El Paso Corporation Names Board Slate for 2005 Annual Meeting of Stock

HOUSTON, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- El Paso Corporation today named its slate of candidates for election to the company's board of directors at its 2005 annual meeting of stockholders. The slate includes one new nominee and eleven incumbent directors who are standing for reelection.

Robert F. Vagt is being nominated for election as a new member to El Paso's board. Vagt, 57, has been president of Davidson College since July 1997. Before assuming his position at Davidson College, he served as president and chief operating officer of Seagull Energy Corporation from 1996 to 1997; president, chairman, and chief executive officer of Global Natural Resources from 1992 to 1996; and president and chief operating officer of Adobe Resources Corporation from 1989 to 1992. Prior to 1989, Vagt served in various positions with Adobe Resources Corporation and its predecessor entities. He is a member of the board of directors of Cornell Companies, Inc.

"We believe Robert Vagt will be a valuable addition to our board of directors," said Ronald L. Kuehn, El Paso's chairman of the board. "His varied experience in the upstream sector and his successful leadership of an esteemed academic institution give him a unique combination of industry knowledge and strategic planning capabilities that will bring additional depth to our existing board."

John M. Bissell will be retiring and will not stand for re-election at the 2005 annual shareholder meeting later this year pursuant to the board's retirement policy. "John Bissell has demonstrated outstanding leadership during his term on our board," Kuehn said. "His guidance has been crucial to our success, and we greatly appreciate his service to El Paso."

In addition to Mr. Vagt, El Paso's eleven incumbent director nominees are: -- Juan Carlos Braniff - Business Consultant; Former Vice Chairman, Grupo Financiero BBVA Bancomer -- James L. Dunlap - Business Consultant; Former Vice Chairman, President, and Chief Operating Officer of Ocean Energy/United Meridian Corporation -- Douglas L. Foshee - President and Chief Executive Officer, El Paso Corporation -- Robert W. Goldman - Business Consultant; Former Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Conoco Inc. -- Anthony W. Hall, Jr. - Chief Administrative Officer, City of Houston, Texas -- Thomas R. Hix - Business Consultant, Former Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Cooper Cameron Corporation -- William H. Joyce - Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Nalco Company -- Ronald L. Kuehn, Jr. - Chairman of the Board, El Paso Corporation -- J. Michael Talbert - Chairman of the Board, Transocean Inc. -- John Whitmire - Chairman of the Board, CONSOL Energy, Inc. -- Joe B. Wyatt - Chancellor Emeritus, Vanderbilt University

El Paso currently plans to hold its 2005 annual meeting of stockholders in late May in Houston, Texas and will send official notice of the meeting to its stockholders once the date, time and location have been determined.

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