Enstor Announces Receipt and Acceptance of FERC Certificate to Significantly Expand Its Mississippi Hub Natural Gas Storage Facility
Emerald Storage Holdings LLC, the parent company of Enstor Gas (Enstor), and its subsidiary Mississippi Hub, LLC, today announced that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved its application to construct and operate the Mississippi Hub Expansion Project. Enstor reached a final investment decision (FID) and has already notified FERC that it has accepted the certificate. The FERC order, issued March 20, 2025, also affirmed Mississippi Hub's authorization to charge market-based rates for its proposed firm and interruptible storage, hub, and wheeling services. Enstor expects the Mississippi Hub Expansion Project to be in-service by 2028.
Mississippi Hub is a high-deliverability underground natural gas storage facility located on the Bond Salt Dome in Simpson County, Mississippi. It currently serves strategic markets through its interconnects with Southern Natural Gas Company (SNG), Southeast Supply Header (SESH), and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line (Transco).
The expansion plan includes three additional storage caverns at Mississippi Hub, each with approximately 10 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of working storage capacity as well as incremental expansion of Mississippi Hub's existing caverns. The project also includes the construction of compression, dehydration, saltwater disposal wells, and related facilities to accommodate the expansion. In total, the Mississippi Hub Expansion Project will add up to 33.5 Bcf of new working gas capacity and up to 0.7 million dekatherms per day (MMDth/day) of new injection capacity. Upon completion of the expansion, Mississippi Hub's total working gas storage capacity is expected to be 56.3 Bcf, approximately 2.5 times the facility's present capacity. The injection capacity will increase to a total of 1.90 MMDth/day and the withdrawal capacity will remain at 2.40 MMDth/day, as previously certificated before the expansion.
"We are pleased to have received FERC's approval for our Mississippi Hub Expansion Project, and look forward to moving ahead with construction," said Enstor CEO Paul Bieniawski. "This Expansion Project will not only enhance reliability and flexibility for our customers in the Gulf Coast and Southeast markets, but it will also provide significant additional natural gas storage capacity at a time when it's needed most. With U.S LNG exports rapidly expanding and the demand for gas-fired power generation continuing to grow nationwide, Enstor is excited to be on the forefront of providing the critical infrastructure necessary to ensure reliable energy security for the U.S. and beyond."
The first of the three new storage caverns is already fully subscribed under a long-term contract with a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE:KMI) for storage services on Southern Natural Gas and Tennessee Gas Pipeline systems, as this particular corridor is undergoing tremendous growth due to increasing demand from LNG exports and power generation.
"Expansion projects underway for the Southeast region, including Evangeline Pass, Mississippi Crossing and the South System Expansion 4 projects, are the direct result of significant natural gas demand expectations for the near future. With growing natural gas demand, there is a need for additional storage in this region," said KMI East Region Chief Commercial Officer Ernesto Ochoa. "During times of volatile natural gas pricing or for operational flexibility, storage provides customers with optionality. Additional storage coupled with our extensive network further enhances the services we can provide our customers."
Mississippi Hub Expansion Highlights
Enstor expects the Mississippi Hub Expansion Project to positively impact Mississippi and the region. Expected benefits include:
- Achieving natural gas storage capacity expansion responsibly, with safety and environmental preservation as top priorities during the project's design, implementation/construction and operation phases.
- Supporting economic development and job creation in Mississippi through direct and indirect employment opportunities during construction and operation.
- Generating increased tax and other fee revenues to local, state, and federal governments.
- Minimizing environmental impacts by optimizing the use of existing infrastructure, resulting in minimal land disturbance.
- Enhancing energy security, reliability, flexibility, and diversity to customers in Mississippi and surrounding areas.
- Providing new access to multiple natural gas supply sources and markets to improve price competitiveness for customers.
- Providing critical fuel for backup power generation for renewable energy.
About Enstor
Enstor is one of the largest privately owned natural gas storage company in the United States. Headquartered in Houston, the company owns and operates six active underground natural gas storage facilities in four states with more than 110 Bcf in working gas capacity. Enstor has approximately 179 miles of transmission pipelines and 39 interconnects to major transmission pipelines. For more information, please visit www.enstorinc.com.
About Mississippi Hub, LLC
Enstor's Mississippi Hub is a FERC-certified high-deliverability underground facility located on the Bond Salt Dome in Simpson County, Mississippi. Mississippi Hub has multiple pipeline interconnections and is ideally located to serve growing demand centers. The facility today has three storage caverns holding up to 22.4 Bcf of working gas. The facility offers close proximity to major interstate pipelines and pipeline expansion projects that access major downstream natural gas markets. It also provides access to major sources of shale gas production, liquefied natural gas exports, as well as traditional gas supplies along the Gulf Coast. For additional details please visit www.enstorinc.com.
About Kinder Morgan, Inc.
Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE:KMI) is one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America. Access to reliable, affordable energy is a critical component for improving lives around the world. We are committed to providing energy transportation and storage services in a safe, efficient and environmentally responsible manner for the benefit of the people, communities and businesses we serve. We own an interest in or operate approximately 79,000 miles of pipelines, 139 terminals, 704 Bcf of working natural gas storage capacity and have renewable natural gas production capacity of approximately 6.1 Bcf per year with an additional 0.8 Bcf in development. Our pipelines transport natural gas, refined petroleum products, crude oil, condensate, CO2, renewable fuels and other products, and our terminals store and handle various commodities including gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, chemicals, metals, petroleum coke, and ethanol and other renewable fuels and feedstocks. Learn more about our work advancing energy solutions on the lower carbon initiatives page at www.kindermorgan.com.
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Media Contacts:
Enstor Gas
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Kinder Morgan
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