Williams executives joined global energy leaders at CERAWeek, touting the benefits of natural gas to lower emissions, power data centers and raise living standards around the world. 

But they also warned that U.S. permitting reform is critical to meet surging demand here and abroad.  

President and CEO Alan Armstrong said much-needed energy infrastructure projects face a complicated regulatory process and are being stopped by special interests that weaponize the permitting system and prevent consumers from realizing the benefits of low-cost energy. 

“We need to bring common sense back to building infrastructure here in the U.S.,” he said. “We have plenty of supply in our producing basins and lots of growing demand, but we have to be able to get natural gas connected to these fast-growing markets and that takes infrastructure and that takes permitting.” 

He said state evaluation of interstate natural gas projects should aligned with the existing federal review process, which would be more comprehensive without sacrificing environmental considerations or the ability to meet growing domestic and international demand for clean, reliable and affordable U.S. natural gas. 

Streamlined permitting also is essential to meeting growing global energy demand, said Chad Zamarin, EVP, Corporate Strategic Development.  

“People want energy choice. People want energy affordability. People want reliability,” he said. “We are committed as an industry to sustainability and to decarbonizing our value chain and continuing to produce the most efficient energy on the planet.” 

Winning the AI Race 

Differences in infrastructure permitting procedures among U.S. states is increasingly becoming a factor in economic development, including development of AI data centers, Armstrong said. Tech companies want to move quickly and states that already have permitting-friendly rules in place are most likely to capture future AI business. 

In an interview on Bloomberg TV, Armstrong said that because speed to market is critical, hyperscalers are looking for behind-the-meter power generation that doesn’t rely on connecting to the electric grid, a process that can take many years. 

“These companies don’t really want to have to go to the gas company to buy their supply and to the power generator to build the generation and then to manage that,” he said. “They want somebody to show up with the power and provide the gas supply to provide that power. And that’s obviously something that Williams is really well positioned to do.” 

Because data centers need 24/7 power, natural gas is the most reliable source of energy. 

In an interview with Fox Business, Armstrong said natural gas is not only affordable, reliable and abundant, it will lower emissions around the world by displacing use of coal and fuel oil. 

Forecasts show that natural gas will supply 40% of the world’s energy growth and is a key solution to help lift emerging and developing countries out of poverty.

Other speakers at CERAWeek included Jaclyn Presnal, VP of New Energy Ventures, and Mark Gebbia, VP of Environmental, Regulatory and Permitting.