Centennial Pipeline Slated for First Quarter 2002 Service: New Midwest Petroleum Pipeline to Ease Shortages.

Business/Energy Editors & Environmental Writers

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 9, 2001

Centennial Pipeline LLC today announced that several important milestones have been achieved that keep the Centennial Pipeline project on schedule to transport much needed gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel from Gulf Coast refineries to the growing Midwest market by the first quarter of 2002.

Centennial Pipeline members, Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company, a subsidiary of CMS Energy Corporation, Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC and TE Products Pipeline Company, Limited Partnership, through its general partner, Texas Eastern Products Pipeline Company, LLC, (TEPPCO), have:

-- transferred assets to Centennial;

-- signed definitive operating agreements with the new company;

-- received final federal regulatory approval allowing for the conversion of an
underutilized natural gas pipeline that will serve as an integral part of the
new pipeline to carry refined petroleum products to the Midwest;

-- closed construction and long-term financing agreements for the Centennial
Pipeline project.

CMS Energy Corporation has transferred certain property assets to Centennial and TEPPCO transferred to Centennial two parcels of land for an origination facility and a product storage facility.

In addition to the conversion of the natural gas pipeline from Longville, La., to Bourbon, Ill., Centennial is constructing a new 2 million-barrel refined petroleum products storage facility in Creal Springs, Ill., and a 74-mile, 24-inch diameter pipeline from Beaumont, Texas, to Longville, La. The Centennial Pipeline will initially have the capacity to transport more than 200,000 barrels per day of refined petroleum products to the Midwest.

The Midwest includes three of the nation's top 10 gasoline consuming states, which import nearly 25 percent of their total demand from Gulf Coast sources. The Centennial Pipeline will provide a safe, efficient and reliable supply of Gulf Coast refined products to the Midwest market.

Based in Dearborn, Mich., CMS Energy Corporation (NYSE:CMS) has annual sales of about $11 billion and assets of about $16 billion in the United States and in selected foreign markets; based in Findlay, Ohio, Marathon Ashland Petroleum, owned 62 percent by Marathon Oil Company -- a part of USX-Marathon Group (NYSE:MRO) -- and 38 percent by Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH), is the nation's fifth largest refiner with 935,000 barrels-per-day capacity; based in Houston, Texas Eastern Products Pipeline Company, LLC, the general partner of TEPPCO Partners, L.P. (NYSE:TPP), is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Duke Energy Field Services, LLC. TEPPCO is one of the largest common carrier pipelines of refined petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gases in the United States.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release, such as the expected time for completion and commencing operation, are forward looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, obtaining necessary rights-of-way, construction and environmental permits, market conditions, governmental regulations, unforeseen delays due to weather conditions and other factors discussed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission by CMS Energy Corp., USX-Marathon Group, Ashland Inc. and TEPPCO Partners L.P.