the mighty Transco pipeline system, is alive once again. A decade after Williams Cos. first proposed the $1-billion-plus natural gas pipeline and a year after the company scrapped it, the 400 MMcf/d capacity expansion for New York City and Long Island has been revived. This revival, primarily attributed to a shift in Washington’s political climate, resulted in a new FERC approval. Now, state regulators in New York and New Jersey are deliberating on the necessary water-quality permits. Once both NY and NJ issue those permits, it will be (more or less) smooth sailing to the construction and completion of the project. 
Vallourec Star, a steel pipe manufacturer in Youngstown, OH, serving the shale and other industries, was approved yesterday by the Ohio Tax Credit Authority for a seven-year job creation tax credit. It means the company will create 40 new full-time positions. The tax credit supports Vallourec Star’s plan to expand its current operations to manufacture a new line of high-quality steel pipe. 
Williams engaged in some LNG jiu-jitsu yesterday, announcing several transactions related to LNG exports. It’s somewhat complicated, but we’ll break it down. First, Williams sold its interest in the Haynesville’s South Mansfield upstream (drilling) venture to JERA, Japan’s top power generator, for $398 million. Williams will continue to operate the gathering system for the South Mansfield wells. Second, Williams is buying 80% (becoming the operator) of the Driftwood Pipeline LLC, which includes the construction of Line 200, a fully permitted greenfield pipeline connecting Woodside’s Louisiana LNG facility to multiple pipelines, including Transco and Louisiana Energy Gateway (LEG). Third, Williams is buying a 10% stake in the Louisiana LNG export facility. Williams will pay $378 million for the Driftwood Pipeline and the 10% stake in Louisiana LNG. However, Williams will contribute another $1.9 billion for its share of capital expenditures for the LNG facility and pipeline. Williams’ total investment will be roughly $2.3 billion. And yes, there is a connection to the Marcellus/Utica.