The DeLa Express Project is a proposed 808-mile pipeline project from Moss Lake Partners LP (a company that has NEVER built a pipeline) to transport methane gas and petrochemicals used chiefly in the production of plastics from Loving County, Texas in the Permian Basin of West Texas to Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The project would also provide access to Hackberry NGL, Moss Lake’s affiliated NGL export project. The pipeline is being proposed mostly for the export and plastics markets.
The DeLa pipeline is a direct assault on property rights. Landowners don’t get a real choice when dealing with the privately-owned pipeline company — only pressure to sign an easement or threats of eminent domain. That’s not fair negotiation. That’s a land grab. Nobody should be forced to give up control of their property so a private pipeline company can turn a profit. Our rights come before their bottom line.
The proposed pipeline would carry highly flammable, typically odorless liquids, making leaks difficult to detect. In the event of a leak, these products settle close to the ground as vapor clouds that can ignite or explode—causing severe injuries like ruptured eardrums, burns, or even death. Beyond the immediate danger of explosion, people and communities near the pipeline would face serious health concerns. NGLs can release toxic compounds into the air, some of which are known to cause respiratory problems, neurological damage, and cancer.
“The Project is a proposed long-haul pipeline for liquids-rich natural gas transportation. It will ship natural gas and liquids supply from the prolific Permian Basin of West Texas to high-demand consumer markets in the U.S. Gulf Coast and international export markets. By aiming to provide much needed natural gas and liquids takeaway capacity, the project will reduce flaring and emissions in the Permian, and by transporting natural gas and liquids in a single mainline, it will minimize the need for right-of-way clearing and have a significantly lower environmental impact,” a spokesperson for DeLa Express LLC told KMID.
The backers of DeLa Express aim to provide capacity for increased fracked gas production in the Permian Basin of West Texas in recent years. S&P Global analysts forecast gas production will reach almost 24 Bcf/d by December 2028 in the Permian Basin. S&P reported in November 2024 that “two NGLs pipelines are under construction in the Permian. Targa Resources aims to place the 400,000 b/d Daytona line in service by the end of the year. Enterprise Products is targeting a first half of 2025 in-service date for the 600,000 b/d Bahia project and in the meantime has temporarily converted its Seminole crude pipeline to transport NGLs in response to high demand.”
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will prepare an environmental document discussing the environmental impacts of the project in Midland and Ector counties as well as Reeves, Loving, Andrews, Ward, Winkler, Upton, Glasscock, Sterling, Coke, Runnels, Coleman, Brown, Mills, Hamilton, Coryell, McLennan, Falls, Bell, Robertson, Milam, Brazos, Grimes, Montgomery, Walker, San Jacinto, Liberty, Hardin, Jefferson and Orange in Texas and Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.
General Pipeline Impacts
- Private property rights
The Constitution reserves the right of eminent domain to convert private property for public use. We do not believe private pipeline companies should be able to use eminent domain to take land from landowners for private gas companies to export fossil fuels. - Contamination of land, rivers, and lakes
DeLa Express will cross many rivers and other bodies of water throughout Texas and Louisiana. Pipeline construction and operation contaminates water bodies and threatens this most valuable of resources. The route of DeLa would be adding more contamination and disruption. - Risks of leaks and explosion
DeLa Express will be co-located alongside several other major pipelines for much of the route. So many massive fossil fuel pipelines are too dangerous to have in one place. Pipelines explode and the risk to nearby populations is too much, especially when this is Moss Lake Partners’ first pipeline. - Exports cause domestic energy prices to rise
DeLa Express is proposed to transport gas to various export terminals in the Gulf, and these exports strain the supply chain, causing electricity and gas bills to be higher for American homes/businesses. - Destruction of Species’ Habitat, including wetlands
This pipeline project will cut through numerous habitats that are critical to threatened and endangered species, plantlife and wildlife. Pipeline companies and regulators say they protect these species, but too often we see destruction of habitats go unchecked, threatening species important to decaying ecosystems.
Source: RBN Energy
IMPACTED COUNTIES IN TEXAS:
Andrews | Bell | Brazos | Brown | Coke | Coleman | Coryell Ector |Falls | Glasscock | Grimes | Hamilton | Hardin | Jefferson | Liberty |Loving | McLennan | Midland | Milam | Mills | Montgomery |Orange | Reeves | Robertson | Runnels | San Jacinto | Sterling | Upton | Walker | Ward | Winkler
The Project is proposed to include several lateral extensions, multiple compressor stations and metering stations, with around 2 billion cubic feet per day (“BCF/d”) of natural gas and liquids transportation capacity. According to the company, over 95% of the pipeline route is collocated with or parallel to existing utility rights of way.
The six pipeline laterals include:
- Field Gas Transport Lateral – a 60-mile, 42-in. OD pipeline in Reeves, Loving, and Winkler Counties. DeLa Express would also construct a 35.5-mile non-jurisdictional liquids line adjacent to the field gas transport lateral.
- Red Bluff Lateral – an 8.3-mile, 24-in. OD pipeline in Reeves County.
- China Draw Lateral – a 6.7-mile, 30-in. OD pipeline in Reeves County.
- Lea Lateral – a 5.9-mile, 30-in. OD pipeline in Loving County.
- Pecos Lateral – a 33.8-mile, 30-in. OD pipeline in Winkler and Ward Counties. DeLa Express would also construct a non-jurisdictional liquids line adjacent to the full length of the Pecos Lateral.
- Andrews Lateral – a 24.3-mile, 30-in. OD pipeline in Winkler and Andrews Counties. DeLa Express would also construct a non-jurisdictional liquids line adjacent to the full length of the Andrews Lateral.
Project Details
- Owner: Moss Lake Partners LP, an “independent energy infrastructure company focused on midstream logistics” and subsidiary DeLa Express, LLC (Note: Moss Lake Partners has NEVER constructed a pipeline.)
- Capacity: 2 billion cubic feet per day
- Length: 808 miles
- Diameter: 24- to 42-inches
- Impacted land: 13,459 acres
- Permanent impacted area: 5,754 acres
- ROW: 83% of the proposed route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or road rights-of-way
- Cost: “Multi-billion project”
- Status: PROPOSED (Construction: June 2026)
- Start Year: Planned in-service date: July 2028
- Project investors:
- April 2024: Latham & Watkins advises Moss Lake Partners in a private placement, and closing of the remaining authorized capacity of its convertible security and preferred equity units to “finance the development of its strategic asset projects including DeLa Express and Hackberry NGL.”
- November 2023: Vinson & Elkins assisted Moss Lake Partners “in the (i) initial issuance of its convertible note to an industrials investor group, and (ii) structuring of preferred equity units, with the option for the initial purchaser to make additional investments in Moss Lake Partners and/or its affiliate in an amount up to $50 million.”
Project Status
Eminent Domain:
- If the project is approved, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will vest DeLa Express with the authority of eminent domain to seize land from any landowners who have refused to sign voluntary easements.
Indigenous Free, Prior & Informed Consent; Consultation & Environmental Justice:
- No free, prior & informed consent. Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) is a specific right that pertains to Indigenous peoples and is recognized in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). It allows them to give or withhold consent to a project that may affect them or their territories. Once they have given their consent, they can withdraw it at any stage. Furthermore, FPIC enables them to negotiate the conditions under which the project will be designed, implemented, monitored and evaluated. This is also embedded within the universal right to self-determination. [source]
Impact Litigation / Court Fights
- State Courts: Currently there is no active litigation on this project.
Recent Media Coverage
- (Sept. 16, 2024): Oil & Gas Journal: DeLa Express lets FEED contract for Permian natural gas pipeline project
- (Sept. 7, 2024): Midland Reporter-Telegram: Odessa hosting public session on DeLa Express pipeline
- (July 17, 2024): Underground Infrastructure: DeLa Express moves forward with 690-mile Permian-to-Louisiana pipeline
- (June 13, 2024): KCEN: Locals express concern over proposed pipeline project in Central Texas
- (April 23, 2024): RBN Energy: Gauging The Promise Of The Newly Announced DeLa Pipeline
View DeLa Express FERC filing (May 2024):
66605e49b75b0f6ac8d2df0a_20240515-5114 (1)
