Navigator Expands Into Gas Pipelines, Taps TC Energy Veteran

Navigator Energy Services is expanding into natural gas pipeline infrastructure, targeting power generation growth, LNG connectivity and utility modernization across North America.

(P&GJ) — Navigator Energy Services is expanding its midstream platform into natural gas infrastructure, broadening its footprint beyond liquids and positioning itself to capture rising demand from power generation and LNG export markets.

The Dallas-based company said the new natural gas initiative will be led by James Yardley, who joins Navigator from TC Energy. Navigator is backed by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), part of BlackRock.

The move reflects what the company describes as structural growth in North American gas demand, driven by expanding LNG export capacity, industrial activity and power demand tied to AI and data centers.

“This is an exciting expansion for the Navigator team, our customers, and our investors. It represents the culmination of a customer-led dialogue to bring Navigator’s capabilities to a dynamic market setup. Having observed the structural shifts in the market, it is time to get to work building the critical infrastructure needed to fuel a generational growth profile in energy feedstocks,” said Matt Vining, Chief Executive Officer of Navigator. “For 13 years, our team has successfully navigated the complexities of the commercial and regulatory environments to sanction, permit and safely place assets in service without delays or cost overruns. We are now applying the same playbook and disciplined approach to natural gas pipelines and the significant investment opportunity they represent.”

Navigator said it plans to deploy capital across four focus areas:

• Supporting growing power demand, including data centers and industrial expansion
• Utility modernization and coal-to-gas conversions
• Connecting upstream supply basins to Gulf Coast LNG hubs
• Developing customized midstream solutions through third-party interconnects

Yardley will serve as senior vice president of business development for the new gas division. He brings more than 20 years of experience in commercial leadership roles at major U.S. pipeline operators.

“Natural gas supply and demand fundamentals have never been stronger, and the industry faces an extraordinary investment opportunity to expand and modernize our pipeline grid,” said Yardley. “We want to deploy capital directly into the macro tailwinds that are underpinned by a combination of structural natural gas demand growth across multiple sectors and a more predictable regulatory environment. By leveraging Navigator’s lean cost structure and execution excellence, we will provide a lower-cost, faster alternative for natural gas end-users and producers to secure the transportation capacity they need for decades of growth.”

Navigator did not disclose specific project locations or capital commitments tied to the new initiative.