This group includes earnings from Enron Gas Pipeline Group (GPG), which operates Enron's North American interstate natural gas pipelines, and Enron Ventures Corp. (EVC), which is responsible for Enron's engineering and construction activities as well as Enron's interests in clean fuels and EOTT Energy Partners, L.P.

GPG/EVC reported earnings before interest and taxes of $80 million in the third quarter of 1997 compared to earnings of $98 million in the prior year quarter. The decrease in earnings primarily reflects lower results related to the Transwestern Pipeline system, as well as lower results from EOTT Energy Partners, L.P.

All of Enron's interstate pipeline expansion projects are on track to meet scheduled in-service dates. Northern Border Pipeline began construction on the Chicago Project, which will bring an additional 700 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of Canadian natural gas into U.S. markets beginning November 1998. Transwestern Pipeline amended a previous expansion filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to increase incremental capacity from 115 MMcf/d to 200 MMcf/d on the Ignacio, Colorado, to Blanco, New Mexico line. The 85 MMcf/d addition is already fully subscribed. The expansion will also add 130 MMcf/d of capacity from Blanco to Thoreau, New Mexico.

Portland General Electric (PGE) provides retail electricity services to customers in the northwest Oregon service territory. PGE reported earnings before interest and taxes of $51 million in the third quarter of 1997, the first quarter that Portland General has been consolidated with Enron's financial results. The strong earnings reflected the addition of nearly 4,000 customers during the quarter, along with increased sales to commercial and industrial customers.

In September, PGE filed a Customer Choice Plan with the Oregon Public Utility Commission, calling for the separation of its regulated transmission and distribution businesses from its potentially competitive electricity sales, customer service and generation businesses in order to establish a competitive market for electricity in its service area and give its 681,000 customers control over who supplies their electricity.

Capital & Trade Resources

Enron Capital & Trade Resources' (ECT) earnings are derived from the marketing, purchasing and financing of natural gas, power and natural gas liquids in North America and Europe, as well as from the company's operation of non-regulated pipelines and storage facilities.

ECT reported earnings before interest and taxes of $98 million in the third quarter of 1997 compared to $74 million for the same period in 1996. The strong 1997 results reflect successful origination activities as well as earnings from ECT’s portfolio of capital investments. Physical volumes in the third quarter of 1997 increased 10 percent to 12.4 trillion British thermal units of energy equivalent per day (TBtue/d) compared to 11.3 TBtue/d a year ago. Power marketing volumes increased to 72.3 million megawatt hours (MWhs) sold in the third quarter of 1997, up 287 percent compared to 18.7 million MWhs sold in the third quarter of 1996.

Retail Energy Services

Enron Energy Services (EES), which serves U.S. retail natural gas customers and will serve retail electricity customers when those markets begin to open up to competition on January 1, 1998, reported a loss of $25 million, or $.06 per share (after tax), in the third quarter of 1997. The expected loss recognized by EES reflects the significant investments in the product development, regulatory and branding effort of positioning Enron to aggressively compete at the retail level.

In October, Enron filed The Choice Plan in Pennsylvania, which proposes to offer Philadelphia consumers a real choice of their electricity suppliers by creating an environment where retail marketers like EES can compete for new business beginning September 1, 1998.

International Operations and Development

International Operations and Development earnings consist of earnings from the development and promotion of integrated energy projects, commercial power generation, and pipeline and merchant activities outside of North America, including earnings from Enron Global Power & Pipelines (EPP).

International reported earnings before interest, minority interest and taxes of $65 million in the third quarter of 1997 compared to $38 million in the third quarter of 1996. The quarter's strong performance reflected an increase in earnings from Enron's portfolio of capital investments in addition to increased international merchant activities.

In August 1997, Enron finalized an agreement with the EPP board of directors whereby EPP would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Enron at a purchase price of $35 in Enron common stock for each share of EPP common stock. Pending SEC review and shareholder approval, the merger could close in November 1997.

As an example of the integration of its development and merchant skills into a single project, Enron International won a bid to provide 1,000 megawatts of electricity that will be transported from Argentina to Brazil. Enron is finalizing a 20-year power purchase agreement with the Brazilian regional utilities, Eletrosul and Furnas, with power delivery expected by the fourth quarter of 1999. The bid includes the construction of electric transmission lines and a conversion station to allow the two countries' power grids to be connected for the first time.

Exploration and Production/Enron Oil & Gas Company

Exploration and Production reported earnings before interest, minority interest and taxes of $49 million in the third quarter of both 1997 and 1996.

Enron Oil & Gas Company's (EOG) total North America equivalent production increased 15 percent in the third quarter of 1997 compared to the third quarter of 1996. North America natural gas production averaged 748 MMcf/d in the third quarter of 1997 compared to 670 MMcf/d in the third quarter of 1996. Total third quarter 1997 natural gas production averaged 897 MMcf/d compared to 774 MMcf/d in the third quarter of 1996.

Total third quarter 1997 crude oil and condensate production averaged 20.6 thousand barrels per day (MBbl/d) compared to 17.7 MBbl/d in the third quarter of 1996. North America crude oil and condensate production averaged 14.8 MBbl/d in the third quarter of 1997 compared to 10.8 MBbl/d in the third quarter of 1996.

In the third quarter, an EOG subsidiary signed agreements with the China National Petroleum Corporation for the appraisal of potential development of crude oil and natural gas reserves within the Chuanzhong Block situated in one of China's oldest producing areas in the central Sichuan Province. EOG holds a 100 percent working interest in and will operate the fields.

Corporate and Other

Corporate and Other reported a loss of $15 million in the third quarter of 1997 compared to earnings of $3 million in the third quarter of 1996, net of the EPP minority interest in 1997. The third quarter of 1996 included gains of $11 million, or $0.02 per share after tax, related to the sale of EOG stock held by Enron.

Enron Corp., one of the world's largest integrated natural gas and electricity companies with approximately $19 billion in assets, operates one of the largest natural gas transmission systems in the world; is the largest purchaser and marketer of natural gas and the largest non-regulated marketer of electricity in North America; is a leading participant in liberalized energy markets in the United Kingdom and the Nordic Countries; markets natural gas liquids worldwide; manages the largest portfolio of fixed-price natural gas risk management contracts in the world; is among the leading entities arranging new capital to the energy industry; owns a majority interest in Enron Oil & Gas Company, one of the largest independent (non-integrated) exploration and production companies in the United States; owns a majority interest in Enron Global Power & Pipelines L.L.C., which is owner and manager of operating power plants and natural gas pipelines around the world; is one of the largest independent developers and producers of electricity in the world; and is a major supplier of solar and wind renewable energy worldwide. Enron's internet address is www.enron.com and its common stock is traded under the ticker symbol, "ENE."

For additional information please contact:

Diane Bazelides

(713) 853-6285