The great pipeline race
The race is on to connect the Permian Basin, where production of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids is at an all-time high, to refining, chemical and export hubs along the Gulf Coast. The lack of pipelines is expected to slow the growth of the West Texas oil field as producers are forced to discount crude because of the difficulties of getting it to market.
Companies of all sizes, public and private, are planning to spend more than $40 billion to build or expand almost 10,000 miles of pipelines — long enough to stretch from West Texas to China. The first of the new pipeline projects is expected to come online next year; others won’t begin operations until 2020. The map above details the major projects that are underway or proposed.