In its latest short-term energy outlook, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects the Henry Hub spot price of natural gas next year will average “well above $4 per MMBtu”. That’s mighty good news for producers after what seems like an eternity of punishing prices. Then there’s the growing demand for LNG and electrical power, which is poised to put natural gas on the road to energy superstardom. And that’s where midstream operators are chartering new waters to keep producer gas flowing.

Reese Energy Consulting today is following the latest from Midstream Land, which has leapt into the massive Big Tech data center buildout with dedicated pipeline infrastructure and on-site power generation. Some analysts call this turning of the tide a tailwind for natural gas and a game-changer for midstream, predominantly driven by the growth in AI against a struggling power grid. Both have generated new market opportunities for midstreamers where natural gas has emerged the Caped Crusader to offer reliable power for sprawling data centers that require uninterrupted electricity, 24/7. The latest forecast suggests 8 BCFD of gas for incremental power will be needed by 2030.

Meanwhile, midstream giants Williams, Energy Transfer, Enbridge, Kinder Morgan, and TC Energy are knee deep in the data center boom with expansion projects in Ohio, Texas, the Southeast, and Midwest.