Growth in Natural Gas Mains by Material

The total mileage of natural gas mains in the U.S. has steadily increased since 1990. At that time, there were 874,000 miles of mains. By 2023, this figure had grown to over 1.37 million miles, representing a 56% increase. This expansion averaged about 15,000 miles of new mains added annually, totaling 494,000 miles since 1990.
Natural gas main pipelines supply energy to 72 million homes and businesses. Each meter is linked to a smaller service line, which connects to the larger main pipe managed by local natural gas distribution companies. Since 1990, the total length of service lines has increased from 595,000 miles to 982,000 miles, marking a 65% growth over 33 years.
The growth in service lines equates to an average of 11,725 miles added each year. Over the same period, 23.4 million new homes and businesses have been connected to the system, averaging 710,000 new natural gas customers annually with an average length of 87 feet.
In 1990, plastic pipes made up only 27% of all gas main pipelines. Since then, efforts to replace older leak-prone pipes and install new ones have significantly expanded their presence. Today, plastic pipes account for over 250% more miles than in 1990, representing 62% of the total 1.37 million miles of mains in operation.
Replacement programs have primarily targeted cast iron and unprotected steel pipes. In 1990, these materials comprised 7% and 13% of the system, respectively. Now, they collectively account for just 4% of the total system. The total mileage of these pipes has dropped from 168,500 miles to under 28,000 miles, an 83% reduction since 1990.

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