Published: April 6, 2026 |

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Antin Infrastructure Partners has acquired Sapphire Gas Solutions, a vertically integrated provider of compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquified natural gas (LNG) solutions, from funds managed by affiliates of Apollo. The acquisition is being made by Antin’s flagship fund V.

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Conroe, Texas, Sapphire provides critical, low carbon energy solutions to utility, commercial & industrial (C&I), and renewable natural gas (RNG) customers. The company owns and operates specialized infrastructure to compress, liquify, transport, and store CNG and LNG for end users. It currently operates in 30 U.S. states, serving more than 120 customers.

Sapphire benefits from significant tailwinds within the U.S. energy sector as C&I and data center load growth outpace existing infrastructure capacity and create a fundamental need for resilient, on-site energy solutions. Sapphire’s CNG and LNG solutions represent an economically attractive alternative and allow customers to reduce carbon emissions, especially when supplied as RNG. With Antin’s support, Sapphire is well positioned to capitalize on these favorable energy reliability and sustainability trends.

Founder and CEO Sam Thigpen will continue to lead Sapphire’s management team, which brings deep sector expertise and a proven track record of delivering unique technical solutions for its customers, complementing Antin’s expertise in investing in and growing infrastructure businesses.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Sapphire to support the company’s next growth phase. Energy demand in the U.S. is exceeding existing infrastructure capacity, making certainty of supply of integrated, low carbon natural gas solutions critical. Sapphire is ideally positioned to benefit from the long-term tailwinds driving the U.S. energy sector, and we are greatly looking forward to working closely with Sam and his leadership team to seize the many growth opportunities ahead,” said Ryan Shockley and David Vence, respectively senior partner and partner at Antin.

“I am excited to partner with Antin as Sapphire begins its next phase of growth. Apollo has been an exceptional partner over the past several years, helping us build a strong operational and financial foundation for the company. With Antin’s global infrastructure platform and long-term investment perspective, we believe Sapphire is well positioned to accelerate our expansion, deepen our presence across key markets and further support our customers’ energy infrastructure needs,” said Sam Thigpen, founder and CEO of Sapphire Gas Solutions.

“Over the course of our partnership with Sam and his team, Sapphire has achieved meaningful growth, expanding its integrated energy platform and accelerating its ability to deliver reliable, low-carbon solutions nationwide in support of secular industrial demand tailwinds. We are proud to have backed the company as it executed important operational and commercial initiatives to enhance its competitive positioning, while refocusing its contracting base toward highly creditworthy industrial, municipal and utility counterparties,” said Wilson Handler, partner at Apollo.

“We believe Antin’s deep infrastructure expertise makes them an ideal partner to build on this strong foundation as Sapphire continues to scale its business,” added Handler.

Antin Infrastructure Partners is a leading private equity firm focused on infrastructure. With over $38.2 billion in assets under management across its Flagship, Mid Cap and NextGen investment strategies, Antin targets investments in the energy and environment, digital, transport and social infrastructure sectors. With offices in Paris, London, New York, Seoul, Singapore, and Luxembourg, Antin employs more than 250 professionals dedicated to growing, improving and transforming infrastructure businesses while delivering long-term value to portfolio companies and investors.

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