Harvest Midstream, the Houston-based energy company owned by Hilcorp Energy founder Jeff Hildebrand, has reached an agreement to acquire a $1 billion portfolio of natural gas gathering and processing assets from MPLX. The deal, announced on Wednesday, marks a significant step in Harvest’s effort to broaden its operational footprint across western U.S. shale plays.
Under the terms of the agreement, Harvest will purchase approximately 1,500 miles of natural gas pipelines along with processing facilities capable of handling 1.2 billion cubic feet per day. These assets provide crucial links between producing wells and downstream markets. As part of the arrangement, Harvest will dedicate about 12,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids to MPLX starting in 2028, with a commitment period of seven years.
For Harvest, the deal is a strategic opportunity to expand into the Uinta and Green River shale basins. These regions, which extend across Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming, are becoming increasingly relevant in the broader natural gas supply chain. By acquiring both gathering infrastructure and processing capacity, Harvest positions itself to capture additional value at a time when producers are seeking midstream partners with scale, reliability, and market access.
The acquisition is expected to close during the fourth quarter, subject to customary regulatory approvals.
Harvest’s Growing Midstream Profile
While Hilcorp Energy is widely recognized as one of the largest privately held oil and gas producers in the United States, its midstream affiliate Harvest has steadily built a portfolio of infrastructure assets designed to complement upstream development. The company already operates in several prolific regions, including Alaska and the Bakken shale of North Dakota, and this new purchase marks its most ambitious expansion in years.
Jeff Hildebrand’s dual role in building Hilcorp as an upstream giant and Harvest as a midstream operator underscores his strategy of capturing value across the energy supply chain. Hilcorp has made a name for itself through aggressive acquisitions of mature oil and gas fields, which it revitalizes through operational efficiency. Harvest has followed a parallel path, targeting infrastructure systems that can support long-term production and ensure competitive access to downstream markets.
By moving into the Uinta and Green River basins, Harvest extends its reach into areas with significant reserves that remain underdeveloped compared to the Permian or Marcellus. The assets being acquired from MPLX provide not only physical infrastructure but also an anchor position that can be scaled over time as drilling activity in those basins increases.
The dedicated natural gas liquids commitment to MPLX adds another dimension, ensuring that both companies maintain long-term commercial alignment even as they pursue different geographic priorities.
MPLX Refocuses on the Permian
For MPLX, the divestiture reflects a sharpened focus on the Permian Basin, which continues to attract the bulk of U.S. investment dollars. MPLX, a master limited partnership associated with Marathon Petroleum, has been particularly active in 2025. According to its August analyst call, the company has executed approximately $3.5 billion in acquisitions this year alone. Most of that capital has been directed toward the Permian, where MPLX sees stronger growth opportunities.
The most recent of those moves was a $2.4 billion agreement to acquire Northwind Midstream, giving MPLX additional gathering and processing capacity in the Permian. Earlier this week, MPLX also announced alongside WhiteWater and other partners the final investment decision on the Eiger Express Pipeline. This project will transport natural gas from the Permian Basin to Gulf Coast export facilities, providing producers with critical access to liquefied natural gas markets and other international outlets.
Selling non-core assets in the Uinta and Green River basins allows MPLX to recycle capital into its Permian strategy, which has become the centerpiece of its growth plan. The basin’s combination of low costs, prolific reserves, and strong downstream connectivity continues to make it the focal point for nearly every major U.S. midstream operator.
Industry Context
The Harvest–MPLX transaction underscores several broader trends shaping the U.S. midstream landscape. Consolidation and portfolio optimization are accelerating as companies concentrate capital in basins where scale and efficiency can deliver outsized returns. The Permian remains at the heart of this activity, attracting billions in new investment across gathering, processing, and long-haul transportation.
At the same time, companies like Harvest see opportunities in basins that are less crowded. By establishing a strong position in the Uinta and Green River regions, Harvest is betting on the long-term viability of these plays as demand for natural gas continues to expand both domestically and internationally. The addition of more than a thousand miles of gathering infrastructure and significant processing capacity gives the company the ability to service producers today while preparing for future growth.
For MPLX, the deal highlights a disciplined approach to capital allocation. By divesting assets outside its core focus and doubling down on the Permian, the company is aligning itself with the most competitive resource base in North America. The decision also reflects investor pressure for midstream operators to concentrate on assets with strong returns and clear pathways to export markets.
The $1 billion sale of gathering and processing assets from MPLX to Harvest Midstream reflects the evolving priorities of two major energy players. Harvest gains a critical foothold in the Uinta and Green River basins, expanding its midstream reach while maintaining commercial ties with MPLX. Meanwhile, MPLX frees up capital to strengthen its already substantial Permian position and advance large-scale projects like the Eiger Express Pipeline.
As consolidation continues across the energy industry, transactions like this demonstrate how midstream operators are reshaping portfolios to match the geographic and strategic shifts of upstream producers. For Harvest, the deal marks a bold step into new territory. For MPLX, it is another move in a focused push to dominate the Permian midstream landscape.
