Private-equity firm Natural Gas Partners (NGP) said July 28 that Patrick McWilliams will join as a managing director in the Houston office, effective immediately.

Previously, McWilliams was a managing director at JP Morgan Chase’s Houston office. He joined the firm in 2012 to launch its middle-market oil and gas finance platform. In this role McWilliams also covered top regional, energy-focused private equity firms.

Chris Carter, managing partner of NGP, said that over the past decade McWilliams helped finance many of NGP’s portfolio companies, including Hibernia Resources, Crimson Pipeline and Bravo Natural Resources.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the NGP franchise. I have long admired the firm and have always been impressed with the way NGP partners with management teams to build great businesses. I look forward to working with the professionals at NGP to continue to build upon one of the strongest franchises in the energy private-equity industry,” McWilliams said.

Irving, Texas-based Natural Gas Partners has about $16.5 billion of cumulative equity commitments for the natural resources sector.