Crude markets have lost the services of Kinder Morgan’s (KMI) Double H Pipeline, which suits the True Companies just fine. True’s Bridger Pipeline saw a big jump in volumes out of the Bakken in 3Q25 when KMI began converting Double H to NGLs. East Daley expects Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) will also benefit when updated shipper data is available.
Kinder Morgan in 2024 announced plans to convert the Double H crude oil line to NGL transport. Shippers began migrating off Double H in 3Q25, and KMI temporarily closed the pipeline in 4Q25 to complete upgrades ahead of the conversion. Double H runs from Dore, ND to the Guernsey market in Wyoming and could carry up to 88 Mb/d of crude oil. Throughput in 2024 averaged 60 Mb/d, according to East Daley Analytics’ Crude Hub Model.
We predicted at the time of the KMI announcement that the Double H conversion would constrain Bakken egress, a view supported by the latest pipeline data. Bridger Pipeline utilization, which averaged 85.9% in 2024, surged to 99.6% through September. Looking deeper, Bridger throughput in 3Q25 averaged 317 Mb/d, or 10% above its nameplate capacity of 285 Mb/d. The gains are directly in line with the gradual closing of Double H, and suggest that True is using drag-reducing agents (DRAs) to move barrels over Bridger’s capacity limit.
DAPL is another pipeline that is likely to absorb volumes displaced by the Double H closure. DAPL has run at 72.5% average utilization through 2025, leaving ~206 Mb/d in spare capacity to take more barrels out of the Bakken.
Bridger has seen the upside from the Double H conversion and successfully absorbed many of the displaced barrels. However, the Bakken-to-Guernsey connection has become constrained, with Bridger now running effectively full. That creates more opportunities for other pipelines serving Bakken producers. – Alec Gravelle Tickers: KMI.
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The Permian’s next big buildout is already taking shape, but this time the driver isn’t oil. East Daley Analytics’ latest white paper reveals how gas demand from AI data centers, utilities and LNG exports is rewriting the midstream playbook. Over 10 Bcf/d of new capacity and $12 billion in investments are reshaping flows, turning the Permian into a gas powerhouse even as rigs decline. Read Part II: Why This Pipeline Boom is Different
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