HOUSTON, TX, Oct. 19, 2009 (Marketwire) --

HOUSTON, TX -- (Marketwire) -- 10/19/09 -- El Paso Corporation (NYSE: EP) today announced the following changes to the executive committee of the company:

--  D. Mark Leland, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
    Officer, will become Executive Vice President and President of the
    Midstream Group.  Mark will be responsible for a newly created midstream
    business unit.  He has 15 years of midstream experience and was the Chief
    Operating Officer of GulfTerra Energy Partners, L.P., which was El Paso's
    former midstream master limited partnership.
--  John R. Sult, currently Senior Vice President & Chief Accounting
    Officer, will become Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
    J.R. will remain the Chief Financial Officer of the general partner for El
    Paso Pipeline Partners, L.P.  He will also be a new member of the executive
    committee.
--  Dane E. Whitehead, currently Senior Vice President & Chief Financial
    Officer, El Paso Exploration & Production Company, will become Senior Vice
    President Strategy and Enterprise Business Development.  Dane will be
    responsible for strategy and market analysis, acquisitions and
    divestitures, planning, investor and media relations and risk management.
    He will also be a new member of the executive committee.
--  Susan B. Ortenstone, currently Senior Vice President, Human Resources
    and Administration, will become Senior Vice President and Chief
    Administrative Officer.  Sue will be responsible for all administrative
    service functions, including human resources, information technology,
    communications and community relations, and administrative services.
--  James C. Yardley will continue as Executive Vice President and
    President of the Pipeline Group.
--  Brent J. Smolik will continue as Executive Vice President and
    President of El Paso Exploration & Production Company.
--  James J. Cleary will continue as President of Western Pipelines and
    report to Mr. Yardley.
--  Robert W. Baker will continue as Executive Vice-President and General
    Counsel.
    

With the exception of Mr. Cleary, these executives will report to Doug Foshee, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of El Paso. Mr. Sult will assume the role of Chief Financial Officer upon the filing of the September 30, 2009 Form 10-Q. The other executives who are assuming new positions will transition out of their current roles by year end.

"I want to welcome J.R. and Dane to the executive committee," said Doug Foshee, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of El Paso Corporation. "Both have been with El Paso for less than five years, but they have already made tremendous contributions, and I know they will be impactful members of our executive committee.

"I am excited to announce the formation of a new midstream business under the direction of Mark Leland. The North American natural gas industry is undergoing a period of rapid evolution, presenting new opportunities for synergies among our existing Pipeline and E&P businesses and a midstream unit. I am confident that Mark's leadership experience with our previous midstream operations and as our CFO will enable us to capitalize on these opportunities and create value for our shareholders. We intend to reenter the midstream business at a measured pace," Foshee added.

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