El Paso proposes pipeline linking its eastern, western systems

Washington (Platts)--4Oct2005

El Paso Corp on Tuesday said it plans to build a natural gas pipeline
that would connect the company's western pipeline system--which has access to
growing gas supplies in the Rockies and mid-continent areas--with El Paso's
southern and eastern pipelines, which serve markets from Florida to New
England and the Midwest. 
     The company said the project, dubbed the Continental Connector, also
would provide access to production in north and east Texas. 
     El Paso said the project would involve the construction of more than
1,000 miles of up to 42-inch-diameter pipeline to connect its Colorado
Interstate, Wyoming Interstate Co Ltd, and Cheyenne Plains pipelines to points
on the company's ANR Pipeline, Tennessee Gas Pipeline, and Southern Natural
Gas systems. El Paso anticipates that the project can be placed in service as
early as November 2008. The company provided no estimate of the project's
cost.
     "Continental Connector is the right project at the right time being done
by the right company," said Doug Foshee, El Paso president and CEO. "After the
hurricane events of the past few weeks, it is clear the United States needs
access not only to new sources of natural gas supply but diversity in those
supply sources. By providing an integrated natural gas transportation path to
connect western and mid-continent supplies with eastern markets, Continental
Connector meets this need."
     El Paso will hold a non-binding open season to seek input from potential
shippers to better define the full scope of the Continental Connector project.
The open season will begin at 10 am CDT (1500 GMT) Tuesday and run through 5
pm Nov 4. A copy of the open season guidelines will be available at the
company's Web site, www.elpaso.com/business/continentalconnector.shtm.

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