Williams Announces Open Season for Mid-Atlantic Expansion Project

TULSA, Okla., July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Williams (NYSE: WMB) announced
today that its Transco pipeline is holding a non-binding open season from July
14 to Aug. 4, 2009, to obtain shipper commitments for an expansion designed to
provide up to 150,000 dekatherms per day of firm transportation service to
markets in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.

The Mid-Atlantic Connector Expansion project is designed to provide service
from an interconnection with East Tennessee Natural Gas in Rockingham County,
N.C., to delivery points as far north as Transco's interconnect with Columbia
Gas Transmission in Montgomery County, Md. The proposed in-service date for
the expansion is Nov. 1, 2012.

"This expansion provides Transco the opportunity to meet growing demand
requirements for clean-burning natural gas in its Mid-Atlantic market area,"
said Phil Wright, president of Williams' natural gas pipeline business. "It's
another in a long line of Transco expansions timed and sized to meet the
market needs."

The level of market interest will determine the cost and pipeline facilities
required for the expansion.

The proposed expansion will be subject to approval by the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission and other agencies. For customer inquiries, contact
James Corley at (713) 215-4607.

About Williams (NYSE: WMB)
Williams, through its subsidiaries, finds, produces, gathers, processes and
transports natural gas. Williams' operations are concentrated in the Pacific
Northwest, Rocky Mountains, Gulf Coast, and Eastern Seaboard. More information
is available at http://www.williams.com. Go to
http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=630&to=ea&s=0 to join our e-mail list.
Contact: Chris Stockton
Williams (media relations)
(713) 215-2010

Sharna Reingold
Williams (investor relations)
(918) 573-2078

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.

SOURCE Williams

media, Chris Stockton, +1-713-215-2010, or investor relations, Sharna
Reingold, +1-918-573-2078, both of Williams