HOUSTON, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wyoming Interstate Company (WIC), a subsidiary of El Paso Corporation (NYSE: EP), announced today the Uinta Basin Expansion Project, which will provide additional natural gas transportation capacity for increasing production in eastern Utah's Uinta Basin. Kerr-McGee (NYSE: KMG), a major producer in the Rockies with growing Uinta Basin volumes, has signed an agreement outlining the commercial terms under which it will contract for firm transportation to anchor the expansion project.

"Our Colorado Interstate Gas (CIG) subsidiary has been one of the early transporters out of the Uinta Basin, and this project reinforces our strategic development in this high-growth region," said James J. Cleary, president of El Paso's Western Pipelines. "Not only will this critical expansion provide Uinta producers, marketers, and other shippers a critical, direct link to important Rockies trading points, it will give customers across the country additional access to Uinta Basin gas supplies."

The project will add a 128-mile, 20- or 24-inch pipeline from processing facilities near CIG's Natural Buttes Plant in Uintah County, Utah, to Kanda, an interconnection point with the Overthrust Pipeline and WIC in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The new pipeline, which will add capacity of between 250,000 to 350,000 dekatherms per day, will also provide interconnects with Northwest, Questar, Questar's Clay Basin Storage, and CIG. In addition, WIC will expand its mainline system from Kanda, east to Wamsutter, Wyoming, to accommodate additional volumes.

WIC is holding a binding open season for the Uinta Basin Expansion Project and will use the results to determine the final capacity needed for the project. The anticipated in-service date is January 2008. The binding open season began November 4, 2005 and will end on November 30, 2005. For more information or to request an open season packet, please contact Craig Coombs at (719) 520-4387 or craig.coombs@elpaso.com .

El Paso Corporation provides natural gas and related energy products in a safe, efficient, and dependable manner. The company owns North America's largest natural gas pipeline system and one of North America's largest independent natural gas producers. For more information, visit http://www.elpaso.com .

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

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, including, without limitation, the receipt of the necessary capacity commitments for the project described in this release; the receipt of necessary governmental approvals for such project; our ability to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals and to successfully construct and operate the proposed facilities described in this release; general economic conditions in geographic regions or markets served by El Paso Corporation and its affiliates, or where operations of the company and its affiliates are located, and other factors described in the company's (and its affiliates') Securities and Exchange Commission filings. While the company makes these statements and projections in good faith, neither the company nor its management can guarantee that anticipated future results will be achieved. Reference must be made to those filings for additional important factors that may affect actual results. The company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements made by the company, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE El Paso Corporation
11/09/2005

CONTACT: investor and public relations, Bruce L. Connery, Vice President, 1-713-420-5855, or media relations, Richard Wheatley, Manager, 1-713-420-6828, both of El Paso Corporation/

1023 11/09/2005 16:34 EST http://www.prnewswire.com