Williams Announces Open Season for Emergency Capacity on Discovery Pipeline

TULSA, Okla., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A unit of Williams announced today that it is holding an expedited open season for up to 250,000 dekatherms of firm transportation service on the Discovery pipeline system.

Discovery Gas Transmission, LLC has received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to construct a new receipt point at Texas Eastern Transmission's Larose compressor station in Lafourche Parish, La. The proposed in-service date is scheduled for mid-November.

The new connection is designed to provide an alternate outlet for natural gas that has been stranded following damage to third-party facilities during hurricane Katrina.

The open season will commence at 9 a.m. Central on Wednesday, Oct. 12, and end at 5 p.m. Central on Friday, Oct. 21. Shippers may contact Kevin Rehm at (713) 215-2694 or Asa Roberts at (713) 215-3078 to obtain a copy of the transportation services agreement.

The primary term for the emergency service will be for one year or until certain processing facilities return to service, whichever comes first. Service will be performed under Discovery's existing FT-2 rate schedule. Further details are viewable at http://www.discovery.williamsenergy.com/ .

A unit of Williams operates Discovery Gas Transmission, LLC and Discovery Producer Services, LLC. Discovery is jointly owned by three parties -- The Williams Companies, Inc., Duke Energy Field Services, LP and Williams Partners L.P. .

About Williams

Williams, through its subsidiaries, primarily finds, produces, gathers, processes and transports natural gas. The company also manages a wholesale power business. Williams' operations are concentrated in the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, Gulf Coast, Southern California and Eastern Seaboard. More information is available at http://www.williams.com/ .

Portions of this document may constitute "forward-looking statements" as defined by federal law. Although the company believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially different. Any such statements are made in reliance on the "safe harbor" protections provided under the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Additional information about issues that could lead to material changes in performance is contained in the company's annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.