US Launches $65.5M Pipeline Tech Funding; Kuwait Inks $16B Pipeline Deal

The U.S. Department of Energy launched a funding opportunity of up to $65.5 million for projects aimed at maximizing pipeline productivity and creating value from oil and gas by-products, according to Rigzone. The initiative, announced July 27, seeks research, development, and deployment innovations for the nation's pipeline network.

Separately, in a landmark global infrastructure deal, Kuwait Petroleum signed a record $16-billion partnership allowing three major North American investors to own minority stakes in its entire domestic and export pipeline network, Rigzone reported. The agreement with Blackstone, Brookfield, and KKR underscores the high value institutional investors place on core midstream assets.

For Bakken operators, the DOE's funding focus on pipeline efficiency could lead to future technologies that reduce transportation costs and improve the reliability of takeaway capacity from the Williston Basin. More efficient pipelines mean lower operational expenses and potentially higher netbacks for crude oil and natural gas.

The massive Kuwait pipeline leaseback demonstrates a robust investment appetite for energy infrastructure, which could signal continued capital availability for North American midstream projects. While the deal is overseas, it reinforces the asset class's attractiveness to the same large financial firms active in U.S. markets.

Both developments highlight the strategic importance of pipeline systems. For North Dakota producers, efficient infrastructure is critical to remaining competitive, especially as the basin's output requires reliable routes to refineries and export points. Federal support for innovation may help address long-standing bottlenecks and optimize the flow of Bakken hydrocarbons.

The focus on by-product conversion also aligns with growing industry efforts to capture more value from the wellhead, potentially including associated gases or other streams common in Bakken production. Enhancing pipeline systems to handle or facilitate by-product use could improve field economics.