El Paso Corporation
El Paso Corporation was a Houston-based natural gas pipeline operator that owned approximately 44,000 miles of pipeline infrastructure across the United States, serving domestic utilities, industrial customers, and local distribution companies until its acquisition by Kinder Morgan in 2012.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1929
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What El Paso Corporation does
El Paso Corporation was a Houston, Texas-based energy company founded in 1929 that operated one of the largest natural gas pipeline networks in North America. At the time of its acquisition by Kinder Morgan, Inc. on May 24, 2012, the company owned approximately 44,000 miles of natural gas pipelines across the United States, providing transportation and storage services to utilities, industrial customers, and local distribution companies. The company's operating portfolio included core wholly-owned subsidiary pipelines such as Tennessee Gas Pipeline, El Paso Natural Gas, Colorado Interstate Gas, and Cheyenne Plains Pipeline, along with a 50% interest in the Altamont gathering, processing and treating assets in Utah and the Camino Real gathering system in Texas. The company also held an exploration and production subsidiary (EP Energy) and a publicly traded MLP affiliate (El Paso Pipeline Partners, L.P., NYSE: EPB) that owned certain pipeline assets.
The company's revenue model was based on regulated and fee-based natural gas transportation and storage tariffs across its interstate pipeline network, supplemented by upstream oil and gas production revenue through EP Energy. The company served domestic energy markets across the United States, with North America as its sole operating geography. As a publicly traded company on the NYSE under ticker EP, El Paso's business model combined long-haul pipeline ownership (capital-intensive, high barrier to entry) with upstream production (price-sensitive, cyclical) and an MLP financial structure for certain pipeline assets.
On May 24, 2012, Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE: KMI) completed the acquisition of El Paso Corporation in a transaction that created the largest midstream and fourth-largest energy company in North America with an enterprise value of over $90 billion. Concurrently, El Paso divested its exploration and production business (EP Energy) to affiliates of Apollo Global Management for approximately $7.15 billion, and El Paso Pipeline Partners consolidated remaining pipeline interests under the MLP. Following the acquisition, El Paso Corporation ceased to exist as an independent publicly traded entity, with its assets and operations integrated into Kinder Morgan.
El Paso Corporation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- El Paso Corporation
- Legal name
- El Paso Corporation
- Website
- https://elpaso.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1929
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- El Paso Corporation was a Houston-based natural gas pipeline operator that owned approximately 44,000 miles of pipeline infrastructure across the United States, serving domestic utilities, industrial customers, and local distribution companies until its acquisition by Kinder Morgan in 2012.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
El Paso Corporation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Natural Gas Pipeline Transportation
- NAICS
- Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas (48621), Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas (486210), Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas (4862)
- SIC
- Natural Gas Transmission (4922), Natural Gas Transmisison & Distribution (4923)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Natural Gas Pipeline Transportation (EUALADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Interstate & Intrastate Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines (EUAAACAB)
Keywords
Where El Paso Corporation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
El Paso Corporation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain
El Paso Corporation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
El Paso Corporation operated an extensive natural gas pipeline network of approximately 44,000 miles across the United States, providing transportation, storage, and gathering, processing and treating services. The company also operated an exploration and production segment through its EP Energy subsidiary before divesting it to Apollo Global Management-affiliated entities in 2012.
Product overview
El Paso Corporation was an energy company that was acquired by Kinder Morgan, Inc. on May 24, 2012. Prior to its acquisition, El Paso Corporation operated in the natural gas sector, including exploration and production, pipeline transportation, and storage operations. The company was headquartered in Houston, Texas. Following the acquisition, El Paso became part of Kinder Morgan, creating the largest midstream and fourth largest energy company in North America. El Paso Corporation no longer exists as an independent publicly traded company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Natural Gas Pipeline Transportation Long-haul natural gas transportation services across approximately 44,000 miles of interstate pipeline, including Tennessee Gas Pipeline, El Paso Natural Gas, Colorado Interstate Gas, and Cheyenne Plains Pipeline, for utilities, producers, and industrial customers.
Companies that use El Paso Corporation
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles2 records
El Paso Corporation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
El Paso Corporation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
El Paso Corporation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Enbridge Inc. Operates the longest crude oil and natural gas pipeline system in North America. Comparable in scale, regulated asset base, and long-haul transmission economics, with overlapping exposure to natural gas pipeline transportation.
- Energy Transfer LP: Large-scale US midstream MLP with significant natural gas and refined products pipeline assets. Comparable in operating profile (long-haul pipelines, storage, fee-based revenue) and in its reliance on FERC-regulated tariffs and take-or-pay contracts.
- TC Energy Corporation: Major North American natural gas and liquids pipeline operator (formerly TransCanada). Comparable as a regulated, long-haul natural gas transmission peer with similar interstate pipeline assets and FERC/NEB regulatory exposure.
- ONEOK, Inc. Operates a large integrated natural gas liquids and natural gas pipeline network across the US. Comparable as a fee-based, regulated midstream operator with similar FERC-regulated transmission exposure and customer-contract economics.
- Enterprise Products Partners L.P. One of the largest publicly traded midstream MLPs, with extensive natural gas, NGL, and refined products pipelines and storage. Overlaps directly with El Paso's pipeline transportation and storage businesses and shares the MLP/Partnership capital-structure model.
- Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP: MLP that owns and operates interstate natural gas pipelines and storage facilities across the US Gulf Coast and Midwest. Directly comparable to El Paso's regulated pipeline subsidiaries in tariff structure, scale, and customer base.
- Williams Companies, Inc. Major US natural gas pipeline and midstream operator, including long-haul transmission, gathering, and processing. Closely comparable to El Paso's Tennessee Gas Pipeline / El Paso Natural Gas franchise in scale, customer mix, and regulatory model.
Emerging players
- Southern Union Company: Natural gas pipeline and distribution operator acquired by Energy Transfer Equity in 2012. Comparable as a mid-sized natural gas pipeline peer with similar midstream/gathering profile and historical overlap with El Paso's footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Kinder Morgan, Inc. The strategic acquirer of El Paso Corporation in May 2012 and its current parent; operates the largest natural gas pipeline network in North America. Directly comparable as the primary natural gas midstream peer and the entity into which all El Paso pipeline assets were folded.
- Sempra Energy: Diversified energy infrastructure company with regulated natural gas distribution, pipelines, and LNG export assets. Comparable as a broader natural gas infrastructure incumbent with overlapping pipeline and storage economics to El Paso's portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
El Paso Corporation social profiles
Digital presenceEl Paso Corporation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
El Paso Corporation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
El Paso Corporation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
El Paso Corporation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
El Paso Corporation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about El Paso Corporation
What does El Paso Corporation do?
El Paso Corporation operated an extensive natural gas pipeline network of approximately 44,000 miles across the United States, providing transportation, storage, and gathering, processing and treating services. The company also operated an exploration and production segment through its EP Energy subsidiary before divesting it to Apollo Global Management-affiliated entities in 2012.
Is El Paso Corporation a public or private company?
El Paso Corporation is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently acquired.
When was El Paso Corporation founded?
El Paso Corporation was founded in 1929. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is El Paso Corporation based?
El Paso Corporation is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
Who are El Paso Corporation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Enbridge Inc., Energy Transfer LP, TC Energy Corporation, ONEOK, Inc., Enterprise Products Partners L.P., Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP and Williams Companies, Inc.. Southern Union Company is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Kinder Morgan, Inc. and Sempra Energy.
Does El Paso Corporation have an API?
No public API is recorded for El Paso Corporation.
What industry is El Paso Corporation in?
El Paso Corporation's product category is Natural Gas Pipeline Transportation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUALADAB, Natural Gas Pipeline Transportation, with a secondary code of EUAAACAB, Interstate & Intrastate Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines. Its NAICS code is 48621 and its SIC code is 4922.