Williams Partners’ Transco Pipeline Delivers Record Volume Of Natural Gas During Recent Bitter Cold On East Coast

Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ) delivered a record amount of natural gas on its Transco interstate gas pipeline to meet demand driven by last week’s bitter cold weather in markets on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard.

The Transco pipeline delivered a record-breaking 10.4 million dekatherms on Jan. 22. The new peak-day mark surpasses the previous high of 9.7 million dekatherms set early last year.

Transco also set a three-day delivery record Jan. 22-24, averaging 9.9 million dekatherms per day.

The Jan. 22 record volume represents enough gas to heat more than 45 million U.S. homes. The 10.4 dekatherms is approximately 106 percent of firm contract demand on the Transco pipeline. Transco’s storage services were instrumental in meeting demand and maintaining prescribed operating pressure.

Rory Miller, senior vice president of Williams Partners’ Atlantic - Gulf operating area, said preparation, experience, reliable operations and recent expansions were all keys in setting a peak-day delivery record on Transco.

“The recent cold wave in the Northeast is another reminder of the importance of adequate infrastructure in meeting our country’s energy demand,” Miller said. “With growing demand for natural gas to serve winter heating loads and cleaner burning power generation, it is vital that we continue to develop pipeline and other infrastructure to reliably meet these needs.”

In order to help deliver vital energy infrastructure, Williams Partners has plans to expand Transco’s daily capacity by nearly 2 million dekatherms by 2015. This amount of new capacity is roughly equal the amount of new daily capacity that Transco has placed into service over the past five years.

The Transco pipeline is a 10,000-mile pipeline system that extends from south Texas to New York. The system serves major markets along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard.

About Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ)

Williams Partners L.P. is a leading diversified master limited partnership focused on natural gas transportation; gathering, treating, and processing; storage; natural gas liquid (NGL) fractionation; and oil transportation. The partnership owns interests in three major interstate natural gas pipelines that, combined, deliver 14 percent of the natural gas consumed in the United States. The partnership’s gathering and processing assets include large-scale operations in the U.S. Rocky Mountains and both onshore and offshore along the Gulf of Mexico. Williams (NYSE: WMB) owns approximately 70 percent of Williams Partners, including the general-partner interest. More information is available at www.williamslp.com, where the partnership routinely posts important information.

Portions of this document may constitute “forward-looking statements” as defined by federal law. Although the partnership 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 partnership’s annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Copyright Business Wire 2010