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TRANSWESTERN PIPELINE COMPLETES PURCHASE OF IGNACIO TO BLANCO PIPELINE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, August 30, 1996
HOUSTON - Transwestern Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of Enron, announced today it has completed the previously announced purchase of a 77.7 percent ownership interest in Northwest Pipeline Corporation’s (Northwest) south end mainline extension La Plata facilities. The 33-mile 30-inch pipeline system, which extends from Ignacio, Colorado to Blanco, New Mexico was acquired at a cost of $21.9 million.
“This is a strategic fit for Transwestern’s future growth in meeting our customers’ needs,” said William R. Cordes, president of Enron Transportation & Storage (ET&S) which provides services to Transwestern Pipeline Company and Northern Natural Gas Company. “This project adds access to incremental San Juan Basin, Rocky Mountain and Canadian natural gas supplies without affecting the rates of our existing shippers.”
As a part of the purchase, Transwestern has contracted 75,000 MMbtu of the capacity of the La Plata facilities, excluding La Plata B Compressor Station. Of that amount, 60,000 MMbtu also continues down the San Juan expansion, which is expected to be in service in early December 1996. Northwest is retaining 23,811 MMbtu of south flow and approximately 213,000 MMbtu of northbound capacity for its existing system-wide customers.
Firm contracts for the remaining 201,000 MMbtu of capacity on the Ignacio to Blanco system are being assigned by Northwest to Transwestern. Existing Section 284 rates for transportation will apply to Transwestern’s portion of the La Plata facilities.
The companies executed a Purchase and Sale Agreement and an Ownership and Operation Agreement on November 3, 1995, agreeing to the disposition of a 77.7 percent interest in Northwest’s mainline facilities. Since then, both companies have received Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval -- Northwest for abandonment of that portion of its line and Transwestern for expansion of its line.
Northwest Pipeline Corporation, one of the The Williams Companies, owns and operates a 4,000 mile natural gas transmission system in seven western states. Williams’ companies include the nation’s largest-volume system of interstate natural gas pipelines; one of the nation’s largest natural gas gatherers and processors; a full-service energy marketing and trading group; a Midwest petroleum products pipeline; a national business-telecommunications equipment sales and service company; and a nationwide fiber-optic video services provider. (NYSE:WMB) Company information is available on the Internet World Wide Web at http://www.twc.com.
Enron Corp., one of the world’s largest integrated natural gas companies with approximately $15 billion in assets, operates the largest natural gas transmission system in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest system in the world; is the largest purchaser and marketer of natural gas and the largest non-regulated marketer of electricity in North America; produces and markets natural gas liquids worldwide; owns 59 percent of Enron Oil & Gas Company, one of the largest independent (non-integrated) exploration and production companies in the United States; owns 59 percent of Enron Global Power & Pipelines L.L.C., which is owner and manager of operating power plants and natural gas pipelines around the world; and is one of the largest independent developers and producers of electricity in the world. Enron Corp. is traded under the ticker symbol, "ENE."
For additional information please contact:
Transwestern Pipeline
Elaine Thomas
(713)853-6814
Northwest Pipeline
Susan O. Flaim
(801)584-7077
John K. Nicksich
(801)584-6346
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