Momentum continues to build behind new Permian Basin natural gas pipelines. On Aug. 25, the Matterhorn joint venture — WhiteWater, ONEOK (OKE), MPLX, and Enbridge (ENB) — announced a final investment decision (FID) for the Eiger Express Pipeline, a new 2.5 Bcf/d line running from the Permian to the Katy hub near Houston. Earlier this month, Energy Transfer also reached FID on the Desert Southwest expansion of its Transwestern system, adding 1.5 Bcf/d of westbound capacity into New Mexico and Arizona.
Why It Matters
The new projects highlight two themes shaping the gas market:
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Eastbound capacity growth – Eiger Express will provide a significant new outlet for Permian supply to reach Houston and beyond, twinning the route of the existing Matterhorn Express.
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Westbound diversification – Energy Transfer’s Desert Southwest expansion enhances connectivity to Arizona and New Mexico, targeting rising demand from data centers and regional growth markets.
Together, these projects confirm the Permian Basin’s increasing importance not only as an oil play but as a driver of U.S. natural gas flows to multiple demand centers.
What the Map Shows
In Rextag DataLink, the map highlights the Permian Basin boundary together with two major operational pipelines:
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Matterhorn Express (operational eastbound) – carrying gas from the Permian to the Katy hub near Houston. This corridor is central to the news because the planned Eiger Express will follow the same route as a twin line.
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Transwestern Pipeline (operational westbound) – transporting gas from the Permian into New Mexico and Arizona. Its importance is reinforced by the planned Desert Southwest Expansion, which will add capacity along this same system.
By combining the basin outline with these two operational pipelines, the map illustrates today’s backbone infrastructure while providing context for where new capacity is being developed.
A Deeper Dive with DataLink
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Zoom into the Permian Basin boundary to see its producing areas and scale.
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Use the Natural Gas Pipelines layer to view Matterhorn Express and Transwestern as operational corridors.
- Search for other midstream projects in the basin — including WhiteWater’s Traverse Pipeline or Energy Transfer’s expansions — to research their route, diameter, and operator.
By exploring these layers together, users can see how operational systems support today’s flows and how planned projects fit into the broader picture of eastbound and westbound capacity from the Permian.
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