Rob Black, Cabinet Secretary-Designate | New Mexico Economic Development Department
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon have released an infrastructure roadmap aimed at expanding the export of Rocky Mountain natural gas to U.S. and Asian markets. The announcement took place during the New Mexico and Wyoming Advanced Energy Roundtable, where both governors were joined by Japanese Ambassador Shigeo Yamada.
The plan, developed under the Western States and Tribal Nations Energy (WSTN) Initiative, identifies key infrastructure routes for transporting responsibly produced natural gas from the Rockies. It focuses on leveraging existing infrastructure to connect regional supplies with domestic markets as well as Asian buyers, bypassing traditional shipping channels like the Panama Canal.
Governor Lujan Grisham said, “New Mexico is ready to lead the way in unlocking the Rocky Mountain’s potential to create jobs and opportunity, strengthen international collaboration, and write the next chapter in global energy. Putting the Rockies’ abundant energy to work benefits red and blue states by fueling our economies and the transition to clean energy.”
Governor Gordon emphasized cooperation with Japan: “Both Wyoming and New Mexico have led the country in producing certified gas meeting UN standards, and Japan is particularly interested in that opportunity for cooperation and investment. We can provide natural gas resources very near-term—almost immediately—and this is just good business. It’s about moving into a future that meets climate concerns while making sure energy is there as demand continues to grow enormously.”
Ambassador Yamada expressed support for further partnership: “This is a very informative and detailed introduction to the potential of Rocky Mountain natural gas, and it is very much appreciated by the Japanese. I hope today’s meeting will lead to further cooperation and economic partnership between Japan and the State of New Mexico.”
WSTN Chairman Jason Sandel noted that this plan offers guidance for policymakers looking to supply lower-carbon gas domestically or meet growing Asian demand: “This playbook is the culmination of years of work and is designed as a tool to help policymakers and commercial actors seize the major opportunities that Rockies gas present to domestic markets seeking lower-carbon gas and the Asian nations that will drive global demand in the coming decades. We have the gas and the cleanest molecules of it. This playbook shows the way to the markets that need it.”
The roadmap builds on earlier efforts including Governor Lujan Grisham’s April trade mission to Asia, where she met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba about energy partnerships.
Rocky Mountain natural gas producers offer competitive pricing with breakeven costs between $3.10-$3.90 per MMBtu. The region also has low-carbon certified production due to reduced methane emissions, along with 277 trillion cubic feet of recoverable reserves.
Two main export routes are outlined: one through the Pacific Northwest serving Utah, Idaho, and beyond; another through the Southwest reaching both U.S. desert states and Mexico. The Southwest route offers significantly shorter shipping times to Asia compared with Gulf Coast alternatives via Panama Canal—reducing transit time by about half.
Funding for this roadmap came from several entities including state agencies from New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah; tribal organizations such as Southern Ute Growth Fund; Jicarilla Apache Nation; counties in western Colorado; all coordinated through WSTN with development support from Guidehouse.
