DeLa Express, an affiliate of private energy infrastructure firm Moss Lake Partners is targeting 2028 start for its massive pipeline project. 

The company requested to initiate the pre-filing review process with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a 2-billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) natural gas pipeline project. 

The DeLa Express pipeline would transport "liquids-rich" natural gas produced in the Permian Basin of Texas to markets along the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

Spanning 690 miles (1,110 Km), the 42-inch diameter pipeline would originate in Loving County, Texas, and terminate near Moss Bluff in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The project includes four lateral supply pipelines within the Permian Basin and a 6.2-mile delivery lateral in Louisiana, with Eight new compressor stations planned along the route.

According to DeLa Express, the pre-filing process will allow for stakeholder engagement on potential environmental concerns before a formal application for a FERC certificate is submitted. The company is targeting a 2028 in-service date, with a certificate application anticipated for February 2025 and construction starting by June 2026.

The DeLa Express project is designed to address the growing demand for natural gas exports, including those from Moss Lake's affiliated Hackberry NGL export facility. Over 95% of the pipeline route would utilize existing utility rights-of-way, minimizing new land disturbance.

Natural gas production in the Permian Basin has surged in recent years, straining existing pipeline capacity. S&P Global analysts forecast basin production to reach nearly 24 Bcf/d by December 2028. Midstream companies are responding by expanding gas processing capabilities to handle the liquids-rich gas bounty.

This trend is exemplified by the construction of two new NGL pipelines within the Permian Basin. Targa Resources' 400,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Daytona line is expected to be operational by year-end, while Enterprise Products' 600,000 bpd Bahia project has a targeted in-service date of mid-2025. 

Notably, Enterprise has temporarily converted its Seminole crude oil pipeline to transport NGLs due to high demand.