Boardwalk Pipeline’s proposed Borealis Project could add 2 Bcf/d of natural gas to a network stretching from Ohio to Louisiana, providing plays in the Appalachian Basin with an expanded egress pathway.

On April 1, the midstream company called a non-binding open season on a proposed capacity expansion on the company’s 5,975-mile Texas Gas Transmission pipeline network. Texas Gas Transmission is a Boardwalk subsidiary.

The network provides Boardwalk near-access in Ohio to the Utica and Marcellus shales, then travels on the western side of the Appalachia region.

Building a pipeline on the eastern side of the Appalachians has been a challenging task over the past decade, despite the area boasting some of the largest natural gas reserves in the Lower 48. EQT’s Mountain Valley Pipeline was completed in 2024, only after the U.S. Congress voted to close the multiple legal challenges that had stalled progress on the line.

In a February interview with Hart Energy, Boardwalk CEO Scott Hallam indicated the company’s interest in further developing the network on the other side of the Appalachian Mountain range.

“Today, the Marcellus production profile is capped because it doesn't have takeaway capacity. Boardwalk is studying that issue and evaluating how we can help the Marcellus continue to grow through creating new and different takeaway options that don't exist today,” Hallam said.

The states along the Texas Gas network are generally more friendly to midstream development, the CEO said.

“It's a geography that is more inclined to see the economic benefit of natural gas, versus the other negative views that other parts of the country associate with natural gas.”

Boardwalk Map
(Source: Boardwalk Pipeline)

According to Boardwalk’s release on April 1, the Borealis Project also has the advantage of being minimally invasive and efficient, as construction will happen along the network’s current pathway. 

East Daley analyst Alex Gafford said Appalachia producers would likely welcome the project’s additional takeaway capacity.

“The key is to keep state-level permitting to a minimum in order to prevent an MVP 2.0,” Gafford said in an email to Hart Energy.

The project also enhances the prospects for midstream companies in the area that operate gathering and processing in the basin, such as Williams Cos., DT Midstream, MPLX and Antero Midstream.

Gafford also noted that the Borealis became public three months after Boardwalk announced the Kosci Junction project, which adds capacity to the company’s facilities in Mississippi.

“The quick succession of project announcements speaks to the strong strategic position of the BWPL asset footprint,” Gafford said.

The company’s Borealis announcement did not give many details other than noting that about 2 Bcf/d of capacity would be added to the pipeline. The project will serve all types of customers along the network, including energy providers, data centers and LNG exporters.

The midstream company will also consider proposals to extend the pipeline about 180 miles to the east for a direct connection to the Utica and Marcellus, according to the press release.

TPH Equity Research analyst Zack Van Everen said in a research note that it was unclear if the 2 Bcf/d of additional natural gas would be available at all delivery points along the line. Nevertheless, it would benefit customers in the southern U.S.

“Based on our supply/demand model, the U.S. will need more projects out of the northeast to help support growing LNG demand on the Gulf Coast,” Everen wrote on April 2.

The open season began April 1 and closes at 5 p.m. CST on April 30. The company prefers 20-year terms but will consider variations. Potential customers can contact Boardwalk for more details.

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