Houston, Texas, October 25, 1999-El Paso Energy Corporation (NYSE:EPG) announced today that Richard Owen Baish, president of El Paso Natural Gas Company, a business unit of El Paso Energy, will be leaving the company effective December 31, 1999, following 27 years of distinguished service.

Mr. Baish has had a long, successful career with El Paso Natural Gas, according to William A. Wise, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of El Paso Energy Corporation. "Rick Baish has led the company successfully through some of the most tumultuous times in the history of the industry," said Wise. "His major accomplishments as president include achieving significant cost savings, overseeing an extensive restructuring of the company, and guiding the highly successfully remarketing effort for turned-back capacity on the El Paso Natural Gas system. Rick leaves the company at a high point in its history, with exceptional opportunities arising to serve growing markets in California, the southwestern United States, and northern Mexico. His leadership and commitment will be missed."

Mr. Baish joined the company in 1973 as a staff attorney. In 1990, he was named senior vice president and general counsel. In 1991, he moved to line management as senior vice president for the company's marketing, gas supply, and rates and regulatory affairs group. He was promoted to executive vice president in 1994 and assumed additional responsibilities in the areas of operations and engineering, energy development, and California government relations. In addition to these functions, he also assumed responsibility for Mojave Pipeline Operating Company. On April 1, 1996, he was named president of El Paso Natural Gas Company.

Upon leaving the company, Mr. Baish plans to spend more time with his family, become more actively involved in the operation of his cattle ranch in southeastern New Mexico, and pursue other new business ventures.

Patricia A. Shelton, currently vice president, Finance, has been promoted and will assume the position of president of El Paso Natural Gas on January 1, 2000.

With over $15 billion in assets, El Paso Energy Corporation provides comprehensive energy solutions through its strategic business units: El Paso Natural Gas Company, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, Southern Natural Gas Company, El Paso Field Services Company, El Paso Merchant Energy Company, El Paso Production Company, and El Paso Energy International Company. The company owns North America's largest natural gas pipeline system, both in terms of throughput and miles of pipeline, and has operations in natural gas transmission, gas gathering and processing, gas and oil production, power generation, merchant energy services, and international project development. Visit El Paso Energy's web site at www.epenergy.com.

This release includes forward-looking statements and projections, made in reliance on the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The company has made every reasonable effort to ensure that the information and assumptions on which these statements and projections are based are current, reasonable, and complete. However, a variety of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this release. While the company makes these statements and projections in good faith, neither the company nor its management can guarantee that the anticipated future results will be achieved. Reference should be made to the company's (and its affiliates') Securities and Exchange Commission filings for additional important factors that may affect actual results.