Energy Transfer Partners Board Approves Texas Pipeline Construction

The board of directors of Energy Transfer Partners has approved the construction of the Texas Independence Pipeline, a $485 million 42-inch natural gas pipeline, that will serve the Bossier and Barnett Shale natural gas resource plays of east and north central Texas.

The 160-mile Texas Independence Pipeline will expand Energy Transfer’s Texas intrastate systems’s capacity by an incremental 1.1 billion cubic feet per day. This pipeline will connect the partnership’s existing central and north Texas infrastructure to its east Texas pipeline network.

With the addition of compression, the project may be expanded to transport natural gas volumes in excess of 1.75 billion cubic feet per day. Construction of the new pipeline will commence in the fourth quarter of 2008, with completion expected in the third quarter of 2009.

Energy Transfer is currently constructing a number of other pipeline expansion projects designed to serve producers in Texas, including the 42-inch southeast Bossier pipeline which is expected to be in service by May 1, 2008.

Mackie McCrea, president of midstream operations at Energy Transfer Partners, said: “With the completion of our expansion pipeline projects, including this new Texas Independence Pipeline, our capacity to transport Bossier and Barnett Shale volumes will approach seven billion cubic feet per day. Our system offers producers in Texas unequaled access to major markets and pipeline interconnects.”