Williams CEO Addresses Shareholders at Annual Meeting

TULSA, Okla., May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- At today's annual meeting of shareholders, Williams (NYSE: WMB) President and Chief Executive Officer Alan Armstrong discussed the importance of natural gas to North America's overall energy picture and Williams' outlook for 2012 and beyond.

Armstrong said abundant supply and relatively low costs to produce natural gas, along with existing infrastructure, is building confidence in the fuel as a practical solution to North America's energy needs.  

"Natural gas has never been more important to North America's overall energy picture – never before have supplies been so abundant at such low costs," Armstrong said.

He noted that while North America has the world's best infrastructure for utilizing natural gas and natural gas liquids, rising demand will drive the need for even more infrastructure.

"From industry to government, from environmentalist to economists, and from power generators to industrial customers – people are turning to natural gas," Armstrong said. "And that's creating new demand for infrastructure, for technology, and for expertise."

Armstrong said Williams is ideally suited to capture much of the infrastructure growth opportunities being driven by the natural gas renaissance.  He noted that in 2012 and beyond, Williams' focus will be on the large infrastructure that optimizes and connects North America's abundant natural resources to premium markets.

"There are few, if any, industry sectors that present the almost limitless opportunity that we see in our nation's enhanced use of natural gas," Armstrong said. "We're in the right place, at the right time, with the right talent and right assets."

The full text of Armstrong's address to shareholders will be available shortly at www.williams.com.

The results of the company proposals that were described in the company's Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 7, 2011, will be detailed in an 8-K filing next week.

About Williams (NYSE: WMB)

Williams is an integrated natural gas company focused on exploration and production, midstream gathering and processing, and interstate natural gas transportation primarily in the Rocky Mountains, Gulf Coast, Pacific Northwest, Eastern Seaboard and the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. Most of the company's interstate gas pipeline and midstream assets are held through its 75-percent ownership interest (including the general-partner interest) in Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ), a leading diversified master limited partnership.  More information is available at www.williams.com. Go to http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=630&to=ea&s=0 to join our e-mail list.

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

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