The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) has issued an updated 2016 infrastructure report which depicts the massive changes in store for energy infrastructure in the United States and Canada. INGAA Foundation President Don Santa says "while we are now in the midst of a remarkable expansion of the pipeline network ... there will remain a need for new pipeline infrastructure. Continued production growth, combined with growing consumption – particularly for natural gas – will drive the need for expanded pipeline capacity to supply energy consumers in both domestic and export markets."

INGAA says $321 billion of oil infrastructure (gathering pipeline, lease equipment, mainline pipeline and pumping, storage laterals and storage tanks) and $53 billion of new NGL infrastructure (transmission pipelines, pumping, fractionation and NGL export facilities) are forecast in the next 18 years.

The report makes several plausible assumptions: 1) The development of shale basins in the US continues apace; 2) Coal and nuclear plants will be retired and largely replaced with gas-fired power generation. 3) Combined LNG exports and piped gas exports to Mexico average 17.6 billion cubic feet per day after 2020.