Phillips 66 and Kinder Morgan advance Western Gateway Pipeline, opening new refined products capacity linking Midwest refineries to California markets.
Phillips 66 and Kinder Morgan, Inc. have announced the successful conclusion of the initial open season for transportation service on the Western Gateway Pipeline, a newly proposed refined products pipeline system designed to enhance fuel supply access to western U.S. markets. The companies confirmed that the project attracted strong market interest during the initial solicitation period, receiving substantial shipper commitments that demonstrate clear demand for additional refined products transportation capacity into the Southwest and California regions.
As a result of this encouraging response, Phillips 66 and Kinder Morgan have decided to proceed with a subsequent open season to offer remaining available capacity on the Western Gateway system. This next open season is scheduled to commence in January 2026 and will introduce additional delivery options aimed at further expanding market access. Notably, the upcoming open season will include new destination points located west of Colton, California. These destinations will be made available through a joint tariff arrangement with an existing SFPP pipeline segment that will be reconfigured to support westbound flows between Watson, California and Colton. Through this coordinated tariff structure, shippers utilizing the Western Gateway Pipeline will gain direct access to the critical Los Angeles refined products market.
The Western Gateway Pipeline project represents a combination of newly constructed and repurposed infrastructure. It will include a new-build pipeline extending from Borger, Texas to Phoenix, Arizona, along with the integration of Kinder Morgan’s existing SFPP, L.P. pipeline system that currently runs between Colton and Phoenix. To support the project’s objectives, the SFPP segment will be reversed, allowing refined petroleum products to move from east to west into California, rather than following its traditional flow direction.
Supply for the Western Gateway system will be sourced from multiple strategic locations. Primary volumes will originate from existing connections in Borger, Texas, a key midcontinent refining hub, as well as from supplies already tied into SFPP’s network in El Paso, Texas. This multi-supply configuration is intended to enhance reliability and flexibility for shippers while strengthening links between Midwest and Southwest refining centers.
In addition, Phillips 66’s Gold Pipeline, which currently transports refined products from Borger to St. Louis, Missouri, will be reversed as part of the broader Western Gateway strategy. This reversal will enable refined products produced at midcontinent refineries to flow toward Borger, where they can then be injected into the Western Gateway Pipeline for delivery to Arizona, Nevada, and California markets. This operational change significantly expands the geographic reach of Midwest refinery supply.
Once fully operational, the Western Gateway Pipeline will create a new, efficient transportation corridor connecting Midwest refining capacity to growing demand centers in Phoenix and California. The system will also provide connectivity to Las Vegas, Nevada, through Kinder Morgan’s existing CALNEV Pipeline, further extending market optionality for shippers. Together, these infrastructure enhancements are expected to improve supply diversity, bolster energy security, and support long-term demand growth across the western United States.
