US oil billionaire Kelcy Warren has emerged as the €30 million private investor behind Waterford Airport, according to reports discussed on Deise Today and as reported by The Irish Times.
The investment follows years of unsuccessful efforts to secure public funding to extend the airport’s runway and attract commercial airlines.
Profile
Kelcy Warren Waterford Airport investment has drawn significant attention due to the scale of his global business interests. Mr Warren, aged 70, founded Energy Transfer LP in 1996 as a Texas-based gas pipeline operator and now serves as its Executive Chairman.
The company operates more than 135,000 miles of pipelines across 44 US states.
Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index values Mr Warren’s net worth at approximately 8.26 billion dollars, ranking him as the 438th wealthiest person in the world.
He is a long-time supporter of the Republican Party and US President Donald Trump.
Mr Warren also holds an extensive international property portfolio, including a private island in Honduras, a 46.5 million dollar ranch in Colorado, and a 23,000-square-foot residence on an eight-acre estate in Preston Hollow, Dallas.
His Irish connections include the purchase of the Castletown Cox estate in County Kilkenny in 2018 for €12.6 million, which is a 40-minute drive from Waterford Airport.
In August, developers Rosebrack Limited sought planning permission to construct a private whiskey distillery on the estate, describing it as a “legacy project”.
Waterford City and County Council approved the €30 million private investment in October, marking a major shift in the airport’s future after prolonged delays linked to public funding challenges.
Planning permission for the runway extension project was granted in January 2026.
Speaking on Deise Today before Christmas, the Director of Waterford Airport Limited, William Bolster, declined to confirm whether Mr Warren was the investor, despite speculation surrounding his involvement at the time.
WLR has contacted Mr Warren’s company for comment.
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