Virtual Pipeline Market Report 2026

The virtual pipeline market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.79 billion in 2025 to $1.9 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to limited pipeline infrastructure availability, rising natural gas demand in remote regions, early adoption of cng transportation models, growth of industrial energy consumption, development of small-scale lng technologies.

The virtual pipeline market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.32 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to expansion of hydrogen and biogas virtual pipelines, increasing investments in decentralized energy systems, rising demand for low-carbon fuel logistics, growth of heavy-duty lng transportation, increasing integration with smart energy management platforms. Major trends in the forecast period include expansion of small-scale lng distribution networks, increasing adoption of cng-based virtual pipelines, growing use of multi-modal transport solutions, rising deployment of modular gas storage systems, enhanced focus on remote energy supply solutions.

The rising demand for natural gas is anticipated to drive the expansion of the virtual pipeline market in the coming years. Natural gas is a flammable gas primarily composed of methane that is found underground and used as a fuel for heating, cooking, power generation, and transportation. Demand for natural gas is growing due to its status as a cleaner-burning fossil fuel, its wide applicability in electricity generation, industrial activities, and heating, as well as its role as a transition fuel in the global move toward lower-carbon energy sources. Virtual pipelines are employed to transport natural gas, especially in regions where conventional pipeline infrastructure is unavailable, economically unfeasible, or inadequate to satisfy demand. For example, in November 2025, according to a report published by the Energy Information Administration, a US-based government agency, domestic dry natural gas production in 2024 reached 37.72 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), representing a 0.2% increase compared to the 2023 level of 37.65 Tcf. Therefore, the growing demand for natural gas is fueling the growth of the virtual pipeline market.

Major companies operating in the virtual pipeline market are concentrating on the development of advanced transport-trailer solutions, such as high-capacity and lightweight virtual pipeline trailers, to improve delivery efficiency and operational flexibility. A virtual pipeline trailer is a specialized transportation system that stores compressed natural gas (CNG) in high-pressure vessels mounted on a trailer, enabling the efficient movement of natural gas without the need for a physical pipeline network. For example, in March 2023, Quantum Fuel Systems, a US-based alternative energy company, secured a large-scale order from VoltaGrid for its VPLite 45/40 trailers that incorporate high-capacity trailer technology. The VPLite 45/40 trailers provide an industry-leading gaseous capacity of around 472,000 standard cubic feet while weighing under 59,000 pounds when fully loaded. These trailers are approved for use in the United States and are engineered to be smaller and lighter than conventional trailers, making them easier to handle in confined spaces.

In May 2023, Superior Plus Corp. acquired Certarus Ltd. for an undisclosed sum, aiming to position itself as a distributor of low-carbon renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen. Certarus Ltd., known for its virtual pipeline solutions for natural gas, renewable natural gas (RNG), and hydrogen, enhances Superior Plus Corp.'s capabilities in the energy sector, aligning with the growing demand for cleaner energy alternatives.

Major companies operating in the virtual pipeline market are Eni S.p.A., National Petroleum Limited (Petronas), General Electric Company, Compass Natural Gas Partners LP (CNGP), Baker Hughes Company, Kinder Morgan Inc., Wärtsilä Corporation, Snam S.p.A., LightSail Energy Inc., Hexagon Composites ASA, Broadwind Inc., Pentagon Energy LLC, Certarus Ltd., SENER Grupo de Ingeniería S.A., Stabilis Solutions Inc., FIBA Technologies Inc., Galileo Technologies S.A., Gas Malaysia Berhad, NG Advantage LLC, Cobey Inc., REV LNG LLC, OsComp Systems Inc., CNG Services Limited, Xpress Natural Gas LLC, Marlin Gas Services Ltd.

North America was the largest region in the virtual pipeline market in 2025. It is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the virtual pipeline market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the virtual pipeline market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The virtual pipeline market consists of revenues earned by entities by natural gas transportation, distribution, logistics, and field gas processing and treating. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The virtual pipeline market also includes sales of compression facilities, storage tanks, transportation containers, safety equipment, and monitoring devices. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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