Coming Soon: A Large Natural Gas Pipeline Across Tom Green County

SAN ANGELO, TX — Four energy companies have banded together to construct a large, 42-inch diameter natural gas pipeline from Waha near Pecos to Katy and the proposed route will see it traverse across southern Tom Green County.

The 490-mile long pipeline will aid in delivering natural gas from the Permian Basin oil fields and is called the Matterhorn Express. WhiteWater, EnLink Midstream, LLC; Devon Energy, and MPLX LP are partnered to build the pipeline that will transport 2.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). The pipeline will interconnect with direct connections via a 75-mile lateral pipeline to the Midland Basin. A proposed direct connection with the 3.2 Bcf/d Agua Blanca Pipeline is also planned.

The pipeline route is being negotiated right now with land owners in Tom Green County’s Precinct 2 and 4, the southern two of the county’s four precincts. Pct. 4 Commissioner Shawn Nanny said he has spoken to several landowners who told him they had been contacted.

In March 2022, WWM (Whitewater) received a permit from the Texas Railroad Commission. As is expected when a large pipeline is proposed, eminent domain will become an issue, as will negotiating specific right-of-way with each property owner impacted. A handful of law firms have lined up to offer representation for the landowners. Most landowners say the negotiations are in the beginning stages.

The pipe will be laid at a minimum of three feet below the ground and a minimum of five feet below roadway crossings. The right-of-way being negotiated is for a permanent easement of 50 feet. During construction, the easement will be expanded temporarily to 75 feet. The pipeline will be routed through bored holes underneath waterways. In Tom Green County, Dove Creek and the South Concho River will be tunneled underneath.

Transporting natural gas from the Permian oil fields near Pecos to Houston increases the production of natural gas. Naturally produced during the extraction of oil, natural gas is sometimes “flared” or burned off at the well instead of sold into the market because there are no efficient means to transport natural gas to market. This pipeline will add more capacity for that.

Clean natural gas powers much of the Texas electrical power grid. On the flip side, there are coal-fired plants powering the grid as well and some argue coal is not as environmentally friendly. There are about 30 coal-fired electricity plants remaining in Texas. Four of them are in the Houston area, according to the Global Energy Monitor.

The prospects of the Matterhorn are good. Devon Energy committed to use it to transport 0.25 Bcf/d, or 10 percent of the pipeline’s 2.5 Bcf/d capacity, for 10 years, according to what a spokeswomen told the Midland Reporter-Telegram in May 2022.

An informational meeting is scheduled in late March to be held at the San Angelo Convention Center where the pipeline owners will address questions from the public. As that date approaches, we will publicize the exact date and time.

Update Feb. 7, 2023: Attorney Codey McGregor who represents the Matterhorn partners said they held meetings during 2022 with landowners and interested parties. The meeting in March is not organized by Matterhorn, he said. Instead it is a "pipeline safety" meeting promoted by a company called Paradigm and unaffiliated with the partners.