The Board of Directors of Energy Transfer Partners has approved construction of the Texas Independence Pipeline, a $485 million 42-inch diameter natural gas pipeline, that will serve the rapidly expanding Bossier and Barnett Shale natural gas resource plays of East and North Central Texas.

The 160-mile pipeline will expand Energy Transfer’s Texas Intrastate system’s capacity by an incremental 1.1 Bcf/d. This pipeline will connect the Partnership’s existing central and north Texas infrastructure to its East Texas pipeline network. With the addition of compression, the project may be expanded to transport in excess of 1.75 Bcf/d. Construction is set to commence in the fourth quarter of 2008, with completion in the third quarter of 2009.

Energy Transfer is currently constructing a number of other pipeline expansion projects designed to serve producers in Texas, including the 42-inch diameter South Bossier Pipeline which was completed earlier this month.