EL PASO ENERGY CORP/DE
8-K, 1999-05-10
NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION
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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                          DATE OF REPORT: MAY 10, 1999
                 (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED: MAY 5, 1999)


                           EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

<TABLE>

<S>                               <C>                       <C>
         DELAWARE                        1-14365                         76-0568816
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION      (COMMISSION FILE NO.)     (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
     OF INCORPORATION)
</TABLE>


                             EL PASO ENERGY BUILDING
                              1001 LOUISIANA STREET
                              HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002
               (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES) (ZIP CODE)


                                 (713) 420-2131
              (REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE)


<PAGE>   2




ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.

         On May 5, 1999, El Paso Energy Corporation (the "Company") entered into
an Underwriting Agreement with Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities
Corporation, ABN AMRO Incorporated, Chase Securities Inc. and NationsBanc
Montgomery Securities LLC, pursuant to which the Company issued $500 million
aggregate principal amount of 6 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2009 (the "Notes"). The
net proceeds from the sale of the Notes were approximately $496 million, and
will be used by the Company to repay outstanding short-term indebtedness.

ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

     (c) EXHIBITS.

   Exhibit
   Number                  Description

     1.1         Underwriting Agreement dated as of May 5, 1999

     4.1         Indenture dated as of May 10, 1999, between the Company and The
                 Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee

     4.2         First Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 10, 1999, between
                 the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee, including
                 the form of 6 3/4% Senior Note Due 2009

     5.1         Opinion of Andrews & Kurth L.L.P. as to the legality of the
                 Notes

     23.1        Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants

     23.2        Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent accountants

     23.3        Consent of KPMG LLP, independent accountants

     23.4        Consent of Andrews & Kurth L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5.1)

     25.1        Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of The Chase Manhattan Bank



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                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                             EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION



                                             By: /s/ JEFFREY I. BEASON
                                                --------------------------------
                                                      Jeffrey I. Beason
                                                Vice President and Controller
                                                  (Chief Accounting Officer)

Date: May 10, 1999

<PAGE>   4



                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


   Exhibit
   Number        Description
   -------       -----------
<S>              <C>
     1.1         Underwriting Agreement dated as of May 5, 1999

     4.1         Indenture dated as of May 10, 1999, between the Company and
                 The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee

     4.2         First Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 10, 1999, between
                 the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee, including
                 the form of 6 3/4% Senior Note Due 2009

     5.1         Opinion of Andrews & Kurth L.L.P. as to the legality of the
                 Notes

     23.1        Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants

     23.2        Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent accountants

     23.3        Consent of KPMG LLP, independent accountants

     23.4        Consent of Andrews & Kurth L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5.1)

     25.1        Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of The Chase Manhattan Bank
</TABLE>


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                                                                     EXHIBIT 1.1

                                  $500,000,000

                           El Paso Energy Corporation

                          6 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2009



                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


                                                                     May 5, 1999


DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
   SECURITIES CORPORATION
ABN AMRO INCORPORATED
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES LLC
As Underwriters
277 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10172

Dear Sirs:

         El Paso Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to issue and sell $500,000,000 principal amount of its 6 3/4% Senior
Notes Due 2009 (the "Securities") to the several underwriters named in Schedule
I hereto (the "Underwriters"). The Securities are to be issued pursuant to the
provisions of an Indenture to be dated as of May 10, 1999 (as supplemented by a
First Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of May 10, 1999, the "Indenture")
between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee").

         SECTION 1. Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company has
prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
(collectively, the "Act"), a registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration
No. 333-42713) in respect of the Company's debt securities, common stock,
preferred stock and trust preferred securities of two statutory business trusts
sponsored by the Company, as amended by Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, and has
filed such amendments thereto as may have been required to the date of this
Agreement. Such registration statement and such post-effective amendment, as
amended, have been declared effective by the Commission. Such registration
statement and such post-effective amendment, as amended through the date of this
Agreement, including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
therein by reference, as from time to time amended or supplemented pursuant to
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the "Exchange Act"), or otherwise,
are herein collectively referred to as the "Registration Statement." The
prospectus in the form first used



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to confirm sales of Securities (including the information contained in any
prospectus supplement relating to the Securities ("Prospectus Supplement") and
any documents or information incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference into such prospectus) are hereinafter collectively referred to as the
"Prospectus". All references in this Agreement to financial statements and
schedules and other information which is "contained," "included," "described" or
"stated" in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all references of
like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements
and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
The terms "supplement," "supplemented," "amendment," "amend" and "amended" as
used in this Agreement with respect to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus shall include all documents filed by the Company with the Commission
pursuant to the Exchange Act that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
therein by reference.

         SECTION 2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. On the basis of the
representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its
terms and conditions, the Company agrees to issue and sell, and each Underwriter
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the principal
amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule
I hereto at 99.169% of the principal amount thereof (the "Purchase Price").

         SECTION 3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that
the Underwriters propose (i) to make a public offering of their respective
portions of the Securities as soon after the execution and delivery of this
Agreement as in your judgment is advisable and (ii) initially to offer the
Securities upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.

         SECTION 4. Delivery and Payment. The Securities shall be represented by
one or more definitive global Securities in book-entry form which will be
deposited by or on behalf of the Company with The Depository Trust Company
("DTC") or its designated custodian. The Company shall deliver the Securities,
with any transfer taxes thereon duly paid by the Company, to Donaldson, Lufkin &
Jenrette Securities Corporation ("DLJ") through the facilities of DTC, for the
respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment to the Company
of the Purchase Price therefor by wire transfer of Federal or other funds
immediately available in New York City. The global certificates representing the
Securities shall be made available for inspection not later than 9:30 A.M., New
York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date (as defined
below), at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the "Designated
Office"). The time and date of delivery and payment for the Securities shall be
9:00 A.M., New York City time, on May 10, 1999 or such other time on the same or
such other date as DLJ and the Company shall agree in writing. The time and date
of such delivery and payment are hereinafter referred to as the "Closing Date".

         The documents to be delivered on the Closing Date on behalf of the
parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement shall be delivered at the
offices of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP, 3400 Chase Tower, 600 Travis, Houston,
Texas 77002 and the Securities shall be delivered at the Designated Office, all
on the Closing Date.

                                        2

<PAGE>   3



         SECTION 5. Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with you:

         (a) To advise you promptly and, if requested by you, to confirm such
advice in writing, (i) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the
Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or for
additional information, (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the suspension
of qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or
the initiation of any proceeding for such purposes, (iii) when any amendment to
the Registration Statement becomes effective and (iv) of the happening of any
event during the period referred to in Section 5(d) below which makes any
statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus untrue or which requires any additions to or changes in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the Company will use its best
efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest
possible time.

         (b) To furnish to you one signed copy of the Registration Statement as
first filed with the Commission and of each amendment to it, including all
exhibits, and to furnish to you and each Underwriter designated by you such
number of conformed copies of the Registration Statement as so filed and of each
amendment to it, without exhibits, as you may reasonably request.

         (c) To prepare the Prospectus, the form and substance of which shall be
satisfactory to you (provided that it shall contain or incorporate by reference
such information as the Company reasonably determines to be necessary or
appropriate to comply with applicable securities laws), and to file the
Prospectus in such form with the Commission within the applicable period
specified in Rule 424(b) under the Act; during the period specified in Section
5(d) below, not to file any further amendment to the Registration Statement and
not to make any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus of which you shall not
previously have been advised or to which you shall reasonably object after being
so advised; and, during such period, to prepare and file with the Commission,
promptly upon your reasonable request, any amendment to the Registration
Statement or amendment or supplement to the Prospectus which may be necessary or
advisable in connection with the distribution of the Securities by you, and to
use its best efforts to cause any such amendment to the Registration Statement
to become promptly effective.

         (d) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the first business day
after the date of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter for such
period as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus is
required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or a
dealer, to furnish in New York City to each Underwriter and any dealer as many
copies of the Prospectus (and of any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus)
and any documents incorporated therein by reference as such Underwriter or
dealer may reasonably request.

         (e) If during the period specified in Section 5(d), any event shall
occur or condition shall exist as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel
for the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when
the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the
opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement
the Prospectus to comply

                                        3

<PAGE>   4



with applicable law, forthwith to prepare and file with the Commission an
appropriate amendment or supplement to the Prospectus so that the statements in
the Prospectus, as so amended or supplemented, will not in the light of the
circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus
will comply with applicable law, and to furnish to each Underwriter and to any
dealer as many copies thereof as such Underwriter or dealer may reasonably
request.

         (f) Prior to any public offering of the Securities, to cooperate with
you and counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the registration or
qualification of the Securities for offer and sale by the several Underwriters
and by dealers under the state securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions
as you may request, to continue such registration or qualification in effect so
long as required for distribution of the Securities and to file such consents to
service of process or other documents as may be necessary in order to effect
such registration or qualification; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation in
any jurisdiction in which it is not now so qualified or to take any action that
would subject it to general consent to service of process or taxation other than
as to matters and transactions relating to the Prospectus, the Registration
Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the offering or sale of the Securities,
in any jurisdiction in which it is not now so subject.

         (g) To mail and make generally available to its security holders as
soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve
months after the Closing Date (but in no event commencing later than 60 days
after the Closing Date) which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of
the Act, and to advise you in writing when such statement has been so made
available.

         (h) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are
consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all
expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement,
including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and
the Company's accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of
the Securities under the Act and all other fees and expenses in connection with
the preparation, printing, filing and distribution of the Registration Statement
(including financial statements and exhibits), any preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including
the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers in
the quantities specified herein, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the
issuance and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, including any
transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) all costs of printing or
producing this Agreement and any other agreements or documents in connection
with the offering, purchase, sale or delivery of the Securities, (iv) all
expenses in connection with the registration or qualification of the Securities
for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the several states
and all costs of printing or producing any Preliminary and Supplemental Blue Sky
Memoranda in connection therewith (including the filing fees and fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
registration or qualification and memoranda relating thereto), (v) the filing
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the
review and clearance of the offering of the Securities by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (vi) the cost of printing certificates
representing the Securities, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent,
registrar and/or depositary (including the Depository Trust Company), (viii) any
fees charged by rating agencies for the rating of the Securities, (ix) the fees
and expenses of the Trustee and the Trustee's counsel in connection with the
Indenture and the Securities and (x)



                                        4

<PAGE>   5


all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of
the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section.

         (i) Not to voluntarily claim, and to actively resist any attempts to
claim, the benefit of any usury laws against the holders of the Securities.

         (j) To use its best commercial efforts to do and perform all things
required or necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by the
Company prior to the Closing Date and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the
delivery of the Securities.

         SECTION 6. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

         (a) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act, and
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in
effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by
the Commission.

         (b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the
Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus complied or will
comply when so filed in all material respects with the requirements of the
Exchange Act, (ii) the Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not
contain, and as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain at the
time of such amendment or supplement any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in
all material respects with the requirements of the Act, and (iv) the Prospectus
does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not
contain at the time of such amendment or supplement any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this
paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished
to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use
therein.

         (c) Each preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus supplement
filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of
any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, complied
when so filed in all material respects with the requirements of the Act, and did
not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do
not apply to statements or omissions in any preliminary prospectus based upon
information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by
such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

         (d) Each of the Company and its significant subsidiaries within the
meaning of Regulation S-X (each hereinafter referred to as a "Subsidiary") has
been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the



                                        5

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corporate power and authority to carry on its business as described in the
Prospectus and to own, lease and operate its properties, and each is duly
qualified and is in good standing as a foreign corporation authorized to do
business in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or its
ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except where the
failure to be so qualified would not have a material adverse effect on the
business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company
and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

         (e) All the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have
been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and
not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

         (f) All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the
Company's Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable, and (other than the shares of Series A Preferred
Stock of El Paso Tennessee Pipeline Co. that are listed for trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, Inc.) are owned by the Company, directly or indirectly
through one or more subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest,
claim, lien, encumbrance or adverse interest of any nature (each, a "Lien").

         (g) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act"), and has been duly authorized,
and when executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, will constitute
a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance
with its terms, except as (A) the enforceability thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and
(B) rights of acceleration and the availability of equitable remedies may be
limited by equitable principles of general applicability.

         (h) The Securities have been duly authorized and, on the Closing Date,
will have been validly executed and delivered by the Company. When the
Securities have been executed and authenticated in accordance with the
provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Securities will be entitled to
the benefits of the Indenture and will be valid and binding obligations of the
Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms except as (A) the
enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally and (B) rights of acceleration and the
availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of
general applicability.

         (i) The Securities conform in all material respects as to legal matters
to the description thereof contained under the captions "Description of the
Senior Debt Securities" in the Prospectus and "Description of the Senior Notes"
in the Prospectus Supplement.

         (j) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is (i) in violation of its
respective charter or by-laws or (ii) in default in the performance of any
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan
agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to
the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any
Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or their
respective property is bound.



                                        6

<PAGE>   7


         (k) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the
Indenture and the Securities by the Company, the compliance by the Company with
all the provisions hereof and thereof and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby will not (i) require any consent, approval,
authorization or other order of, or qualification with, any court or
governmental body or agency (except such as may be required under the securities
or Blue Sky laws of the various states), (ii) conflict with or constitute a
breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a default under, the charter or
by-laws of the Company or any Subsidiary or any indenture, loan agreement,
mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to the Company
and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any Subsidiary
is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or their respective
property is bound, (iii) violate or conflict with any applicable law or any
rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court or any governmental
body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company, any Subsidiary or their
respective property, (iv) result in the imposition or creation of (or the
obligation to create or impose) a Lien under any agreement or instrument to
which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any
Subsidiary or their respective property is bound or (v) result in the
suspension, termination or revocation of any permit, license, covenant,
exemption, franchise, authorization or other approval (each an "Authorization")
of the Company or any Subsidiary or any other impairment of the rights of the
holder of any such Authorization.

         (l) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or
threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or is threatened
to be a party or to which any of their respective property is or is threatened
to be subject that would restrict the issuance and sale of the Securities as
contemplated by the Prospectus or that are required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described; nor are there
any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so described or filed as
required.

         (m) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company.

         (n) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are independent public accountants with
respect to the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the Company's knowledge,
Ernst & Young LLP and KPMG LLP are independent public accountants with respect
to Sonat Inc., each as required by the Act.

         (o) The consolidated financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or
supplement thereto), together with related schedules and notes, present fairly
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied
the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the
Company and its subsidiaries on the basis stated therein at the respective dates
or for the respective periods to which they apply; such statements and related
schedules and notes have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved,
except as disclosed therein; the supporting schedules, if any, included in the
Registration Statement present fairly in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles the information required to be stated therein; and the
other financial and statistical information and data set forth or incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment
or supplement thereto) are, in all material respects, accurately presented and
prepared on a basis consistent with such financial statements and the books and
records of the Company.



                                        7

<PAGE>   8


         (p) The pro forma financial information set forth or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any supplement
or amendment thereto) are, in all material respects, fairly presented and
prepared on a basis consistent with the historical financial statements of the
Company and its subsidiaries, give effect to assumptions used in the preparation
thereof which have been made on a reasonable basis and in good faith, and
present fairly the effects of the proposed merger with Sonat Inc., assuming that
all common stock is issued and the merger is accounted for as a pooling of
interests, or, alternatively, that common stock and depositary shares of
preferred stock are issued and the merger is accounted for as a purchase.

         (q) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described
in the Prospectus, will not be (i) an "investment company" as such term is
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or (ii) a "holding
company" within the meaning of, or subject to regulation under, the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated by the Commission thereunder.

         (r) No "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" as such
term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act has indicated to
the Company that it is considering (i) the downgrading, suspension or withdrawal
of, or any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of
the possible change in, any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of
the Company or (ii) any adverse change in the outlook for any rating of the
Company or any securities of the Company.

         (s) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Prospectus other than as set forth or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the
date of this Agreement), (i) there has not occurred any material adverse change
or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business, management or
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) there has
not been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective
material adverse change in the capital stock or in the long-term debt of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or
contingent.

         (t) Each certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered
to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters
covered thereby.

         SECTION 7. Indemnification.

         (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter,
its directors, its officers and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
and judgments (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses
incurred in connection with investigating or defending any matter, including any
action, that could give rise to any such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
judgments) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment


                                        8

<PAGE>   9



thereto), the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any
preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus supplement, or caused by any
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments are
caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or
omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished in writing
to the Company by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein;
provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to any
preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter who
failed to deliver a Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented, provided by the
Company to the several Underwriters in the requisite quantity and on a timely
basis to permit proper delivery on or prior to the Closing Date) to the person
asserting any losses, claims, damages and liabilities and judgments caused by
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
any preliminary prospectus or caused by any omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, if such material misstatement or omission
or alleged material misstatement or omission was cured in such Prospectus and
such Prospectus was required by law to be delivered at or prior to the written
confirmation of sale to such person.

         (b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify
and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, to the
same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter but
only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished in
writing to the Company by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto) or any preliminary prospectus or preliminary
prospectus supplement.

         (c) In case any action shall be commenced involving any person in
respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 7(a) or 7(b) (the
"indemnified party"), the indemnified party shall promptly notify the person
against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing
and the indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such action, including
the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party and
the payment of all fees and expenses of such counsel, as incurred (except that
in the case of any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant
to both Sections 7(a) and 7(b), the Underwriter shall not be required to assume
the defense of such action pursuant to this Section 7(c), but may employ
separate counsel and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel, except as provided below, shall be at the expense of
such Underwriter). Any indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate
counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees
and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnified party
unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been specifically
authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying party
shall have failed to assume the defense of such action or employ counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iii) the named parties to
any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified
party and the indemnifying party, and the indemnified party shall have been
advised by such counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available
to it which are different from or additional to those available to the
indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party shall not have the
right to assume the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party).
In any such case, the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one



                                        9

<PAGE>   10


action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be
liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in
addition to any local counsel) for all indemnified parties and all such fees and
expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated
in writing by DLJ, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(a),
and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(b).
The indemnifying party shall indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified party
from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments
by reason of any settlement of any action (i) effected with its written consent
or (ii) effected without its written consent if the settlement is entered into
more than thirty business days after the indemnifying party shall have received
a request from the indemnified party for reimbursement for the fees and expenses
of counsel (in any case where such fees and expenses are at the expense of the
indemnifying party) and, prior to the date of such settlement, the indemnifying
party shall have failed to comply with such reimbursement request. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
party, effect any settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of
judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action in respect of which
the indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity or
contribution may be or could have been sought hereunder by the indemnified
party, unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an
unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability on claims that
are or could have been the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not
include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to
act, by or on behalf of the indemnified party.

         (d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is
unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments (i) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering
of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 7(d)(i) above is
not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 7(d)(i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other
hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the
same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (after deducting
underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received
by the Company, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by
the Underwriters, bear to the total price to the public of the Securities, in
each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other
hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company
or the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.



                                       10

<PAGE>   11


         The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7(d) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to in the immediately
preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set
forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with investigating or defending any matter, including any action,
that could have given rise to such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
judgments. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the
public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute
pursuant to this Section 7(d) are several in proportion to the respective
principal amount of Securities purchased by each of the Underwriters hereunder
and not joint.

         (e) The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and
shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any
indemnified party at law or in equity.

         SECTION 8. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The several
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities under this Agreement
are subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:

         (a) All the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
this Agreement shall be true and correct on the Closing Date with the same force
and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date.

         (b) On or after the date hereof, (i) there shall not have occurred any
downgrading, suspension or withdrawal of, nor shall any notice have been given
of any potential or intended downgrading, suspension or withdrawal of, or of any
review (or of any potential or intended review) for a possible change that does
not indicate the direction of the possible change in, any rating of the Company
or any securities of the Company (including, without limitation, the placing of
any of the foregoing ratings on credit watch with negative or developing
implications or under review with an uncertain direction) by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization" as such term is defined for purposes
of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, (ii) there shall not have occurred any change,
nor shall any notice have been given of any potential or intended change, in the
outlook for any rating of the Company or any securities of the Company by any
such rating organization and (iii) no such rating organization shall have given
notice that it has assigned (or is considering assigning) a lower rating to the
Securities than that on which the Securities were marketed.

         (c) You shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate dated the
Closing Date, signed by an executive officer of the Company in such capacity
confirming the matters set forth in Sections 6(s), 8(a), and 8(b) and that the
Company has complied with all of the agreements and


                                       11

<PAGE>   12



satisfied all of the conditions herein contained and required to be complied
with or satisfied by the Company on or prior to the Closing Date.

         (d) You shall have received on the Closing Date (i) an opinion
(satisfactory to you and counsel for the Underwriters), dated the Closing Date,
of Andrews & Kurth L.L.P., counsel for the Company, addressing the matters set
forth on Exhibit A attached hereto, and (ii) an opinion (satisfactory to you and
counsel for the Underwriters), dated the Closing Date, of the general counsel of
the Company, addressing the matters set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto.

         (e) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion, dated the
Closing Date, of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with
respect to all such matters as you may reasonably request.

         (f) You shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing
Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in
form and substance satisfactory to you, from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP,
independent public accountants, containing the information and statements of the
type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained
in or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.

         (g) You shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing
Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in
form and substance satisfactory to you, from Ernst & Young LLP, independent
public accountants, containing the information and statements of the type
ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with
respect to certain financial information contained in or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

         (h) The Underwriters shall have received a counterpart, conformed as
executed, of the Indenture which shall have been entered into by the Company and
the Trustee.

         (i) The Company shall not have failed on or prior to the Closing Date
to perform or comply with any of the agreements herein contained and required to
be performed or complied with by the Company on or prior to the Closing Date.


         SECTION 9. Effectiveness of Agreement and Termination. This Agreement
shall become effective upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the
parties hereto. This Agreement may be terminated at any time on or prior to the
Closing Date by you by written notice to the Company if any of the following has
occurred after the execution and delivery of this Agreement: (i) any outbreak or
escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity or crisis
or change in economic conditions or in the financial markets of the United
States or elsewhere that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and, in your
judgment, makes it impracticable to market the Securities on the terms and in
the manner contemplated in the Prospectus, (ii) the suspension or material
limitation of trading in securities or other instruments on the New York Stock
Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange,
the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade or the Nasdaq
National Market or limitation on prices for securities or other instruments on
any such exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, (iii) the

                                       12

<PAGE>   13


suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the
over-the-counter market, (iv) the enactment, publication, decree or other
promulgation of any federal or state statute, regulation, rule or order of any
court or other governmental authority which in your opinion materially and
adversely affects, or will materially and adversely affect, the business,
prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (v) the declaration of a banking moratorium by
either federal or New York State authorities or (vi) the taking of any action by
any federal, state or local government or agency in respect of its monetary or
fiscal affairs which in your opinion has a material adverse effect on the
financial markets in the United States.

         If on the Closing Date any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail
or refuse to purchase the Securities which it or they have agreed to purchase
hereunder on such date and the aggregate principal amount of Securities which
such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to
purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of
Securities to be purchased on such date by all Underwriters, each non-defaulting
Underwriter shall be obligated severally, in the proportion which the principal
amount of Securities set forth opposite its name in Schedule I bears to the
aggregate principal amount of Securities which all the non-defaulting
Underwriters have agreed to purchase, or in such other proportion as you may
specify, to purchase the Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided
that in no event shall the aggregate principal amount of Securities which any
Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof be increased
pursuant to this Section 9 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such principal
amount of Securities without the written consent of such Underwriter. If on the
Closing Date any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase
Securities and the aggregate principal amount of Securities with respect to
which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal
amount of Securities to be purchased by all Underwriters and arrangements
satisfactory to you and the Company for purchase of such Securities are not made
within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without
liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter and the Company. In any
such case which does not result in termination of this Agreement, either you or
the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event
for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements
may be effected. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any
defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of any such
Underwriter under this Agreement.

         SECTION 10. Miscellaneous. Notices given pursuant to any provision of
this Agreement shall be addressed as follows: (i) if to the Company, to El Paso
Energy Corporation, El Paso Energy Building, 1001 Louisiana, Houston, Texas
77002, Attention: Britton White, Jr., and (ii) if to any Underwriter or to you,
to you c/o Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation, 277 Park Avenue,
New York, New York 10172, Attention: Syndicate Department, or in any case to
such other address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing.

         The respective indemnities, contribution agreements, representations,
warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters set
forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement shall remain operative and in full
force and effect, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities,
regardless of (i) any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof,
made by


                                       13

<PAGE>   14


or on behalf of any Underwriter, the officers or directors of any Underwriter,
any person controlling any Underwriter, the Company, the officers or directors
of the Company or any person controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of the
Securities and payment for them hereunder and (iii) termination of this
Agreement.

         If for any reason the Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of
the Company as provided herein (other than as a result of any termination of
this Agreement pursuant to Section 9), the Company agrees to reimburse the
several Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and
disbursements of counsel) incurred by them. Notwithstanding any termination of
this Agreement, the Company shall be liable for all expenses which it has agreed
to pay pursuant to Section 5(h) hereof. The Company also agrees to reimburse the
several Underwriters, their directors and officers and any persons controlling
any of the Underwriters for any and all fees and expenses (including, without
limitation, the fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by them in
connection with enforcing their rights hereunder (including, without limitation,
pursuant to Section 7 hereof).

         Except as otherwise provided, this Agreement has been and is made
solely for the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Company, the
Underwriters, the Underwriters' directors and officers, any controlling persons
referred to herein, the Company's directors and the Company's officers who sign
the Registration Statement and their respective successors and assigns, all as
and to the extent provided in this Agreement, and no other person shall acquire
or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term "successors and
assigns" shall not include a purchaser of any of the Securities from any of the
several Underwriters merely because of such purchase.

         This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York.

         This Agreement may be signed in various counterparts which together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.


                                       14

<PAGE>   15



         Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement
between the Company and the several Underwriters.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION


                                        By:      /s/ H. Brent Austin
                                           ----------------------------------
                                        Name:  H. Brent Austin
                                             --------------------------------
                                        Title: Executive Vice President and
                                              -------------------------------
                                                Chief Financial Officer
                                              -------------------------------


DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
   SECURITIES CORPORATION
ABN AMRO INCORPORATED
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES LLC

By:  DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
      SECURITIES CORPORATION

         By:    /s/ Paul A. Davis
            ------------------------
         Name:  Paul A. Davis    
              ----------------------
         Title: Vice President   
               ---------------------


                                       15

<PAGE>   16



                                   SCHEDULE I



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   Principal Amount of
         Underwriters                           Securities to be Purchased
         ------------                           --------------------------
<S>                                             <C>         
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
   Securities Corporation                               $251,000,000
ABN AMRO Incorporated                                     83,000,000
Chase Securities Inc.                                     83,000,000
NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC                     83,000,000
                                                        ------------

                                       Total            $500,000,000
</TABLE>




                                       16

<PAGE>   17



                                    EXHIBIT A

                        OPINION OF ANDREWS & KURTH L.L.P.
                             Counsel for the Company


         The opinion of counsel for the Company pursuant to Section 8(d) of the
Underwriting Agreement shall be to the effect that:

1.       The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and no
         stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
         is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before
         or, to such counsel's knowledge, threatened by the Commission.

2.       (A) Each document, if any, filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and
         incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (except for financial
         statements and schedules and other financial or statistical data
         included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom as
         to which such counsel need not express any opinion) appeared on its
         face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects with the
         requirements of the Exchange Act and (B) the Registration Statement and
         Prospectus (except for financial statements and schedules and other
         financial or statistical data included or incorporated by reference
         therein or omitted therefrom as to which such counsel need not express
         any opinion) appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in
         all material respects with the requirements of the Act.

3.       The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
         delivered by the Company.

4.       The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of
         the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described
         in the Prospectus, will not be, (i) an "investment company" as such
         term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended or
         (ii) a "holding company" within the meaning of, or subject to
         regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as
         amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the commission
         thereunder.

5.       The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and
         has been authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and
         constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company,
         enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as (a) the enforcement
         thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
         moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or transfer or other similar laws
         relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and (b) rights of
         acceleration and the availability of equitable remedies may be limited
         by equitable principles of general applicability.

6.       The Securities have been duly authorized, and when executed and
         authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and
         delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the
         terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be entitled to the benefits
         of the Indenture and will be valid and binding obligations of the
         Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as (a) the
         enforcement thereof may be limited by


                                        
                                       i

<PAGE>   18



         bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors' rights
         generally and (b) rights of acceleration and the availability of
         equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general
         applicability.

7.       The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by
         the Company of its obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement will
         not violate any provision of applicable United States federal law, New
         York law, or the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the Certificate
         of Incorporation, as amended, or By-Laws, as amended, of the Company or
         any Subsidiary.

8.       No consent, approval, authorization or order of or qualification with
         any United States federal, New York or (with respect to matters arising
         under the Delaware General Corporation Law) Delaware body or agency is
         required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under
         the Underwriting Agreement, except such (i) as may be required under
         the Act, (ii) which have been obtained, or (iii) as may be required
         under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in
         connection with the offer and sale of the Securities, as to which such
         counsel need not express any opinion, or except where failure to obtain
         such consent, approval, authorization, order or qualification would not
         have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial
         condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries,
         taken as a whole.

9.       The statements (A) in the Prospectus under the captions "Description of
         the Senior Notes" and "Description of the Senior Debt Securities" and
         (B) in the Registration Statement under Item 15, insofar as such
         statements constitute a summary of the legal matters referred to
         therein, fairly present the information disclosed therein in all
         material respects.

         In addition, such counsel shall state that, in the course of the
preparation by the Company of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the
Prospectus Supplement (including the documents incorporated by reference
therein), such counsel participated in conferences with certain of the officers
and representatives of the Company, the Company's independent accountants, the
Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters at which the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement were discussed. Such
counsel shall state that, between the date of effectiveness of the Registration
Statement and the time of delivery of such counsel's opinion letter, such
counsel participated in additional conferences with certain officers and
representatives of the Company and the Company's independent accountants at
which portions of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus
Supplement were discussed. Given the limitations inherent in the independent
verification of factual matters and the character of determinations involved in
the registration process, such counsel does not pass upon and need not assume
any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Prospectus
Supplement, except as specifically described in the opinion in paragraphs 2 and
9 above. Subject to the foregoing and on the basis of the information such
counsel gained in the performance of the services referred to above, including
information obtained from officers and other representatives of the Company and
the Company's independent accountants, such counsel shall state that no facts
have come to such counsel's attention that have caused it to believe that the
Registration Statement, at the time it became effective, contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be



                                       ii

<PAGE>   19



stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading, or that the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, as of their
respective dates, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. Also, subject to the foregoing, such counsel shall state
that no facts have come to its attention in the course of the proceedings
described in the first and second sentences of this paragraph that caused such
counsel to believe that the Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement as of the
date and time of delivery of such counsel's opinion letter contains any untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

         With respect to the preceding paragraph, counsel may state that (A)
their opinion and belief is based upon their participation in the preparation of
the Registration Statement and Prospectus and any amendments or supplements
thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without
independent check or certification, except as specified and (B) for purposes of
paragraphs 7 and 8, such counsel may state (i) that it has reviewed only those
statutes, rules and regulations that in its experience are applicable to
transactions of the type contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and (ii)
that it does not hold itself out as experts in the regulation of the generation,
transportation, distribution or delivery of electricity or electrical services,
or the import or export of electricity or electrical services.

         Such counsel need express no view, opinion or belief, however, with
respect to financial statements, schedules or notes thereto or other financial
or statistical data included or incorporated by reference in or omitted from the
Registration Statement or Prospectus.

         Such counsel may state that the opinions expressed above are limited to
the federal laws of the United States, the laws of the State of New York, and
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.


                                       iii

<PAGE>   20



                                    EXHIBIT B

                          OPINION OF BRITTON WHITE, JR.
                         General Counsel for the Company

         The opinion of the General Counsel for the Company pursuant to Section
8(d) of the Underwriting Agreement shall be to the effect that:

1.       Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated, is
         validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
         its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the corporate power and
         authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
         business as described in the Prospectus, and each is duly qualified as
         a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in
         each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership
         or leasing of property requires such qualification, except where the
         failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not have a
         material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition
         or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
         a whole.

2.       The execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement,
         the Indenture and the Securities by the Company, the compliance by the
         Company with all the provisions thereof and the consummation of the
         transactions contemplated thereby will not, to such counsel's
         knowledge, (i) violate any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease
         or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary
         is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or their
         respective property is bound or (ii) violate or conflict with any
         judgment, order or decree of any court or any governmental body or
         agency having jurisdiction over the Company, any Subsidiary or their
         respective property, except in each case, for such violations as would
         not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects,
         financial condition or results of operation of the Company and its
         subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

3.       To such counsel's knowledge after due inquiry, there are no legal or
         governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or
         any Subsidiary is or is threatened to be a party or to which any of
         their respective property is or is threatened to be subject that are
         required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
         Prospectus and are not so described; nor does such counsel know of any
         statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required
         to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to
         be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so
         described or filed as required.

4.       (A) Each document, if any, filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and
         incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (except for financial
         statements and schedules and other financial or statistical data
         included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom as
         to which such counsel need not express any opinion) appeared on its
         face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects with the
         Exchange Act and (B) the Registration Statement and Prospectus (except
         for financial statements and schedules and other financial or
         statistical data included or incorporated by reference therein or
         omitted therefrom as to which such



                                        i

<PAGE>   21



         counsel need not express any opinion) appeared on their face to be
         appropriately responsive in all material respects with the requirements
         of the Act.

5.       The statements under (A) the caption "Item 3 - Legal Proceedings" of
         the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K incorporated by
         reference into the Prospectus and (B) the caption "Item 1 - Legal
         Proceedings" of Part II of the Company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q
         filed since such annual report, if any, in each case insofar as such
         statements constitute summaries of the legal matters, documents or
         proceedings referred to therein, fairly present as of the date of the
         applicable report the information disclosed therein in all material
         respects.

6.       (A) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance
         by the Company of its obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement
         will not violate any provisions of any applicable laws and regulations
         specifically governing the generation, transportation, distribution or
         delivery of natural gas, oil, electricity or other related commodities
         or services, including pipelines, transmission lines, storage
         facilities and related facilities and equipment, or the import or
         export of such commodities or services (collectively, the "Energy
         Industry") and (B) no consent, approval, authorization or order of or
         qualification with any United States federal body or agency
         specifically regulating the Energy Industry is required for the
         performance by the Company of its obligations under the Underwriting
         Agreement, except in each of the foregoing cases for such violations or
         failures to obtain such consent, approval, authorization, order or
         qualification as would not have a material adverse effect on the
         business, prospects, financial condition or results of operation of the
         Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

         In addition, such counsel shall state that in the course of the
preparation by the Company of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the
Prospectus Supplement, such counsel participated in conferences with certain of
the officers and representatives of the Company, counsel to the Company, the
Company's independent accountants, the Underwriters and counsel for the
Underwriters at which the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the
Prospectus Supplement were discussed. Such counsel shall state that, between the
date of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and the time of delivery of
such counsel's letter, such counsel participated in additional conferences with
certain officers and representatives of the Company, counsel to the Company and
the Company's independent accountants at which portions of the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement were discussed. Given
the limitations inherent in the independent verification of factual matters and
the character of determinations involved in the registration process, such
counsel does not pass upon and need not assume any responsibility for the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement, except as
specifically described in paragraphs 4 and 5 above. Subject to the foregoing and
on the basis of the information such counsel gained in the performance of the
services referred to above and in the performance of his duties as General
Counsel of the Company, as well as information obtained from officers and other
representatives of the Company and the Company's independent accountants, such
counsel shall state that no facts have come to such counsel's attention that
have caused him to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time it
became effective, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus and the
Prospectus Supplement, as of their respective dates,



                                       ii

<PAGE>   22


contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. Also, subject to the foregoing, no facts have come to such counsel's
attention in the course of the proceedings described in the first and second
sentences of this paragraph that caused him to believe that the Prospectus or
the Prospectus Supplement as of the date and time of delivery of such counsel's
letter contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading.

         Such counsel need express no view, opinion or belief, however, with
respect to financial statements, schedules or notes thereto or other financial
or statistical data included or incorporated by reference in or omitted from the
Registration Statement or Prospectus.



                                       iii




<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1

================================================================================


                           EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION

                                       TO

                            THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
                                            TRUSTEE




                         ------------------------------

                                   INDENTURE

                            DATED AS OF MAY 10, 1999




                         ------------------------------

                             SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES


                         ------------------------------


================================================================================

<PAGE>   2


                           EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION

                 CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THIS INDENTURE RELATING TO
                  SECTIONS 310 THROUGH 318, INCLUSIVE, OF THE
                          TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939:



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Trust Indenture                                      Indenture Section
 Act Section
<S>                                                  <C>
Section 310(a)(1) ................................               6.9
           (a)(2) ................................               6.9
           (a)(3) ................................    Not Applicable
           (a)(4) ................................    Not Applicable
           (b) ...................................         6.8; 6.10
Section 311(a) ...................................              6.13
           (b) ...................................              6.13
Section 312(a) ...................................          7.1; 7.2
           (b) ...................................               7.2
           (c) ...................................               7.2
Section 313(a) ...................................               7.3
           (b) ...................................               7.3
           (c) ...................................               7.3
           (d) ...................................               7.3
Section 314(a) ...................................               7.4
           (a)(4) ................................         1.4; 10.4
           (b) ...................................    Not Applicable
           (c)(1) ................................               1.1
           (c)(2) ................................          1.1; 1.2
           (c)(3) ................................    Not Applicable
           (d) ...................................    Not Applicable
           (e) ...................................               1.2
Section 315(a) ...................................               6.1
           (b) ...................................               6.2
           (c) ...................................               6.1
           (d) ...................................               6.1
           (e) ...................................              5.14
Section 316(a) ...................................               1.1
           (a)(1)(A) .............................         5.2; 5.12
           (a)(1)(B) .............................              5.13
           (a)(2) ................................    Not Applicable
           (b) ...................................               5.8
           (c) ...................................               1.4
           (Section) 317(a)(1) ...................               5.3
</TABLE>


                                      -i-
<PAGE>   3

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                             <C>
Trust Indenture                                      Indenture Section
 Act Section
           (a)(2) ................................               5.4
           (b) ...................................              10.3
Section 318(a) ...................................               1.7
</TABLE>


- ---------------------

NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a
part of the Indenture.


                                     -ii-
<PAGE>   4



                                 TABLE OF CONTENTS


<TABLE>
<S>      <C>                                                                     <C>
PARTIES .........................................................................     1

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY .........................................................     1

ARTICLE ONE

         DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION ................     1
         SECTION 101.  Definitions ..............................................     1
         SECTION 102.  Compliance Certificates and Opinions .....................     9
         SECTION 103.  Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee ...................    10
         SECTION 104.  Acts of Holders; Record Dates ............................    10
         SECTION 105.  Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company ....................    11
         SECTION 106.  Notice to Holders; Waiver ................................    12
         SECTION 107.  Conflict with Trust Indenture Act ........................    12
         SECTION 108.  Effect of Headings and Table of Contents .................    12
         SECTION 109.  Successors and Assigns ...................................    13
         SECTION 110.  Separability Clause ......................................    13
         SECTION 111.  Benefits of Indenture ....................................    13
         SECTION 112.  Governing Law ............................................    13
         SECTION 113.  Legal Holidays ...........................................    13
         SECTION 114.  Language of Notices, Etc .................................    13
         SECTION 115.  Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of
                       the Company Exempt from Individual Liability .............    14

ARTICLE TWO

         SECURITY FORMS .........................................................    14
         SECTION 201.  Forms Generally ..........................................    14
         SECTION 202.  Form of Face of Security .................................    14
         SECTION 203.  Form of Reverse of Security ..............................    17
         SECTION 204.  Global Securities ........................................    22
         SECTION 205.  Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication ..........    23

ARTICLE THREE

         THE SECURITIES .........................................................    23
         SECTION 301.  Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series .....................    23
         SECTION 302.  Denominations ............................................    26
         SECTION 303.  Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating ...........    26
         SECTION 304.  Temporary Securities .....................................    28
</TABLE>


                                     -iii-
<PAGE>   5


<TABLE>
<S>      <C>                                                                         <C>
         SECTION 305.  Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange ......    28
         SECTION 306.  Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities .........    30
         SECTION 307.  Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved ...........    31
         SECTION 308.  Persons Deemed Owners ....................................    32
         SECTION 309.  Cancellation .............................................    32
         SECTION 310.  Computation of Interest ..................................    33
         SECTION 311.  CUSIP Numbers ............................................    33

ARTICLE FOUR

         SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE .............................................    33
         SECTION 401.  Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture ..................    33
         SECTION 402.  Application of Trust Money ...............................    34

ARTICLE FIVE

         REMEDIES ...............................................................    35
         SECTION 501.  Events of Default ........................................    35
         SECTION 502.  Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment .......    36
         SECTION 503.  Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by
                       Trustee ..................................................    37
         SECTION 504.  Trustee May File Proofs of Claim .........................    37
         SECTION 505.  Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of 
                       Securities ...............................................    38
         SECTION 506.  Application of Money Collected ...........................    38
         SECTION 507.  Limitation on Suits ......................................    38
         SECTION 508.  Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal,
                       Premium and Interest .....................................    39
         SECTION 509.  Restoration of Rights and Remedies .......................    39
         SECTION 510.  Rights and Remedies Cumulative ...........................    40
         SECTION 511.  Delay or Omission Not Waiver .............................    40
         SECTION 512.  Control by Holders .......................................    40
         SECTION 513.  Waiver of Past Defaults ..................................    40
         SECTION 514.  Undertaking for Costs ....................................    41
         SECTION 515.  Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws ..................    41

ARTICLE SIX

         THE TRUSTEE ............................................................    41
         SECTION 601.  Certain Duties and Responsibilities ......................    41
         SECTION 602.  Notice of Defaults .......................................    42
         SECTION 603.  Certain Rights of Trustee ................................    42
         SECTION 604.  Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities....    43
         SECTION 605.  May Hold Securities ......................................    43
         SECTION 606.  Money Held in Trust ......................................    43
</TABLE>


                                     -iv-
<PAGE>   6

<TABLE>
<S>      <C>                                                                        <C>
         SECTION 607.  Compensation and Reimbursement ...........................    44
         SECTION 608.  Disqualification; Conflicting Interests ..................    44
         SECTION 609.  Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility ..................    45
         SECTION 610.  Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor ........    45
         SECTION 611.  Acceptance of Appointment by Successor ...................    46
         SECTION 612.  Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to
                       Business .................................................    47
         SECTION 613.  Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company ........    48
         SECTION 614.  Appointment of Authenticating Agent ......................    48

ARTICLE SEVEN

         HOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY .......................   49
         SECTION 701.  Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of 
                       Holders ..................................................    49
         SECTION 702.  Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders ...    50
         SECTION 703.  Reports by Trustee .......................................    50
         SECTION 704.  Reports by Company .......................................    51

ARTICLE EIGHT

         CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE ...................    51
         SECTION 801.  Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms .....    51
         SECTION 802.  Successor Substituted ....................................    52

ARTICLE NINE

         SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES ................................................    52
         SECTION 901.  Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders .......    52
         SECTION 902.  Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders ..........    53
         SECTION 903.  Execution of Supplemental Indentures .....................    54
         SECTION 904.  Effect of Supplemental Indentures ........................    54
         SECTION 905.  Conformity with Trust Indenture Act ......................    55
         SECTION 906.  Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures .......    55

ARTICLE TEN

         COVENANTS ..............................................................    55
         SECTION 1001. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest ...............    55
         SECTION 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency ..........................    55
         SECTION 1003. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust ........    56
         SECTION 1004. Statement by Officers as to Default ......................    57
         SECTION 1005. Existence ................................................    57
         SECTION 1006. Limitations on Liens .....................................    57
         SECTION 1007. Restriction of Sale-Leaseback Transaction ................    59
</TABLE>


                                      -v-
<PAGE>   7


<TABLE>
<S>      <C>                                                                         <C>
         SECTION 1008. Waiver of Certain Covenants ..............................    60

ARTICLE ELEVEN

         REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES ...............................................    61
         SECTION 1101. Applicability of Article .................................    61
         SECTION 1102. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee ....................    61
         SECTION 1103. Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed ........    61
         SECTION 1104. Notice of Redemption .....................................    62
         SECTION 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price ..............................    62
         SECTION 1106. Securities Payable on Redemption Date ....................    62
         SECTION 1107. Securities Redeemed in Part ..............................    63

ARTICLE TWELVE

         SINKING FUNDS ..........................................................    63
         SECTION 1201. Applicability of Article .................................    63
         SECTION 1202. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities ....    64
         SECTION 1203. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund ................    64

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

         DEFEASANCE .............................................................    64
         SECTION 1301. Applicability of Article .................................    64
         SECTION 1302. Legal Defeasance .........................................    64
         SECTION 1303. Covenant Defeasance ......................................    66
         SECTION 1304. Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of 
                       Securities ...............................................    67
         SECTION 1305. Repayment to Company .....................................    67
</TABLE>


NOTE:  This Table of Contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part
       of the Indenture.


                                     -vi-
<PAGE>   8



         INDENTURE dated as of May 10, 1999, between EL PASO ENERGY
CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of
Delaware (the "Company"), having its principal office at the El Paso Energy
Building, 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, and THE CHASE MANHATTAN
BANK, a New York banking corporation, as Trustee (the "Trustee").

                              RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

         The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this
Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured
debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (the "Securities"), to be
issued in one or more series as in this Indenture provided.

         All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the
Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

         This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act
that are required to be a part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable,
shall be governed by such provisions.

         NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

         For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the
Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and
proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series
thereof, as follows:

                                  ARTICLE ONE

            DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

SECTION 101. Definitions.

         For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly
provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

                  (1) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings
assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the
singular;

                  (2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the
Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings
assigned to them therein;

                  (3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have
the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term
"generally accepted accounting principles" with respect to any computation
required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are
generally accepted in the United States at the date of such computation;



                                      -1-
<PAGE>   9

                  
                  (4) the words "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" and other
words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any
particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

                  (5) the words "Article" and "Section" refer to an Article and
Section, respectively, of this Indenture.

         "Act", when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified
in Section 104.

         "Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.

         "Authenticating Agent" means any Person authorized by the Trustee
pursuant to Section 614 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate
Securities of one or more series.

         "Authorized Newspaper" means a newspaper, in the English language or
in an official language of the country of publication, customarily published on
each Business Day, whether or not published on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays,
and of general circulation in the place in connection with which the term is
used or in the financial community of such place.

         "Bankruptcy Law" means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or
state law for the relief of debtors.

         "Board of Directors" means the board of directors of the Company, or
the executive or any other committee of that board duly authorized to act in
respect thereof.

         "Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by the
Corporate Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, the principal
financial officer of the Company or any other authorized officer of the Company
or a person duly authorized by any of them, to have been duly adopted by the
Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such
certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

         "Business Day", when used with respect to any Place of Payment or
other location, means, except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section
301 with respect to any series of Securities, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in that
Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law,
executive order or regulation to close.



                                      -2-
<PAGE>   10

         "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from
time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act or, if at any time
after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and
performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then
the body performing such duties at such time.

         "Company" means the Person named as the "Company" in the first
paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such
pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter
"Company" shall mean such successor Person.

         "Company Request" or "Company Order" means a written request or order
signed in the name of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief
Executive Officer, its President, any of its Vice Presidents or any other
authorized officer of the Company or a person duly authorized by any of them,
and delivered to the Trustee.

         "Consolidated Net Tangible Assets" means, at any date of
determination, the total amount of assets after deducting therefrom (i) all
current liabilities (excluding (A) any current liabilities that by their terms
are extendable or renewable at the option of the obligor thereon to a time more
than 12 months after the time as of which the amount thereof is being computed,
and (B) current maturities of long-term debt), and (ii) the value (net of any
applicable reserves) of all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents and
other like intangible assets, all as set forth on the consolidated balance
sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the Company's most
recently completed fiscal quarter, prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles.

         "Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Trustee at which at
any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally
administered, which at the date hereof is 450 West 33rd Street, New York, NY
10001.

         "corporation" includes corporations, associations, partnerships,
limited liability companies, joint-stock companies and business trusts.

         "covenant defeasance" has the meaning specified in Section 1303.

         "Custodian" means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or
similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

         "Debt" means any obligation created or assumed by any Person for the
repayment of money borrowed and any purchase money obligation created or
assumed by such Person.

         "Default" means, with respect to a series of Securities, any event
which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of
Default with respect to Securities of such series.

         "Defaulted Interest" has the meaning specified in Section 307.



                                      -3-
<PAGE>   11

         "defeasance" has the meaning specified in Section 1302.

         "Definitive Security" means a Security other than a Global Security or
a temporary Security.

         "Depositary" means, with respect to Securities of any series issuable
in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, a clearing
agency registered under the Exchange Act that is designated to act as
Depositary for such Securities as contemplated by Section 301, until a
successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable
provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter shall mean or include each Person
which is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one
such Person, shall be a collective reference to such Persons.

         "Dollar" or "$" means the coin or currency of the United States of
America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and
private debts.

         "Event of Default" has the meaning specified in Section 501.

         "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
from time to time, and any statute successor thereto.

         "Funded Debt" means all Debt maturing one year or more from the date
of the creation thereof, all Debt directly or indirectly renewable or
extendible, at the option of the debtor, by its terms or by the terms of any
instrument or agreement relating thereto, to a date one year or more from the
date of the creation thereof, and all Debt under a revolving credit or similar
agreement obligating the lender or lenders to extend credit over a period of
one year or more.

         "Global Security" means a Security in global form that evidences all
or part of the Securities of any series and is authenticated and delivered to,
and registered in the name of, the Depositary for such Securities or a nominee
thereof.

         "Holder" means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the
Security Register.

         "Indenture" means this instrument as originally executed or as it may
from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures
supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof,
including, for all purposes of this instrument, and any such supplemental
indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a
part of and govern this instrument and any such supplemental indenture,
respectively. The term "Indenture" also shall include the terms of particular
series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 301.

         "interest", when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount
Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest
payable after Maturity.



                                      -4-
<PAGE>   12

         "Interest Payment Date", when used with respect to any Security, means
the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

         "Lien" means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, charge, lien or
other encumbrance of any kind, whether or not filed, recorded or perfected
under applicable law.

         "Maturity", when used with respect to any Security, means the date on
which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due
and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by
declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.

         "Notice of Default" means a written notice of the kind specified in
Section 501(3).

         "Officer's Certificate" means a certificate signed by the Chairman of
the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President or
any other authorized officer of the Company or a person duly authorized by any
of them, and delivered to the Trustee. The officer signing an Officer's
Certificate given pursuant to Section 1004 shall be the principal executive,
financial or accounting officer of the Company.

         "Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion of legal counsel, who may
be an employee of or counsel for the Company and who shall be reasonably
acceptable to the Trustee.

         "Original Issue Discount Security" means any Security which provides
for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and
payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to
Section 502.

         "Outstanding", when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the
date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered
under this Indenture, except:

                  (1) Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or
delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

                  (2) Securities for whose payment or redemption money in the
necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying
Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by
the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders
of such Securities; provided, however, that, if such Securities are to be
redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this
Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

                  (3) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 306
or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated
and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in
respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee 



                                      -5-
<PAGE>   13

proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser
in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company; and

                  (4) Securities, except to the extent provided in Sections
1302 and 1303, with respect to which the Company has effected defeasance or
covenant defeasance as provided in Article Thirteen.

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, (A) the
principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to
be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due
and payable as of the date of such determination upon acceleration of the
Maturity thereof on such date pursuant to Section 502, (B) the principal amount
of a Security denominated in one or more currencies or currency units other
than U.S. dollars shall be the U.S. dollar equivalent of such currencies or
currency units, determined in the manner provided as contemplated by Section
301 on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount
(or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the U.S. dollar
equivalent (as so determined) on the date of original issuance of such Security
of the amount determined as provided in Clause (A) above) of such Security, and
(C) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or
any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and
deemed not to be outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee
shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which the Trustee knows
to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned as described in
Clause (C) above which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as
Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the
pledgee's right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee
is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of
the Company or of such other obligor.

         "Paying Agent" means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the
principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities on behalf of the
Company.

         "Periodic Offering" means an offering of Securities of a series from
time to time, the specific terms of which Securities, including, without
limitation, the rate or rates of interest or formula for determining the rate
or rates of interest thereon, if any, the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities
thereof, the original issue date or dates thereof, the redemption provisions,
if any, with respect thereto, and any other terms specified as contemplated by
Section 301 with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Company upon the
issuance of such Securities.

         "Permitted Liens" means (i) Liens upon rights-of-way for pipeline
purposes; (ii) any governmental Lien, mechanics', materialmen's, carriers' or
similar Lien incurred in the ordinary course of business which is not yet due
or which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and any
undetermined Lien which is incidental to construction; (iii) the right reserved
to, or vested in, any municipality or public authority by the terms of any
right, power, franchise,



                                      -6-
<PAGE>   14

grant, license, permit or by any provision of law, to purchase or recapture or
to designate a purchaser of, any property; (iv) Liens of taxes and assessments
which are (A) for the then current year, (B) not at the time delinquent, or (C)
delinquent but the validity of which is being contested at the time by the
Company or any Subsidiary in good faith; (v) Liens of, or to secure performance
of, leases; (vi) any Lien upon, or deposits of, any assets in favor of any
surety company or clerk of court for the purpose of obtaining indemnity or stay
of judicial proceedings; (vii) any Lien upon property or assets acquired or
sold by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary resulting from the exercise of
any rights arising out of defaults on receivables; (viii) any Lien incurred in
the ordinary course of business in connection with workmen's compensation,
unemployment insurance, temporary disability, social security, retiree health
or similar laws or regulations or to secure obligations imposed by statute or
governmental regulations; (ix) any Lien upon any property or assets in
accordance with customary banking practice to secure any Debt incurred by the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the exporting of goods
to, or between, or the marketing of goods in, or the importing of goods from,
foreign countries; or (x) any Lien in favor of the United States of America or
any state thereof, or any other country, or any political subdivision of any of
the foregoing, to secure partial, progress, advance, or other payments pursuant
to any contract or statute, or any Lien securing industrial development,
pollution control, or similar revenue bonds.

         "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint
venture, limited liability company, association, joint-stock company, trust,
other entity, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or
political subdivision thereof.

         "Place of Payment", when used with respect to the Securities of any
series, means, unless otherwise specifically provided for with respect to such
series as contemplated by Section 301, the office or agency of the Company in
The City of New York and such other place or places where, subject to the
provisions of Section 1002, the principal of and any premium and interest on
the Securities of that series are payable as specified as contemplated by
Section 301.

         "Predecessor Security" of any particular Security means every previous
Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such
particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security
authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in exchange for or in lieu of a
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the
same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.

         "Principal Property" means (a) any pipeline assets of the Company or
any Subsidiary, including any related facilities employed in the
transportation, distribution or marketing of natural gas, that is located in
the United States or Canada, and (b) any processing or manufacturing plant
owned or leased by the Company or any Subsidiary and located within the United
States or Canada, except, in the case of either clause (a) or (b), any such
assets or plant which, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, is not
material in relation to the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries as a
whole.



                                      -7-
<PAGE>   15

         "Redemption Date", when used with respect to any Security to be
redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this
Indenture.

         "Redemption Price", when used with respect to any Security to be
redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this
Indenture.

         "Regular Record Date" for the interest payable on any Interest Payment
Date on the Securities of any series means the date specified for that purpose
as contemplated by Section 301.

         "Restricted Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary of the Company owning or
leasing any Principal Property.

         "Sale-Leaseback Transaction" means the sale or transfer by the Company
or any Restricted Subsidiary of any Principal Property to a Person (other than
the Company or a Subsidiary) and the taking back by the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, of a lease of such Principal
Property.

         "Securities" has the meaning stated in the first recital of this
Indenture and more particularly means any Securities authenticated and
delivered under this Indenture.

         "Security Register" and "Security Registrar" have the respective
meanings specified in Section 305.

         "Special Record Date" for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means
a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 307.

         "Stated Maturity", when used with respect to any Security or any
installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified
in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or
such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.

         "Subsidiary" means a corporation more than 50% of the outstanding
voting stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by
one or more other Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more other
Subsidiaries. For the purposes of this definition, "voting stock" means stock
which ordinarily has voting power for the election of directors, whether at all
times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power by
reason of any contingency.

         "Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in
force at the date as of which this instrument was executed, except as otherwise
provided in Section 905; provided, however, that if the Trust Indenture Act of
1939 is amended after such date, "Trust Indenture Act" means, to the extent
required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.



                                      -8-
<PAGE>   16

         "Trustee" means the Person named as the "Trustee" in the first
paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such
pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter
"Trustee" shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder,
and if at any time there is more than one such Person, "Trustee" as used with
respect to the Securities of any series shall mean each Trustee with respect to
Securities of that series.

         "U.S. Government Obligations" means securities which are (i) direct
obligations of the United States for the payment of which its full faith and
credit is pledged, or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by
and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States, the payment of
which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by
the United States, each of which are not callable or redeemable at the option
of the issuer thereof.

         "Vice President", when used with respect to the Company or Trustee,
means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or
words added before or after the title "vice president".

SECTION 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions.

         Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take
any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to
the Trustee such certificates or opinions as may be required under the Trust
Indenture Act. Each such certificate or opinion shall be given in the form of
an Officer's Certificate, if to be given by an officer of the Company, or an
Opinion of Counsel, if to be given by counsel, and shall comply with the
requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and any other requirements set forth in
this Indenture.

         Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (except for certificates
provided for in Section 1004) shall include:

                  (1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate
or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein
relating thereto;

                  (2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in
such certificate or opinion are based;

                  (3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual,
he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to
express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has
been complied with; and

                  (4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.



                                      -9-
<PAGE>   17

SECTION 103. Form Of Documents Delivered To Trustee.

         In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or
covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all
such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such
Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one
such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one
or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify
or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

         Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based,
insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of
reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations
with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are
erroneous. Any such certificate or opinion of counsel may be based, insofar as
it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the
information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the
Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care
should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to
such matters are erroneous.

         Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more
applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other
instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and
form one instrument.

SECTION 104. Acts Of Holders; Record Dates.

         Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver
or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given or taken by
Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of
substantially similar tenor signed (either physically or by means of a
facsimile or an electronic transmission, provided that such electronic
transmission is transmitted through the facilities of a Depositary) by such
Holders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein
otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such
instrument or instruments are delivered (either physically or by means of a
facsimile or an electronic transmission, provided that such electronic
transmission is transmitted through the facilities of a Depositary) to the
Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such
instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced
thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the "Act" of the Holders signing
such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of
a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this
Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in
favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this
Section.

         The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such
instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such
execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other 



                                     -10-
<PAGE>   18

officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the
individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution
thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than
his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute
sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any
such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same,
may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

         The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Securities held
by any Person, and the date of commencement of such Person's holding the same,
shall be proved by the Security Register.

         Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver
or other action of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of
the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration
of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of
anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in
reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such
Security.

         Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to give or
take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Security may do so with
regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Security or by one or
more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment
with regard to all or any different part of such principal amount.

         The Company may set any day as the record date for the purpose of
determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to
give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given or
taken by Holders of Securities of such series, but the Company shall have no
obligation to do so. With regard to any record date set pursuant to this
paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on such
record date (or their duly appointed agents), and only such Persons, shall be
entitled to give or take the relevant action, whether or not such Holders
remain Holders after such record date.

SECTION 105. Notices, Etc., To Trustee And Company.

         Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver
or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to
be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

                  (1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be
sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in
writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention: Capital
Trust Fiduciary Services, or

                  (2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be
sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly
provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class



                                     -11-
<PAGE>   19

postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to it at 1001 Louisiana Street,
Houston, Texas 77002, to the attention of the Corporate Secretary, or at any
other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

SECTION 106. Notice To Holders; Waiver.

         Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, such
notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided)
if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid (if international mail,
by air mail), to each Holder affected by such event, at his address as it
appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date (if any), and
not earlier than the earliest date (if any), prescribed for the giving of such
notice. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the
failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any
particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to
other Holders. Any notice mailed to a Holder in the manner herein prescribed
shall be conclusively deemed to have been received by such Holder, whether or
not such Holder actually receives such notice.

         Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice
may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either
before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such
notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such
filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken
in reliance upon such waiver.

         In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by
reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by
mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee
shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

SECTION 107. Conflict With Trust Indenture Act.

         If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a
provision of the Trust Indenture Act that is required under such Act to be a
part of and govern this Indenture, the latter provision shall control. If any
provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust
Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall
be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or excluded, as the case
may be.

SECTION 108. Effect Of Headings And Table Of Contents.

         The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are
for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.



                                     -12-
<PAGE>   20

SECTION 109. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.

         All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall
bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

SECTION 110. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE.

         In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of
the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

SECTION 111.  BENEFITS OF INDENTURE.

         Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, express or implied,
shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their successors
hereunder and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Indenture.

SECTION 112. GOVERNING LAW.

         This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the law of the State of New York.

SECTION 113. LEGAL HOLIDAYS.

         In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated
Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment,
then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the
Securities (other than a provision of the Securities of any series which
specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section))
payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made at such
Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business
Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the
Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Stated Maturity, provided
that no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest
Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity, as the case may be.

SECTION 114. LANGUAGE OF NOTICES, ETC.

         Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver
or Act required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English
language, except that any published notice may be in an official language of
the country of publication.



                                     -13-
<PAGE>   21

SECTION 115. INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY
EXEMPT FROM INDIVIDUAL LIABILITY.

         No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of or
contained in this Indenture or of or contained in any Security, or for any
claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, or in any Security, or
because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had
against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, past,
present or future, of the Company or any successor Person, either directly or
through the Company or any successor Person, whether by virtue of any
constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment
or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that all such liability
is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a part of the
consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issue of the
Securities.

                                  ARTICLE TWO

                                 SECURITY FORMS

SECTION 201. FORMS GENERALLY.

         The Securities of each series shall be in substantially the form set
forth in this Article, or in such other form as shall be established by or
pursuant to a Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental
hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions
and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may
have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or
endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any
securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the
officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the
Securities.

         The definitive Securities shall be printed, lithographed or engraved
on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as
determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their
execution of such Securities. If the form of Securities of any series is
established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an
appropriate record of such action shall be certified by an authorized officer
or other authorized person on behalf of the Company and delivered to the
Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by
Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities.

SECTION 202. FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY.

         [Insert any legend required by the United States Internal Revenue Code
and the regulations thereunder.]

         [If a Global Security, -- insert legend required by Section 204 of the
Indenture] [If applicable, insert--UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE



                                     -14-
<PAGE>   22

OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS
AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY SECURITY
ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS
REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (AND
ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY), ANY TRANSFER,
PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS
WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST
HEREIN.]

                            EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION

                                [TITLE OF SECURITY]
NO.                                                                        U.S.$

[CUSIP NO.                   ]

         EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION, a corporation duly incorporated and
existing under the laws of Delaware (herein called the "Company", which term
includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for
value received, hereby promises to pay to    , or registered assigns, the
principal sum of    United States Dollars on
                       [if the Security is to bear interest prior to Maturity,
insert--, and to pay interest thereon from    , or from the most recent Interest
Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for,
semi-annually on    and    in each year, commencing   , at the rate of    % per 
annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment [if
applicable, insert--, and at the rate of    % per annum on any overdue principal
and premium and on any overdue installment of interest]. The interest so
payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date
will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this
Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of
business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the
                     or (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be,
next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually
paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on
such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this
Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of
business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to
be fixed by the Trustee, notice of which shall be given to Holders of Securities
of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be
paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the
requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series
may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as
more fully provided in such Indenture].



                                     -15-
<PAGE>   23

         [If the Security is not to bear interest prior to Maturity,
insert--The principal of this Security shall not bear interest except in the
case of a default in payment of principal upon acceleration, upon redemption or
at Stated Maturity and in such case the overdue principal of this Security
shall bear interest at the rate of % per annum, which shall accrue from the
date of such default in payment to the date payment of such principal has been
made or duly provided for. Interest on any overdue principal shall be payable
on demand. Any such interest on any overdue principal that is not so paid on
demand shall bear interest at the rate of      % per annum, which shall accrue 
from the date of such demand for payment to the date payment of such interest 
has been made or duly provided for, and such interest shall also be payable on
demand.]

         [If a Global Security, insert--Payment of the principal of [(and
premium, if any)] and [if applicable, insert--any such] interest on this
Security will be made by transfer of immediately available funds to a bank
account in
              designated by the Holder in such coin or currency of
the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for
payment of public and private debts [state other currency].]

         [If a Definitive Security insert--Payment of the principal of [(and
premium, if any)] and [if applicable, insert--any such] interest on this
Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that
purpose in              , [in such coin or currency of the United States of
America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
private debts] [state other currency] [or subject to any laws or regulations
applicable thereto and to the right of the Company (as provided in the
Indenture) to rescind the designation of any such Paying Agent, at the [main]
offices of    in            and          in            , or at such other
offices or agencies as the Company may designate, by [United States Dollar]
[state other currency] check drawn on, or transfer to a [United States Dollar]
account maintained by the payee with, a bank in The City of New York [        ]
(so long as the applicable Paying Agent has received proper transfer
instructions in writing at least [         ] days prior to the payment date)]
[if applicable, insert--; provided, however, that payment of interest may be
made at the option of the Company by [United States Dollar] [state other
currency] check mailed to the addresses of the Persons entitled thereto as such
addresses shall appear in the Security Register] [or by transfer to a [United
States Dollar] [state other currency] account maintained by the payee with a
bank in The City of New York [state other Place of Payment] (so long as the
applicable Paying Agent has received proper transfer instructions in writing by
the Record Date prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date)].]

         Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security
set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all
purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

         Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this
Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid
or obligatory for any purpose.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed.



                                     -16-
<PAGE>   24

Dated:                                 EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION



                                       By: 
                                          --------------------------------------
                                       Name: 
                                            ------------------------------------
                                       Title: 
                                             -----------------------------------

SECTION 203. FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY.

         This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the
Company (the "Securities"), issued and to be issued in one or more series under
an Indenture dated as of _________________________ (the "Indenture"), between
the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee", which term
includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all
indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities
thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of
the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and
delivered. As provided in the Indenture, the Securities may be issued in one or
more series, which different series may be issued in various aggregate
principal amounts, may mature at different times, may bear interest, if any, at
different rates, may be subject to different redemption provisions, if any, may
be subject to different sinking, purchase or analogous funds, if any, may be
subject to different covenants and Events of Default and may otherwise vary as
in the Indenture provided or permitted. This Security is one of the series
designated on the face hereof [if applicable, insert--, limited in aggregate
principal amount to U.S.$    ].

         [If applicable, insert--The Securities of this series are subject to
redemption upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' notice by mail, [if
applicable, insert--(1) on ________________ in any year commencing with the
year        and ending with the year         through operation of the sinking 
fund for this series at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal
amount, and (2)] at any time [if applicable, insert--on or after      ,       ],
as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the following
Redemption Prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount): If
redeemed (if applicable, insert--on or before         ,          %, and if 
redeemed] during the 12-month period beginning    of the years indicated,

 YEAR            REDEMPTION PRICE         YEAR             REDEMPTION PRICE
 ----           ------------------        ----            ------------------



and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to       % of the principal amount,
together in the case of any such redemption [if applicable, insert--(whether
through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise)] with accrued interest to
the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or
prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such
Securities, 



                                     -17-
<PAGE>   25
or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the
relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the
Indenture.]

         [If applicable, insert--The Securities of this series are subject to
redemption upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' notice by mail, (1) 
on           in any year commencing with the year        and ending with the
year         through operation of the sinking fund for this series at the 
Redemption Prices for redemption through operation of the sinking fund 
(expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table
below, and (2) at any time [if applicable, insert--on or after        ], as a 
whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the Redemption Prices for
redemption otherwise than through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as
percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below: If redeemed
during the 12-month period beginning    of the years indicated,

                      REDEMPTION PRICE            REDEMPTION PRICE FOR
                       FOR REDEMPTION      REDEMPTION OTHERWISE THAN THROUGH
                      THROUGH OPERATION              OPERATION
      YEAR            OF THE SINKING FUND        OF THE SINKING FUND
- ----------------      -------------------  ---------------------------------



and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to       % of the principal amount,
together in the case of any such redemption (whether through operation of the
sinking fund or otherwise) with accrued interest to the Redemption Date, but
interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption
Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more
Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant
Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]

         [If applicable, insert--The sinking fund for this series provides for
the redemption on       in each year beginning with the year        and ending 
with the year        of [if applicable,--not less than $       ("mandatory 
sinking fund") and not more than] $         aggregate principal amount of 
Securities of this series. Securities of this series acquired or redeemed by
the Company otherwise than through [if applicable,--mandatory] sinking fund
payments may be credited against subsequent [if applicable,--mandatory] sinking
fund payments otherwise required to be made [if applicable,--in the inverse
order in which they become due].]

         [If the Security is subject to redemption in part of any kind,
insert--In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new
Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed
portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the
cancellation hereof.]

         [If applicable, insert--The Securities of this series are not 
redeemable prior to Stated Maturity.]



                                     -18-
<PAGE>   26

         [If the Security is not an Original Issue Discount Security,
insert--If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall
occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be
declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture.]

         [If the Security is an Original Issue Discount Security, insert--If an
Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be
continuing, an amount of principal of the Securities of this series may be
declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the
Indenture. Such amount shall be equal to--insert formula for determining the
amount. Upon payment (i) of the amount of principal so declared due and
payable, and (ii) of interest on any overdue principal and overdue interest,
all of the Company's obligations in respect of the payment of the principal of
and interest, if any, on the Securities of this series shall terminate.)

         The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided,
the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with
the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of all series to be affected (voting as one class). The
Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all affected series
(voting as one class), on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such
series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the
Indenture. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided,
the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of any series then
Outstanding to waive past defaults under the Indenture with respect to such
series and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this
Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future
Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of
transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not
notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

         As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the
Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding
with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee
or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously
given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect
to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal
amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made
written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such
Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity and
the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction
inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such
proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of
indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder
of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or [any
premium or] interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed
herein.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security
or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which
is absolute and unconditional, to pay the 



                                     -19-
<PAGE>   27

principal of and [any premium and] interest on this Security at the times,
place(s) and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

         [If a Global Security, insert--This Global Security or portion hereof
may not be exchanged for Definitive Securities of this series except in the
limited circumstances provided in the Indenture.

         The holders of beneficial interests in this Global Security will not
be entitled to receive physical delivery of Definitive Securities except as
described in the Indenture and will not be considered the Holders thereof for
any purpose under the Indenture.]

         [If a Definitive Security, insert--As provided in the Indenture and
subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security
is registerable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for
registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in [if
applicable, insert -- any place where the principal of and any premium and
interest on this Security are payable] [if applicable, insert-- The City of New
York [, or, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto and to the
right of the Company (limited as provided in the Indenture) to rescind the
designation of any such transfer agent, at the [main] offices of
                            in                     and in 
or at such other offices or agencies as the Company may designate]], duly
endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the
Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or
more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized
denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to
the designated transferee or transferees.]

         The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form
without coupons in denominations of U.S.$____________ and any integral multiple
thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations
therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like
aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a
different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the
same.

         No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer
or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

         Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of
transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee
may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner
hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither
the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.

         No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of or
contained in the Indenture or of or contained in any Security, or for any claim
based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, or in any Security, or because
of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against
any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or
future, of 


                                     -20-
<PAGE>   28

the Company or of any successor Person, either directly or through the Company
or any successor Person, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule
of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment, penalty or otherwise; it being
expressly understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and
released by the acceptance hereof and as a condition of, and as part of the
consideration for, the Securities and the execution of the Indenture.

         The Indenture provides that the Company (a) will be discharged from
any and all obligations in respect of the Securities (except for certain
obligations described in the Indenture), or (b) need not comply with certain
restrictive covenants of the Indenture, in each case if the Company deposits,
in trust, with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations (or a
combination thereof) which through the payment of interest thereon and
principal thereof in accordance with their terms will provide money, in an
amount sufficient to pay all the principal of and interest on the Securities,
but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent
required by law.

         This Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York.

         All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

         [If a Definitive Security, insert as a separate page--

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and 
transfer(s) unto

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Please Print or Typewrite Name and Address of Assignee)

the within instrument of EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION and does hereby irrevocably
constitute and appoint ________________________ Attorney to transfer said
instrument on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of
substitution in the premises.

Please Insert Social Security or
Other Identifying Number of Assignee:

- --------------------------------------             -----------------------------

Dated:                                                    
      --------------------------------             -----------------------------
                                                              (Signature)

NOTICE:  The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as
written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.]


                                     -21-
<PAGE>   29

SECTION 204. GLOBAL SECURITIES.

         Every Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear
a legend in substantially the following form:

                  THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE
         INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A
         DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED
         TO, OR REGISTERED OR EXCHANGED FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME
         OF, ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF AND NO
         SUCH TRANSFER MAY BE REGISTERED, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES
         DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE. EVERY SECURITY AUTHENTICATED AND DELIVERED
         UPON REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER OF, OR IN EXCHANGE FOR OR IN LIEU OF,
         THIS SECURITY SHALL BE A GLOBAL SECURITY SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING,
         EXCEPT IN SUCH LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.

         If Securities of a series are issuable in whole or in part in the form
of one or more Global Securities, as specified as contemplated by Section 301,
then, notwithstanding Clause (9) of Section 301 and the provisions of Section
302, any Global Security shall represent such of the Outstanding Securities of
such series as shall be specified therein and may provide that it shall
represent the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities from time to time
endorsed thereon and that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities
represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as the case
may be, to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of a Global Security to reflect
the amount, or any reduction or increase in the amount, of Outstanding
Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and upon
instructions given by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or
in a Company Order. Subject to the provisions of Sections 303, 304 and 305, the
Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any Global Security in the manner and upon
instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the
applicable Company Order. Any instructions by the Company with respect to
endorsement or delivery or redelivery of a Global Security shall be in a
Company Order (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be
accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel).

         The provisions of the last sentence of Section 303 shall apply to any
Security represented by a Global Security if such Security was never issued and
sold by the Company and the Company delivers to the Trustee the Global Security
together with a Company Order (which need not comply with Section 102 and need
not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) with regard to the reduction or
increase, as the case may be, in the principal amount of Securities represented
thereby, together with the written statement contemplated by the last sentence
of Section 303.



                                     -22-
<PAGE>   30

SECTION 205. FORM OF TRUSTEES CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION.

         The Trustee's certificates of authentication shall be in substantially
the following form:

         This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein
referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

                                       THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
                                       As Trustee


                                       By: 
                                          --------------------------------------
                                           Authorized Officer


                                 ARTICLE THREE

                                THE SECURITIES

SECTION 301. AMOUNT UNLIMITED; ISSUABLE IN SERIES.

         The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be
authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

         The Securities may be issued in one or more series. There shall be
established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution and, subject to Section 303,
set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officer's Certificate,
or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the
issuance of Securities of any series,

                  (1) the title of the Securities of the series (which shall
distinguish the Securities of the series from Securities of any other series);

                  (2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the
Securities of the series which may be authenticated and delivered under this
Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration
of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the
series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906 or 1107 and except for any
Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been
authenticated and delivered hereunder);

                  (3) the Person to whom any interest on a Security of the
series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name that Security
(or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business
on the Regular Record Date for such interest;



                                     -23-
<PAGE>   31

                  (4) the date or dates on which the principal of the
Securities of the series is payable or the method of determination thereof;

                  (5) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series
shall bear interest, if any, or the method of determination thereof, the date
or dates from which such interest shall accrue, or the method of determination
thereof, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable
and the Regular Record Date for any interest payable on any Interest Payment
Date;

                  (6) the place or places where, subject to the provisions of
Section 1002, the principal of and any premium and interest on Securities of
the series shall be payable, Securities of the series may be surrendered for
registration of transfer, Securities of the series may be surrendered for
exchange and notices, and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the
Securities of the series and this Indenture may be served;

                  (7) the period or periods within which, the price or prices
at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may
be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

                  (8) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or
purchase Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous
provisions or upon the happening of a specified event or at the option of a
Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at
which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series shall be
redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

                  (9) if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral
multiple thereof, the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be
issuable;

                  (10) whether payment of principal of and premium, if any, and
interest, if any, on the Securities of the series shall be without deduction
for taxes, assessments or governmental charges paid by Holders of the series;

                  (11) the currency, currencies or currency units in which
payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on any Securities of
the series shall be payable if other than the currency of the United States of
America and the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in the currency of
the United States of America for purposes of the definition of "Outstanding" in
Section 101;

                  (12) if the amount of payments of principal of or any premium
or interest on any Securities of the series may be determined with reference to
an index, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

                  (13) if the principal of or any premium or interest on any
Securities of the series is to be payable, at the election of the Company or a
Holder thereof, in one or more currencies or 



                                     -24-
<PAGE>   32

currency units other than that or those in which the Securities are stated to
be payable, the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the
principal of and any premium and interest on Securities of such series as to
which such election is made shall be payable, and the periods within which and
the terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made;

                  (14) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion
of the principal amount of Securities of the series which shall be payable upon
declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502 or
the method of determination thereof;

                  (15) if and as applicable, that the Securities of the series
shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global
Securities and, in such case, the Depositary or Depositaries for such Global
Security or Global Securities and any circumstances other than those set forth
in Section 305 in which any such Global Security may be transferred to, and
registered and exchanged for Securities registered in the name of, a Person
other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof and in
which any such transfer may be registered;

                  (16) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the
Events of Default set forth in Section 501 or the covenants of the Company set
forth in Article Ten pertaining to the Securities of the series;

                  (17) if other than as provided in Sections 1302 and 1303, the
means of defeasance or covenant defeasance as may be specified for the
Securities of the series;

                  (18) if other than the Trustee, the identity of the Security
Registrar and any Paying Agent; and

                  (19) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be
inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by
Section 901(4)).

         All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical
except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or
pursuant to the Board Resolution referred to above and (subject to Section 303)
set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officer's Certificate
referred to above or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.

         All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time
and, unless otherwise provided, a series may be reopened, without the consent
of the Holders, for increases in the aggregate principal amount of such series
of Securities and issuances of additional Securities of such series or for the
establishment of additional terms with respect to the Securities of such
series.

         If any of the terms of the series are established by action taken by
or pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such
action shall be certified by an authorized officer or other authorized person
on behalf of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the



                                     -25-
<PAGE>   33

delivery of the Officer's Certificate setting forth, or providing the manner
for determining, the terms of the series.

         With respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering,
such Board Resolution or Officer's Certificate may provide general terms for
Securities of such series and provide either that the specific terms of
particular Securities of such series shall be specified in a Company Order or
that such terms shall be determined by the Company, or one or more of the
Company's agents designated in an Officer's Certificate, in accordance with a
Company Order.

SECTION 302. DENOMINATIONS.

         The Securities of each series shall be issuable only in registered
form without coupons in such denominations as shall be specified as
contemplated by Section 301. In the absence of any such specified denomination
with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series
shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

SECTION 303. EXECUTION, AUTHENTICATION, DELIVERY AND DATING.

         The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its
Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its Chief Financial
Officer, its President or any Vice President and need not be attested. The
signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or
facsimile.

         Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals
who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company,
notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such
offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not
hold such offices at the date of such Securities.

         At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of
this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by
the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order
for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee in
accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such
Securities; provided, however, that in the case of Securities offered in a
Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver such Securities
from time to time in accordance with such other procedures (including, without
limitation, the receipt by the Trustee of oral or electronic instructions from
the Company or its duly authorized agents, thereafter promptly confirmed in
writing) acceptable to the Trustee as may be specified by or pursuant to a
Company Order delivered to the Trustee prior to the time of the first
authentication of Securities of such series. If the form or terms of the
Securities of the series have been established in or pursuant to one or more
Board Resolutions as permitted by Sections 201 and 301, in authenticating such
Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture
in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and
(subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion
of Counsel stating,



                                     -26-
<PAGE>   34

                  (1) if the form or forms of such Securities have been
established by or pursuant to Board Resolution as permitted by Section 201,
that such form or forms have been established in conformity with the provisions
of this Indenture;

                  (2) if the terms of such Securities have been, or in the case
of Securities of a series offered in a Periodic Offering, will be, established
by or pursuant to a Board Resolution as permitted by Section 301, that such
terms have been, or in the case of Securities of a series offered in a Periodic
Offering, will be, established in conformity with the provisions of this
Indenture, subject, in the case of Securities of a series offered in a Periodic
Offering, to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel; and

                  (3) that such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by
the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any
conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and
legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their
terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization,
moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting
creditors' rights and to general equity principles.

If such form or forms or terms have been so established, the Trustee shall not
be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities
pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee's own rights, duties or
immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner
which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

         Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of the preceding
paragraph, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one
time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officer's Certificate otherwise
required pursuant to Section 301 or the Company Order and Opinion of Counsel
otherwise required pursuant to such preceding paragraph at or prior to the time
of authentication of each Security of such series if such documents are
delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first
Security of such series to be issued.

         With respect to Securities of a series offered in a Periodic Offering,
the Trustee may rely, as to the authorization by the Company of any of such
Securities, the form or forms and terms thereof and the legality, validity,
binding effect and enforceability thereof, upon the Opinion of Counsel and the
other documents delivered pursuant to Sections 201 and 301 and this Section, as
applicable, in connection with the first authentication of Securities of such
series.

         Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

         No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or
be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a
certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein
executed by the Trustee by manual signature of an authorized officer, and such
certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only
evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered
hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any 



                                     -27-
<PAGE>   35

Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued
and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the
Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 309 for all purposes of this
Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and
delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this
Indenture.

SECTION 304. TEMPORARY SECURITIES.

         Pending the preparation of Definitive Securities of any series, the
Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten,
mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination,
substantially of the tenor of the Definitive Securities in lieu of which they
are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and
other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as
evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

         If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will
cause Definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable
delay. After the preparation of Definitive Securities of such series, the
temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for Definitive
Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such
series at the office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section
1002 for the purpose of exchanges of Securities of such series, without charge
to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary
Securities of any series the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor one or more Definitive Securities
of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate
principal amount and tenor. Until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any
series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this
Indenture as Definitive Securities of such series and tenor.

SECTION 305. REGISTRATION, REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE.

         The Company shall cause to be kept at an office or agency of the
Company in The City of New York a register (the register maintained in such
office or in any other office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment
being herein sometimes referred to as the "Security Register") in which,
subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall
provide for the registration of Securities and of transfers of Securities. The
Company will prior to the issuance of any Securities hereunder, appoint the
Trustee as the initial "Security Registrar" for the purpose of registering
Securities and transfers of Securities as herein provided and its corporate
trust office which, at the date hereof, is located at 450 West 33rd Street, New
York, New York 10001 as the initial office or agency in The City of New York
where the Security Register will be maintained. The Company may at any time
replace such Security Registrar, change such office or agency or act as its own
Security Registrar. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee
of any change of the Security Registrar or of the location of such office or
agency.

         Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of any
series at the office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section
1002 for such purpose, the Company shall 



                                     -28-
<PAGE>   36

execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the
designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same
series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal
amount and tenor.

         At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series (except a Global
Security) may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series, of any
authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor,
upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency.
Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall
execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which
the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

         All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of
Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same
debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities
surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

         Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer
or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Trustee) be duly
endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed, by the
Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

         No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or
exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection
with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than
exchanges pursuant to Section 304, 906 or 1107 not involving any transfer.

         The Company shall not be required (1) to issue, register the transfer
of or exchange Securities of any series during a period beginning at the
opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of
redemption of Securities of that series selected for redemption under Section
1103 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (2) to
register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in
whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed
in part.

         Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture and except as
otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, no Global Security may be
transferred to, or registered or exchanged for Securities registered in the
name of, any Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or any
nominee thereof, and no such transfer may be registered, except as provided in
this paragraph. Every Security authenticated and delivered upon registration or
transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, a Global Security shall be a
Global Security, except as provided in this paragraph. If(1)(A) the
Depositary for a Global Security notifies the Company that it is unwilling or
unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or ceases to be a
clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and (B) a successor
Depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days, or (2) the Company
determines in its sole discretion that Securities of a series issued in global
form shall no longer be represented by a Global Security, then such Global
Security may



                                     -29-
<PAGE>   37

be exchanged by such Depositary for Definitive Securities of the same series,
of any authorized denomination and of a like aggregate principal amount and
tenor, registered in the names of, and the transfer of such Global Security or
portion thereof may be registered to, such Persons as such Depositary shall
direct.

SECTION 306. MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST AND STOLEN SECURITIES.

         If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, together
with, in proper cases, such security or indemnity as may be required by the
Company or the Trustee to save each of them and any agent of either of them
harmless, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series and of like
tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously
outstanding.

         If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i)
evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any
Security and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save
each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of
notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a
bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen
Security, a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal
amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

         In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has
become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion
may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

         Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company
may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other
expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

         Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section in
exchange for any mutilated Security or in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen
Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the
Company, whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall
be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits
of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities
of that series duly issued hereunder.

         The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to
the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the
replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.



                                     -30-
<PAGE>   38

SECTION 307. PAYMENT OF INTEREST; INTEREST RIGHTS PRESERVED.

         Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with
respect to any series of Securities, interest on any Security which is payable,
and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall
be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor
Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date
for such interest.

         Any interest on any Security of any series which is payable, but is
not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein
called "Defaulted Interest") shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder
on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and
such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each
case, as provided in Clause (1) or (2) below:

                  (1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted
Interest to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their
respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a
Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be
fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing
of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Security of
such series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the
Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the
aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or
shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to
the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust
for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this
Clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the
payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not
less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than
10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and,
in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the
proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date
therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of
Securities of such series at his address as it appears in the Security
Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of
the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date
therefor having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the
Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective
Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special
Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following Clause
(2).

                  (2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on
the Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with
the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may be
listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after
notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to
this Clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.



                                     -31-
<PAGE>   39

         Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 305,
each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of
or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to
interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other
Security.

SECTION 308. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS.

         Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with
respect to any series of Securities, prior to due presentment of a Security for
registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company
or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered
as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal
of and any premium and (subject to Sections 305 and 307) any interest on such
Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be
overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or
the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

         No holder of any beneficial interest in any Global Security held on
its behalf by a Depositary shall have any rights under this Indenture with
respect to such Global Security, and such Depositary may be treated by the
Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner
of such Global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the
Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee will have any
responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or
payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Global Security
or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such
beneficial ownership interests.

SECTION 309. CANCELLATION.

         All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of
transfer or exchange or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if
surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee
and shall be promptly canceled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to
the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and
delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner
whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery
to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated
hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so
delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be
authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided
in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All canceled
Securities held by the Trustee shall be disposed of in accordance with its
customary procedures, and the Trustee shall thereafter deliver to the Company a
certificate with respect to such disposition.



                                     -32-
<PAGE>   40

SECTION 310. COMPUTATION OF INTEREST.

         Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for
Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be
computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

SECTION 311. CUSIP NUMBERS.

         The Company in issuing the Securities may use "CUSIP" numbers (in
addition to the other identification numbers printed on the Securities), and,
if so, the Trustee shall use "CUSIP" numbers in notices of redemption as a
convenience to Holders; provided, however, that any such notice may state that
no representation is made as to the correctness of such "CUSIP" numbers either
as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and
that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on
the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in
or omission of such "CUSIP" numbers.

                                  ARTICLE FOUR

                          SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

SECTION 401. SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE.

         This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further
effect with respect to Securities of any series (except as to any surviving
rights of registration of transfer or exchange of such Securities herein
expressly provided for), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall
execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this
Indenture with respect to such Securities, when

                  (1) either

                           (A) all such Securities theretofore authenticated
         and delivered (other than (i) such Securities which have been
         destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as
         provided in Section 306, and (ii) such Securities for whose payment
         money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held
         in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or
         discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been
         delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

                           (B) all such Securities not theretofore delivered to
         the Trustee for cancellation

                                    (i) have become due and payable, or



                                     -33-
<PAGE>   41

                                    (ii) will become due and payable at their
                           Stated Maturity within one year, or

                                    (iii) are to be called for redemption
                           within one year under arrangements satisfactory to
                           the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption
                           by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of
                           the Company,

and the Company in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has deposited or
caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose
an amount of money in the currency or currency units in which such Securities
are payable sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such
Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for
principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case
of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or
Redemption Date, as the case may be;

                  (2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums
payable hereunder by the Company with respect to such Securities; and

                  (3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer's
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions
precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of
this Indenture with respect to such Securities have been complied with.

         Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with
respect to Securities of any series, (x) the obligations of the Company to the
Trustee under Section 607, the obligations of the Trustee to any Authenticating
Agent under Section 614 and the right of the Trustee to resign under Section
610 shall survive, and (y) if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee
pursuant to subclause (B) of Clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the
Company and/or the Trustee under Sections 402, 606, 701 and 1002 and the last
paragraph of Section 1003 shall survive.

SECTION 402. APPLICATION OF TRUST MONEY.

         Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all
money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 shall be held in trust
and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this
Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent
(including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may
determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal and any premium
and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee.



                                     -34-
<PAGE>   42

                                  ARTICLE FIVE

                                   REMEDIES

SECTION 501. EVENTS OF DEFAULT.

         "Event of Default", wherever used herein with respect to Securities of
any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such
Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be
effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of
any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or
governmental body):

                  (1) default in the payment of any interest upon any Security
of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default
for a period of 30 days; or

                  (2) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium,
if any, on) any Security of that series at its Maturity; or

                  (3) default in the performance, or breach, of any term,
covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a term,
covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is
elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been
included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of series of Securities other
than that series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60
days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the
Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at
least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a
written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be
remedied and stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder; or

                  (4) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any
Bankruptcy Law (A) commences a voluntary case, (B) consents to the entry of any
order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (C) consents to the
appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its
property, or (D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;
or

                  (5) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or
decree under any Bankruptcy Law that (A) is for relief against the Company in
an involuntary case, (B) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or
substantially all of its property, or (C) orders the liquidation of the
Company; and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 days; or

                  (6) any other Event of Default provided as contemplated by
Section 301 with respect to Securities of that series.



                                     -35-
<PAGE>   43

SECTION 502. ACCELERATION OF MATURITY; RESCISSION AND ANNULMENT.

         If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the
time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee
or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding
Securities of that series may declare the principal amount (or, if any of the
Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion
of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified in the terms
thereof) of all of the Securities of that series to be due and payable
immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given
by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified
amount) shall become immediately due and payable.

         At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to
Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for
payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in
this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company and the
Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

                  (1) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum
sufficient to pay

                           (A) all overdue interest on all Securities of that 
         series,

                           (B) the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any
         Securities of that series which have become due otherwise than by such
         declaration of acceleration and any interest thereon at the rate or
         rates prescribed therefor in such Securities,

                           (C) to the extent that payment of such interest is
         lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed
         therefor in such Securities, and

                           (D) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee
         hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and
         advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel;

         and

                  (2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that
series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that
series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have
been cured or waived as provided in Section 513.

         No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any
right consequent thereon.



                                     -36-
<PAGE>   44

SECTION 503. COLLECTION OF INDEBTEDNESS AND SUITS FOR ENFORCEMENT BY TRUSTEE.

         The Company covenants that if

                  (1) default is made in the payment of any interest on any
Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues
for a period of 30 days, or

                  (2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or
premium, if any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof,

the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the
Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such
Securities for principal and any premium and interest and, to the extent that
payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue
principal and premium and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates
prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further
amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection,
including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of
the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

         If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand,
the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute
a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may
prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same
against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the
moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of
the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever
situated.

         If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs
and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and
enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series
by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most
effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific
enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the
exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

SECTION 504. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM.

         In case of any judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any
other obligor upon the Securities, their property or their creditors, the
Trustee shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or
otherwise, to take any and all actions authorized under the Trust Indenture Act
in order to have claims of the Holders and the Trustee allowed in any such
proceeding. In particular, the Trustee shall be authorized to collect and
receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims
and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee,
liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial
proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the
Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such
payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee 



                                     -37-
<PAGE>   45

any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and
advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the
Trustee under Section 607.

         No provision of this Indenture shall be deemed to authorize the
Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder
any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting
the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee
to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding; provided,
however, that the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders, vote for the election
of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar official and be a member of a creditors'
or other similar committee.

SECTION 505. TRUSTEE MAY ENFORCE CLAIMS WITHOUT POSSESSION OF SECURITIES.

         All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities
may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of
the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto,
and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own
name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after
provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses,
disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the
ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such
judgment has been recovered.

SECTION 506. APPLICATION OF MONEY COLLECTED.

         Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be
applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and,
in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or any
premium or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation
thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if
fully paid:

         FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 607;

         SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for
principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities in respect of which
or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without
preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on
such Securities for principal and any premium and interest, respectively; and

         THIRD: The balance, if any, to the Company.

SECTION 507. LIMITATION ON SUITS.

         No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to
institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this
Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other
remedy hereunder, unless



                                     -38-
<PAGE>   46

                  (1) such Holder has previously given written notice to the
Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that
series;

                  (2) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of
the Outstanding Securities of that series shall have made written request to
the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its
own name as Trustee hereunder;

                  (3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee
reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred
in compliance with such request;

                  (4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice,
request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

                  (5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has
been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a
majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have
any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision
of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of
such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any
other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in
the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such
Holders.

SECTION 508. UNCONDITIONAL RIGHT OF HOLDERS TO RECEIVE PRINCIPAL, PREMIUM AND
INTEREST.

         Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of
any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to
receive payment of the principal of and any premium and (subject to Sections
305 and 307) interest on such Security on the respective Stated Maturities
expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption
Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such
rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

SECTION 509. RESTORATION OF RIGHTS AND REMEDIES.

         If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce
any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been
discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to
the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any
determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders
shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions
hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the
Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.




                                     -39-
<PAGE>   47

SECTION 510.  Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

         Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or
payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in the last
paragraph of Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved
to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right
or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be
cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or
now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or
employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent
the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or
remedy.

SECTION 511. DELAY OR OMISSION NOT WAIVER.

         No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities
to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair
any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or
an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law
to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as
often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case
may be.

SECTION 512. CONTROL BY HOLDERS.

         The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time,
method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with
respect to the Securities of such series; provided, however, that

                  (1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of 
law or with this Indenture;

                  (2) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by
the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction; and

                  (3) subject to the provisions of Section 601, the Trustee
shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in
good faith shall determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the
Trustee in personal liability.

SECTION 513.  Waiver of Past Defaults.

         The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the
Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such
series and its consequences, except

                  (1) a continuing default in the payment of the principal of
or any premium or interest on any Security of such series, or



                                     -40-
<PAGE>   48

                  (2) a default in respect of a covenant or provision hereof
which under Article Nine cannot be modified or amended without the consent of
the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

         Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event
of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every
purpose of this Indenture, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or
other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

SECTION 514. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS.

         In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this
Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or
omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party litigant in such suit
to file an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and may assess costs
against any such party litigant, in the manner and to the extent provided in
the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however, that neither this Section nor the
Trust Indenture Act shall be deemed to authorize any court to require such an
undertaking or to make such an assessment in any suit instituted by the
Company.

SECTION 515. WAIVER OF USURY, STAY OR EXTENSION LAWS.

         The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that
it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever
claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law
wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the
covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent
that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of
any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the
execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and
permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been
enacted.

                                  ARTICLE SIX

                                  THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 601. CERTAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

         The duties and responsibilities of the Trustee shall be as provided by
the Trust Indenture Act. No provision of this Indenture shall require the
Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise
of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for
believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk
or liability is not reasonably assured to it. Whether or not therein expressly
so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or
affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be
subject to the provisions of this Section.



                                     -41-
<PAGE>   49

SECTION 602. NOTICE OF DEFAULTS.

         If a Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities
of any series, the Trustee shall, within 90 days after it occurs, transmit, in
the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture
Act, notice of all uncured or unwaived Defaults known to it; provided, however,
that, except in the case of a Default in payment on the Securities of any
series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as the board of
directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of its directors and/or
its duly authorized officers in good faith determines that withholding such
notice is in the interests of Holders of Securities of such series; provided
further, however, that, in the case of any default or breach of the character
specified in Section 501(3) with respect to the Securities of such series, no
such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 60 days after the
occurrence thereof.

SECTION 603.  CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.

         Subject to the provisions of Section 601:

                  (1) the Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting
or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond,
debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document
reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by
the proper party or parties;

                  (2) any request, direction, order or demand of the Company
mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or
Company Order (other than delivery of any Security to the Trustee for
authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 303, which shall be
sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of
Directors shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

                  (3) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the
Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to
taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other
evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on
its part, rely upon an Officer's Certificate;

                  (4) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the written
advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete
authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or
omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

                  (5) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any
of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or
direction of any of the Holders pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders
shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the
costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance
with such request or direction;



                                     -42-
<PAGE>   50

                  (6) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation
into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond,
debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document but
the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation
into such facts or matters as it may see fit;

                  (7) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers
hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through
agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct
or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by
it hereunder; and

                  (8) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver an
Officer's Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of
officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this
Indenture, which Officer's Certificate may be signed by any person authorized
to sign an Officer's Certificate, including any person specified as so
authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.

SECTION 604. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS OR ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES.

         The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the
Trustee's certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of
the Company, and the Trustee or any Authenticating Agent assumes no
responsibility for their correctness. Neither the Trustee nor any
Authenticating Agent makes any representations as to the validity or
sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee or any
Authenticating Agent shall not be accountable for the use or application by the
Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

SECTION 605. MAY HOLD SECURITIES.

         The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security
Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other
capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to
Sections 608 and 613, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights
it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent,
Security Registrar or such other agent.

SECTION 606. MONEY HELD IN TRUST.

         Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated
from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be
under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as
otherwise agreed with the Company.



                                     -43-
<PAGE>   51

SECTION 607. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT.

         The Company agrees

                  (1) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation
shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a
trustee of an express trust);

                  (2) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to
reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses,
disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with
any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the
expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense,
disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith;
and

                  (3) to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold it harmless
against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad
faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or
administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and
expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with
the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except
those attributable to its negligence or bad faith.

         The obligations of the Company under this Section to compensate the
Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee for expenses, disbursements and
advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder. Such additional
indebtedness shall be secured by a lien prior to that of the Securities upon
all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds
held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of particular Securities.

         Without limiting any rights available to the Trustee under applicable
law, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an
Event of Default specified in Section 501(4) or Section 501(5), the expenses
(including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the
compensation for such services are intended to constitute expenses of
administration under any applicable Bankruptcy Law.

         The provisions of this Section shall survive the satisfaction and
discharge of this Indenture and the defeasance of the Securities.

SECTION 608. DISQUALIFICATION; CONFLICTING INTERESTS.

         If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the
meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such
interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to
the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture.



                                     -44-
<PAGE>   52

SECTION 609. CORPORATE TRUSTEE REQUIRED; ELIGIBILITY.

         There shall at all times be one or more Trustees hereunder with
respect to the Securities of each series, at least one of which shall be a
Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and
has a combined capital and surplus required by the Trust Indenture Act. If such
Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to
the requirements of a supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes
of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be
deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent
report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be
eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign
immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this
Article.

SECTION 610. RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL; APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR.

         No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a
successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the
acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the
applicable requirements of Section 611.

         The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of
one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the
instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 611 shall
not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such
notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect
to the Securities of such series.

         The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities
of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and to the
Company.

         If at any time:

                  (1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 608 after
written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona
fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or

                  (2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 609
and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by
any such Holder, or

                  (3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be
adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its
property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control
of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation,
conservation or liquidation, then, in any such case, (A) the Company may remove
the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (B) subject to Section 514, any
Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months
may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly 



                                     -45-
<PAGE>   53

situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the
Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor
Trustee or Trustees.

         If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting,
or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with
respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company shall promptly
appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that
or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be
appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series
and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the
Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable
requirements of Section 611. If, within one year after such resignation,
removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee
with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such
series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee
so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in
accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 611, become the
successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that
extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no
successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been
so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the
manner required by Section 611, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a
Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and
all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for
the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such
series.

         The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of
the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment
of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series to all
Holders of Securities of such series in the manner provided in Section 106.
Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the
Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

SECTION 611. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

                  (a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor
Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so
appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the
retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the
resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such
successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become
vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee;
but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring
Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument
transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the
retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor
Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

                  (b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor
Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the
Company, the retiring Trustee and each 



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<PAGE>   54

successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall
execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor
Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such
provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and
to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of
the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to
which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring
Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such
provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the
rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the
Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not
retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add
to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to
provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more
than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such
supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees as co-trustees of the
same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts
hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by
any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such
supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall
become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor
Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with
all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect
to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such
successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor
Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such
successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee
hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the
appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

                  (c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company
shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in
and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts
referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

                  (d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless
at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and
eligible under this Article.

SECTION 612. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.

         Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or
with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any
merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or
any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust
business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder,
provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this
Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been
authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor
by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt
such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same
effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.



                                     -47-
<PAGE>   55

SECTION 613. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

         If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company
(or any other obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims
against the Company (or any such other obligor).

SECTION 614. Appointment of Authenticating Agent.

         The Trustee (upon notice to the Company) may appoint an Authenticating
Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be
authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such
series issued upon original issue (in accordance with procedures acceptable to
the Trustee) and upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption
thereof or pursuant to Section 306, and Securities so authenticated shall be
entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory
for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever
reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of
Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee's certificate of authentication, such
reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of
the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication
executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each
Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times
be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United
States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized
under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and
surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination
by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports
of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said
supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the
combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be
its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of
condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to
be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such
Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect
specified in this Section.

         Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or
converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent
shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of
the corporate agency or corporate trust business of such Authenticating Agent,
shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall
be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of
any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or such Authenticating
Agent.

         An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written
notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time
terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice
thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a
notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such
Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this



                                     -48-
<PAGE>   56

Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall
be acceptable to the Company and shall mail written notice of such appointment
by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of the
series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve, as their
names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Any successor
Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become
vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder,
with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No
successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the
provisions of this Section.

         Except with respect to an Authenticating Agent appointed at the
request of the Company, the Trustee agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent
from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section,
and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed by the Company for such
payments, subject to the provisions of Section 607.

         If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant
to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in
addition to the Trustee's certificate of authentication, an alternative
certificate of authentication in the following form:

         This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein
referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

                                   THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
                                   As Trustee


                                   By: 
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                        As Authenticating Agent

                                   By: 
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                        Authorized Officer


                                 ARTICLE SEVEN

               HOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

SECTION 701. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders.

         The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

                  (1) semi-annually, not later than May 15 and November 15 in
each year, a list for each series of Securities, in such form as the Trustee
may reasonably require, of the names and 



                                     -49-
<PAGE>   57

addresses of the Holders of Securities of such series as of the preceding April
30 or October 31, as the case may be, and

                  (2) at such other times as the Trustee may request in
writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a
list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to
the time such list is furnished;

provided, however, that if and so long as the Trustee shall be the Security
Registrar for Securities of a series, no such list need be furnished with
respect to such series of Securities.

SECTION 702. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.

         The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant
to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

         The rights of the Holders to communicate with other Holders with
respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities, and the
corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee, shall be as provided by the
Trust Indenture Act.

         Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees
with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor
any agent of either of them shall be held accountable by reason of any
disclosure of information as to the names and addresses of Holders made
pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.

SECTION 703. Reports by Trustee.

         The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the
Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the
Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto.

         Reports so required to be transmitted at stated intervals of not more
than 12 months shall be transmitted no later than July 15 in each calendar year
with respect to the 12-month period ending on the previous May 15, commencing
May 15, 1999.

         A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to
Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any
Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The Company
will notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange.



                                     -50-
<PAGE>   58

SECTION 704. Reports by Company.

         The Company shall:

                  (1) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company
is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports
and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions
of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and
regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the
Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; or, if
the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant
to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the
Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to
time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information,
documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the
Exchange Act in respect of a security listed and registered on a national
securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and
regulations;

                  (2) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance
with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such
additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the
Company with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required
from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

                  (3) transmit by mail to all Holders, as their names and
addresses appear in the Security Register, within 30 days after the filing
thereof with the Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and
reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2)
of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from
time to time by the Commission.

                                 ARTICLE EIGHT

             CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

SECTION 801. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.

         The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other Person
or sell, lease or transfer its properties and assets as, or substantially as,
an entirety to, any Person, unless:

                  (1) (A) in the case of a merger, the Company is the surviving
entity, or (B) the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the
Company is merged or the Person which acquires by sale or transfer, or which
leases, the properties and assets of the Company as, or substantially as, an
entirety shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed
and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee,
the due and punctual payment of the principal of and any premium and interest
on all the Securities and the performance 



                                     -51-
<PAGE>   59

or observance of every covenant and condition of this Indenture on the part of
the Company to be performed or observed;

                  (2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no
Default or Event of Default exists; and

                  (3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer's
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation,
merger, sale, transfer or lease and the supplemental indenture required in
connection with such transaction comply with this Article and that all
conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been
complied with.

SECTION 802. Successor Substituted.

         Upon any consolidation of the Company with, or merger of the Company
into, any other Person or any sale, transfer or lease of the properties and
assets of the Company as, or substantially as, an entirety in accordance with
Section 801, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which
the Company is merged or to which such sale, transfer or lease is made shall
succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of,
the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor
Person had been named originally as the Company herein, and thereafter, except
in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of all
obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

                                  ARTICLE NINE

                            SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

SECTION 901. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.

         Without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Trustee, at
any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures
supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the
following purposes:

                  (1) to secure the Securities pursuant to the requirements of
 Section 1006 or otherwise; or

                  (2) to evidence the succession of another Person to the
Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the
Company herein and in the Securities; or

                  (3) to add to the covenants of the Company or the Events of
Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and
if such covenants or Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than 
all series of Securities, stating that such covenants or Events of 



                                     -52-
<PAGE>   60

Default, as the case may be, are expressly being included solely for the
benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred
upon the Company; or

                  (4) to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of
this Indenture in respect of one or more series of Securities; provided,
however, that any such addition, change or elimination shall become effective
only when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the
execution of such supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of
such provision; or

                  (5) to establish the form or terms of securities of any series
as permitted by Sections 201 and 301; or

                  (6) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, to
comply with any applicable mandatory provisions of law or to make any other
provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture,
provided that such action pursuant to this Clause (6) shall not adversely
affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material
respect; or

                  (7) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment
hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more
series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall
be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts
hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section
611; or

                  (8) to modify, eliminate or add to the provisions of this
Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to effect the qualification of
this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act or under any similar federal
statute subsequently enacted, and to add to this Indenture such other
provisions as may be expressly required under the Trust Indenture Act.

SECTION 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders.

         With the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series affected by such
supplemental indenture (voting as one class), by Act of said Holders delivered
to the Company and the Trustee, the Company and the Trustee may enter into an
indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any
provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of
this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of
Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such
supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each
Outstanding Security affected thereby,

                  (1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any
installment of principal of or interest, if any, on, any Security, or reduce
the principal amount thereof or premium, if any, on or the rate of interest
thereon, or



                                     -53-
<PAGE>   61

                  (2) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required
for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is
required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this
Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in
this Indenture, or

                  (3) change any obligation of the Company, with respect to
Outstanding Securities of a series, to maintain an office or agency in the
places and for the purposes specified in Section 1002 for such series, or

                  (4) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 513
or Section 1008, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that
certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without
the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby;
provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent
of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to "the Trustee" and
concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in
accordance with the requirements of Sections 611 and 901(7).

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other
provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the
benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the
rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such
covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under
this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

         It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to
approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it
shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

SECTION 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures.

         In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any
supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby
of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to
receive, and (subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon,
an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture
is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be
obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

SECTION 904. Effect of Supplemental Indentures.

         Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article,
this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental
indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every
Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered
hereunder shall be bound thereby.



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<PAGE>   62

SECTION 905. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act.

         Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall
conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

SECTION 906. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures.

         Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the
execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall
if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as
to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall
so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the
opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may
be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the
Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

                                  ARTICLE TEN

                                   COVENANTS

SECTION 1001. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest.

         The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of
Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and any
premium and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the
terms of the Securities and this Indenture.

SECTION 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency.

         The Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of
Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented
or surrendered for payment, where Securities of that series may be surrendered
for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or
upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture
may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of
the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at
any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency
or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such
presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the
Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the
Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and
demands.

         The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other
offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented
or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind
such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission
shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office
or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such
purposes. The 



                                     -55-
<PAGE>   63

Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation
or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or
agency.

         Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities
as contemplated by Section 301, the Company hereby initially designates as the
Place of Payment for each series of Securities The City and State of New York,
and initially appoints the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office as the
Company's office or agency for each such purpose in such city.

SECTION 1003. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust.

         If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with
respect to any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the
principal of or any premium or interest on any of the Securities of that
series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled
thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal and any premium and interest so
becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise
disposed of as herein provided and will promptly notify the Trustee of its
action or failure so to act.

         Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any
series of Securities, it will, on or prior to each due date of the principal of
or any premium or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit with a
Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such amount, such sum to be held as
provided by the Trust Indenture Act, and (unless such Paying Agent is the
Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure
so to act.

         The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities
other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in
which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions
of this Section, that such Paying Agent will (1) hold all sums held by it for
the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on
Securities of that series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled
thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of
as herein provided; (2) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company
(or any other obligor upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any
payment of principal (and premium, if any) or interest if any, on the
Securities of that series; and (3) during the continuance of any such default,
upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums
held in trust by such Paying Agent for payment in respect of the Securities of
that series.

         The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the
satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or
by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held
in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the
Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the
Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the
Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with
respect to such money.



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<PAGE>   64

         Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held
by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of or any premium or
interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years
after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable shall be
paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall
be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall
thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for
payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with
respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee
thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such
Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the
expense of the Company cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper
in each Place of Payment with respect to such series, notice that such money
remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be
less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of
such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

SECTION 1004. Statement by Officers as to Default.

         The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 150 days after the end
of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof, an Officer's
Certificate, stating whether or not to the best knowledge of the signer thereof
the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the
terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to any
period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder) and, if the
Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and
status thereof of which they may have knowledge. 

SECTION 1005. Existence.

         Subject to Article Eight, the Company will do or cause to be done all
things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence,
rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be required to preserve any such right or franchise if it
shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the
conduct of the business of the Company.

Section 1006. Limitations on Liens.

         The Company will not, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to,
create, assume, incur or suffer to exist any Lien upon any Principal Property,
whether owned or leased on the date of this Indenture or thereafter acquired,
to secure any Debt of the Company or any other Person (other than the
Securities issued hereunder), without in any such case making effective
provision whereby all of the Securities Outstanding hereunder shall be secured
equally and ratably with, or prior to, such Debt so long as such Debt shall be
so secured. This restriction shall not apply to:

                           (i) any Lien upon any property or assets of the
         Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in existence on the date of this
         Indenture or created pursuant to an "after-acquired property" clause
         or similar term in existence on the date of this Indenture or



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<PAGE>   65

         any mortgage, pledge agreement, security agreement or other similar
         instrument in existence on the date of this Indenture;

                           (ii) any Lien upon any property or assets created at
         the time of acquisition of such property or assets by the Company or
         any Restricted Subsidiary or within one year after such time to secure
         all or a portion of the purchase price for such property or assets or
         Debt incurred to finance such purchase price, whether such Debt was
         incurred prior to, at the time of or within one year of such
         acquisition;

                           (iii) any Lien upon any property or assets existing
         thereon at the time of the acquisition thereof by the Company or any
         Restricted Subsidiary (whether or not the obligations secured thereby
         are assumed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary);

                           (iv) any Lien upon any property or assets of a
         Person existing thereon at the time such Person becomes a Restricted
         Subsidiary by acquisition, merger or otherwise;

                           (v) the assumption by the Company or any Restricted
         Subsidiary of obligations secured by any Lien existing at the time of
         the acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the
         property or assets subject to such Lien or at the time of the
         acquisition of the Person which owns such property or assets;

                           (vi) any Lien on property to secure all or part of
         the cost of construction or improvements thereon or to secure Debt
         incurred prior to, at the time of, or within one year after completion
         of such construction or making of such improvements, to provide funds
         for any such purpose;

                           (vii) any Lien on any oil, gas, mineral and
         processing and other plant properties to secure the payment of costs,
         expenses or liabilities incurred under any lease or grant or operating
         or other similar agreement in connection with or incident to the
         exploration, development, maintenance or operation of such properties;

                           (viii) any Lien arising from or in connection with a
         conveyance by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any
         production payment with respect to oil, gas, natural gas, carbon
         dioxide, sulphur, helium, coal, metals, minerals, steam, timber or
         other natural resources;

                           (ix) any Lien in favor of the Company or any 
         Restricted Subsidiary;

                           (x) any Lien created or assumed by the Company or
         any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the issuance of Debt the
         interest on which is excludable from gross income of the holder of
         such Debt pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,
         or any successor statute, for the purpose of financing, in whole or in
         part, the



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<PAGE>   66

         acquisition or construction of property or assets to be used by the
         Company or any Subsidiary;

                           (xi) any Lien upon property or assets of any foreign
         Restricted Subsidiary to secure Debt of that foreign Restricted
         Subsidiary;

                           (xii) Permitted Liens;

                           (xiii) any Lien upon any additions, improvements,
         replacements, repairs, fixtures, appurtenances or component parts
         thereof attaching to or required to be attached to property or assets
         pursuant to the terms of any mortgage, pledge agreement, security
         agreement or other similar instrument, creating a Lien upon such
         property or assets permitted by Clauses (i) through (xii), inclusive,
         of this Section; or

                           (xiv) any extension, renewal, refinancing, refunding
         or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals, refinancing,
         refundings or replacements) of any Lien, in whole or in part, that is
         referred to in Clauses (i) through (xiii), inclusive, of this Section,
         or of any Debt secured thereby; provided, however, that the principal
         amount of Debt secured thereby shall not exceed the greater of the
         principal amount of Debt so secured at the time of such extension,
         renewal, refinancing, refunding or replacement and the original
         principal amount of Debt so secured (plus in each case the aggregate
         amount of premiums, other payments, costs and expenses required to be
         paid or incurred in connection with such extension, renewal,
         refinancing, refunding or replacement); provided, further, however,
         that such extension, renewal, refinancing, refunding or replacement
         shall be limited to all or a part of the property (including
         improvements, alterations and repairs on such property) subject to the
         encumbrance so extended, renewed, refinanced, refunded or replaced
         (plus improvements, alterations and repairs on such property).

         Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, the Company
may, and may permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, assume, incur or
suffer to exist any Lien upon any Principal Property to secure any Debt of the
Company or any other Person (other than the Securities) that is not excepted by
Clauses (i) through (xiv), inclusive, of this Section without securing the
Securities issued hereunder, provided that the aggregate principal amount of
all Debt then outstanding secured by such Lien and all similar Liens, together
with all net sale proceeds from Sale-Leaseback Transactions (excluding
Sale-Leaseback Transactions permitted by Clauses (i) through (iv), inclusive,
of Section 1007), does not exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

SECTION 1007. Restriction of Sale-Leaseback Transaction.

         The Company will not, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to,
engage in a Sale-Leaseback Transaction unless:



                                     -59-
<PAGE>   67

                           (i) such Sale-Leaseback Transaction occurs within
         one year from the date of acquisition of the Principal Property
         subject thereto or the date of the completion of construction or
         commencement of full operations on such Principal Property, whichever
         is later;

                           (ii) the Sale-Leaseback Transaction involves a lease
         for a period, including renewals, of not more than three years;

                           (iii) the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary
         would be entitled to incur Debt secured by a Lien on the Principal
         Property subject thereto in a principal amount equal to or exceeding
         the net sale proceeds from such Sale-Leaseback Transaction without
         securing the Securities; or

                           (iv) the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary,
         within a one-year period after such Sale-Leaseback Transaction,
         applies or causes to be applied an amount not less than the net sale
         proceeds from such Sale-Leaseback Transaction to (A) the repayment,
         redemption or retirement of Funded Debt of the Company or any
         Subsidiary, or (B) investment in another Principal Property.

         Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, the Company
may, and may permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, effect any Sale-Leaseback
Transaction that is not excepted by Clauses (i) through (iv), inclusive, of
this Section, provided that the net sale proceeds from such Sale-Leaseback
Transaction, together with the aggregate principal amount of then outstanding
Debt (other than the Securities) secured by Liens upon Principal Properties not
excepted by Clauses (i) through (xiv), inclusive, of Section 1006, do not
exceed 15% of the Consolidated Net Tangible Assets. 

SECTION 1008. Waiver of Certain Covenants.

         The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any
term, provision or condition set forth in Section 1005, 1006 or 1007 with
respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance
the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of all affected series (voting as one class) shall, by
Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally
waive compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver
shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the
extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the
obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such
term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

         A waiver which changes or eliminates any term, provision or condition
of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of
one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of
the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such term, provision
or condition, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of
the Holders of Securities of any other series.



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                                 ARTICLE ELEVEN

                           REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

SECTION 1101. Applicability of Article.

         Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated
Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as
otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any
series) in accordance with this Article.

SECTION 1102. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.

         The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be
evidenced by a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of
the Company of less than all the Securities of any series, the Company shall,
at least 45 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a
shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee of
such Redemption Date, of the principal amount of Securities of such series to
be redeemed and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities to be redeemed.
In the case of any redemption of Securities (1) prior to the expiration of any
restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or
elsewhere in this Indenture, or (2) pursuant to an election of the Company
which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities, the
Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officer's Certificate evidencing
compliance with such restriction or condition.

SECTION 1103. Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed.

         If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed
(unless all the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be
redeemed), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more
than 45 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the outstanding
Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method
as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the
selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized
denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of
the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than
the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series.

         The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the
Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected
for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

          For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise
requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate,
in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the
portion of the principal amount of such Securities which has been or is to be
redeemed.



                                     -61-
<PAGE>   69

SECTION 1104. Notice of Redemption.

         Notice of redemption shall be given by first-class mail (if
international mail, by air mail), postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor
more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to
be redeemed, at his address appearing in the Security Register.

         All notices of redemption shall state:

                  (1) the Redemption Date,

                  (2) the Redemption Price,

                  (3) if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any series
and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the
case of partial redemption of any Securities, the principal amounts) of the
particular Securities to be redeemed,

                  (4) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will
become due and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed and, if
applicable, that interest thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date,

                  (5) the place or places where such Securities are to be
surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price, and

                  (6) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the
case.

         Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed shall be given by
the Company or, at the Company's request, by the Trustee in the name and at the
expense of the Company.

SECTION 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price.

         On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the
Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying
Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of
money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption
Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities
which are to be redeemed on that date.

SECTION 1106.  Securities Payable on Redemption Date.

         Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so
to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the
Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the
Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued
interest) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any
such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Security
shall be paid by the Company 



                                     -62-
<PAGE>   70

at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date;
provided, however, that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section
301, installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the
Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or
more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the
relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section
307.

         If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon
surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium shall, until
paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in
the Security.

SECTION 1107. Securities Redeemed in Part.

         Any Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered
at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so
requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder
thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Company shall
execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such
Security without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same
series and of like tenor, of any authorized denomination as requested by such
Holder, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the
unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

                                 ARTICLE TWELVE

                                 SINKING FUNDS

SECTION 1201. Applicability of Article.

         The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund
for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as
contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series.

         The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the
terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a "mandatory sinking
fund payment", and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by
the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as an "optional
sinking fund payment". If provided for by the terms of Securities of any
series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction
as provided in Section 1202. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the
redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of
Securities of such series.



                                     -63-
<PAGE>   71

SECTION 1202. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

         The Company (1) may deliver Outstanding Securities of a series (other
than any previously called for redemption), and (2) may apply as a credit
Securities of a series which have been redeemed either at the election of the
Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of
permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such
Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund
payment with respect to the Securities of such series required to be made
pursuant to the terms of such Securities as provided for by the terms of such
series; provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited.
Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee
at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through
operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall
be reduced accordingly.

SECTION 1203. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

         Not less than 45 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any
series of Securities (unless a shorter period shall be satisfactory to the
Trustee), the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officer's Certificate
specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for that series
pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to
be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be
satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that series pursuant to
Section 1202 and stating the basis for such credit and that such Securities
have not been previously so credited, and will also deliver to the Trustee any
Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking
fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon
such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and
cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the
expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 1104. Such notice
having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon
the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 1106 and 1107.

                                ARTICLE THIRTEEN

                                  DEFEASANCE

SECTION 1301. Applicability of Article.

         The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to each series of
Securities except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for
Securities of such series.

SECTION 1302. Legal Defeasance.

         In addition to discharge of the Indenture pursuant to Section 401, the
Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on
all the Securities of such a series on the 91st day after the date of the
deposit referred to in Clause (1) below, and the provisions of this 



                                     -64-
<PAGE>   72

Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series shall no longer be in
effect (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of
Securities of such series and the Company's right of optional redemption, if
any, (ii) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities,
(iii) rights of holders of Securities to receive payments of principal thereof
and interest thereon, upon the original stated due dates therefor or on the
specified redemption dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining
rights of the holders to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv)
the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, (v)
the rights of the holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof
with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or
any of them, and (vi) the obligations of the Company under Section 1002), and
the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, upon a Company Request,
execute proper instruments acknowledging the same, if the conditions set forth
below are satisfied (hereinafter, "defeasance"):

                  (1) The Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be
deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust, for the purposes of making
the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated
solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series (i) cash
in an amount, or (ii) in the case of any series of Securities the payments on
which may only be made in legal coin or currency of the United States, U.S.
Government Obligations, maturing as to principal and interest at such times and
in such amounts as will insure the availability of cash, or (iii) a combination
thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of
independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof
delivered to the Trustee, to pay (A) the principal and interest and premium, if
any, on all Securities of such series on each date that such principal,
interest or premium, if any, is due and payable or on any Redemption Date
established pursuant to Clause (3) below, and (B) any mandatory sinking fund
payments on the dates on which such payments are due and payable in accordance
with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of such series;

                  (2) The Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of
Counsel based on the fact that (x) the Company has received from, or there has
been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (y) since the date
hereof, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in
either case to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the
holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or
loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance
and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same
manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit and
defeasance had not occurred;

                  (3) If the Securities are to be redeemed prior to Stated
Maturity (other than from mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous
payments), notice of such redemption shall have been duly given pursuant to
this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee shall have
been made;

                  (4) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse
of time or both would become an Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing on the date of such deposit; and



                                     -65-
<PAGE>   73

                  (5) The Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer's
Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions
precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this
provision have been complied with.

         For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company and any other
obligor upon the Securities of such series shall be deemed to have paid and
discharged the entire debt represented by the Securities of such series, which
shall thereafter be deemed to be "Outstanding" only for the purposes of Section
1304 and the rights and obligations referred to in Clauses (i) through (vi),
inclusive, of the first paragraph of this Section, and to have satisfied all
its other obligations under the Securities of such series and this Indenture
insofar as the Securities of such series are concerned.

SECTION 1303. Covenant Defeasance.

         The Company and any other obligor, if any, shall be released on the
91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in Clause (1) below from its
obligations under Sections 704, 801, 1005, 1006 and 1007 with respect to the
Securities of any series on and after the date the conditions set forth below
are satisfied (hereinafter, "covenant defeasance"), and the Securities of such
series shall thereafter be deemed to be not "Outstanding" for the purposes of
any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, waiver, consent or
declaration or other action or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any
thereof) in connection with such covenants, but shall continue to be deemed
Outstanding for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant
defeasance means that, with respect to the Securities of such series, the
Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any
term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section, whether directly
or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to such Section or by
reason of any reference in such Section to any other provision herein or in any
other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an
Event of Default under Section 501, but, except as specified above, the
remainder of this Indenture and the Securities of such series shall be
unaffected thereby. The following shall be the conditions to application of
this Section 1303:

                  (1) The Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be
deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making
the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated
solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series, (i)
cash in an amount, or (ii) in the case of any series of Securities the payments
on which may only be made in legal coin or currency of the United States, U.S.
Government Obligations, maturing as to principal and interest at such times and
in such amounts as will insure the availability of cash, or (iii) a combination
thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of
independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof
delivered to the Trustee, to pay (A) the principal and interest and premium, if
any, on all Securities of such series on each date that such principal,
interest or premium, if any, is due and payable or on any Redemption Date
established pursuant to Clause (2) below, and (B) any mandatory sinking fund
payments on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance
with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of such series;



                                     -66-
<PAGE>   74

                  (2) If the Securities are to be redeemed prior to Stated
Maturity (other than from mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous
payments), notice of such redemption shall have been duly given pursuant to
this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee shall have
been made;

                  (3) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse
of time or both would become an Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing on the date of such deposit;

                  (4) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an
Opinion of Counsel which shall confirm that the holders of the Securities of
such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax
purposes as a result of such deposit and covenant defeasance and will be
subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at
the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit and covenant
defeasance had not occurred; and

                  (5) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an
Officer's Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for
relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this provision have been
complied with.

SECTION 1304. Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of
Securities.

         Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all
moneys or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to
Section 1302 or 1303 (and all funds earned on such moneys or U.S. Government
Obligations) shall be held in trust and applied by it to the payment, either
directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own
Paying Agent), to the Holders of the particular Securities of such series for
the payment or redemption of which such moneys have been deposited with the
Trustee, of all sums due and to become due thereon for principal and interest;
but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent
required by law. Subject to Sections 1302 and 1303, the Trustee promptly shall
pay to the Company upon request any excess moneys held by them at any time.

SECTION 1305. Repayment to Company.

         The Trustee and any Paying Agent promptly shall pay or return to the
Company upon Company Request any money and U.S. Government Obligations held by
them at any time that are not required for the payment of the principal of and
any interest on the Securities of any series for which money or U.S. Government
Obligations have been deposited pursuant to Section 1302 or 1303.



                                     -67-
<PAGE>   75


                    --------------------------------------

         The provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003 shall apply to
any money held by the Trustee or any Paying Agent under this Article that
remains unclaimed for two years after the Maturity of any series of Securities
for which money or U.S. Government obligations have been deposited pursuant to
Section 1302 or 1303.

         This instrument may be executed with counterpart signature pages or in
any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an
original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the
same instrument.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to
be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.

                                 EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION


                                 By: /s/ H. Brent Austin    
                                    --------------------------------------------
                                 Name:   H. Brent Austin
                                 Title:  Executive Vice President and
                                         Chief Financial Officer

                                 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK


                                 By: /s/ Richard Lorenzen   
                                    --------------------------------------------
                                 Name:   Richard Lorenzen
                                 Title:  Assistant Vice President



                                     -68-

<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.2

================================================================================




                           EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION

                                     ISSUER

                                       AND


                            THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

                                     TRUSTEE

                               ------------------


                          FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

                            DATED AS OF MAY 10, 1999

                                       TO

                                    INDENTURE

                            DATED AS OF MAY 10, 1999

                               ------------------


                          6 3/4% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2009

                               ------------------




================================================================================


<PAGE>   2




         FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of May 10, 1999 (herein called
the "First Supplemental Indenture"), between EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION, a
Delaware corporation (herein called the "Company"), having its principal office
at 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002 and THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, a
banking corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of
New York, as trustee under the Indenture referred to below (herein called the
"Trustee").

                             RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

         WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the
Trustee the Indenture, dated as of May 10, 1999 (herein called the "Original
Indenture"), providing for the issuance from time to time of one or more series
of the Company's unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness
(herein called the "Securities"), the terms of which are to be determined as set
forth in Section 301 of the Original Indenture; and

         WHEREAS, Section 901 of the Original Indenture provides, among other
things, that the Company and the Trustee may enter into indentures supplemental
to the Original Indenture for, among other things, the purpose of establishing
the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 201 and
301 of the Original Indenture; and

         WHEREAS, the Company desires to create a series of the Securities in an
aggregate principal amount of $500,000,000, which series shall be designated the
6 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2009 (the "Notes"), and all action on the part of the
Company necessary to authorize the issuance of the Notes under the Original
Indenture and this First Supplemental Indenture has been duly taken; and

         WHEREAS, all acts and things necessary to make the Notes, when executed
by the Company and completed, authenticated and delivered by the Trustee as
provided in the Original Indenture and this First Supplemental Indenture, the
valid and binding obligations of the Company and to constitute these presents a
valid and binding supplemental indenture and agreement according to its terms,
have been done and performed;

         NOW, THEREFORE, THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

         That in consideration of the premises and the issuance of the Notes,
the Company covenants and agrees with the Trustee, for the equal and
proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes, as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I

               TERMS AND ISSUANCE OF 6 3/4% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2009

         SECTION 1.01 Issue of Notes. A series of Securities which shall be
designated the "6 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2009" shall be executed, authenticated
and delivered in accordance with the provisions of, and shall in all respects be
subject to, the terms, conditions and covenants of the Original Indenture,
including without limitation the terms set forth in this First Supplemental
Indenture (including the form of Notes referred to in Section 1.02 hereof). The
aggregate principal


                                                        -1-

<PAGE>   3




amount of Notes which may be authenticated and delivered under the Original
Indenture shall not, except as permitted by the provisions of the Original
Indenture, exceed $500,000,000. The entire amount of Notes may forthwith be
executed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee and shall be authenticated
by the Trustee and delivered to or upon the order of the Company pursuant to
Section 303 of the Indenture.

         SECTION 1.02 Forms of Notes and Authentication Certificate. The Notes
initially shall be issuable in the form of one or more Global Securities,
registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee. The Depository Trust
Company shall be the Depositary for such Global Securities. The forms and terms
of the Notes and the Trustee's certificate of authentication shall be
substantially as set forth on Exhibit A hereto.

                                   ARTICLE II

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

         SECTION 2.01 Execution as Supplemental Indenture. This First
Supplemental Indenture is executed and shall be construed as an indenture
supplemental to the Original Indenture and, as provided in the Original
Indenture, this First Supplemental Indenture forms a part thereof. Except as
herein expressly otherwise defined, the use of the terms and expressions herein
is in accordance with the definitions, uses and constructions contained in the
Original Indenture.

         SECTION 2.02 Responsibility for Recitals, Etc. The recitals herein and
in the Notes (except in the Trustee's certificate of authentication) shall be
taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no
responsibility for the correctness thereof. The Trustee makes no representations
as to the validity or sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture or of the
Notes. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the
Company of the Notes or of the proceeds thereof.

         SECTION 2.03 Provisions Binding on Company's Successors. All the
covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this First Supplemental
Indenture contained by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns whether
so expressed or not.

         SECTION 2.04 New York Contract. THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE AND
EACH NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK.

         SECTION 2.05 Execution and Counterparts. This First Supplemental
Indenture may be executed with counterpart signature pages or in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be an original but such counterparts shall
together constitute but one and the same instrument.

         SECTION 2.06 Capitalized Terms. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined
in this First Supplemental Indenture shall have the respective meanings assigned
to them in the Original Indenture.


                                       -2-

<PAGE>   4




         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION has caused this
First Supplemental Indenture to be executed in its corporate name by its
Chairman of the Board or its President or one of its Vice Presidents, and said
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK has caused this First Supplemental Indenture to be
executed in its corporate name by one of its Assistant Vice Presidents as of May
10, 1999.


                                   EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION


                                   By: /s/ H. Brent Austin
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Name:    H. Brent Austin
                                       Title:   Executive Vice President and
                                                Chief Financial Officer


                                   THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK


                                   By: /s/ Richard Lorenzen
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Name:    Richard Lorenzen
                                       Title:   Assistant Vice President



                                       -3-

<PAGE>   5




                                                                       EXHIBIT A

         [THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE
HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A
NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED TO, OR REGISTERED OR
EXCHANGED FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF, ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THE
DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF AND NO SUCH TRANSFER MAY BE REGISTERED, EXCEPT
IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE. EVERY SECURITY
AUTHENTICATED AND DELIVERED UPON REGISTRATION OF, TRANSFER OF, OR IN EXCHANGE
FOR OR IN LIEU OF, THIS SECURITY SHALL BE A GLOBAL SECURITY SUBJECT TO THE
FOREGOING, EXCEPT IN SUCH LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.

         UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS
AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY SECURITY ISSUED
IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (AND ANY PAYMENT IS
MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER
USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL IN AS MUCH AS
THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]*

                           EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION

                           6 3/4% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2009

NO.                                                              U.S.$
CUSIP No. 283905AA5

         EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION, a corporation duly incorporated and
existing under the laws of Delaware (herein called the "Company," which term
includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for
value received, hereby promises to pay to _____________________________________,
or registered assigns, the principal sum of _________________________ United
States Dollars on May 15, 2009, and to pay interest thereon from May 10, 1999,
or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or
duly provided for, semi-annually on May 15 and November 15 in each year,
commencing November 15, 1999, at the rate of 6 3/4% per annum, until the
principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The interest so payable,
and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as
provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security
(or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business
on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the 

- ------------- 


*  Insert in Global Securities only.


                                       A-1

<PAGE>   6




May 1 or November 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next
preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid
or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such
Regular Record Date and shall either be paid to the Person in whose name this
Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of
business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to
be fixed by the Trustee, notice of which shall be given to Holders of Securities
of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be
paid at such time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the
requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series
may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as
more fully provided in such Indenture.

         [Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on this
Security will be made by transfer of immediately available funds to a bank
account in New York, New York designated by the Holder in such coin or currency
of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for
payment of public and private debts.]*

         [Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this
Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that
purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, in such coin or
currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal
tender for payment of public and private debts, or at such other offices or
agencies as the Company may designate; provided, however, that payment of
interest may be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the
addresses of the Persons entitled thereto as such addresses shall appear in the
Security Register.]**

         Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

         Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose.

- --------
*        Insert in Global Securities only.

**       Insert in Definitive Securities only.


                                       A-2

<PAGE>   7




         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed.


Dated:

                                             EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION


                                             By:
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

         This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred
to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

                                             THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
                                                   AS TRUSTEE


                                             By:
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Authorized Officer



                                       A-3

<PAGE>   8




                           EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION
                           6 3/4% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2009

         This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the
Company (the "Securities"), issued and to be issued in one or more series under
an Indenture dated as of May 10, 1999 (the "Indenture"), between the Company and
The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee," which term includes any
successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures
supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective
rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of
the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon
which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. As
provided in the Indenture, the Securities may be issued in one or more series,
which different series may be issued in various aggregate principal amounts, may
mature at different times, may bear interest, if any, at different rates, may be
subject to different redemption provisions, if any, may be subject to different
sinking, purchase or analogous funds, if any, may be subject to different
covenants and Events of Default and may otherwise vary as in the Indenture
provided or permitted. This Security is one of a series of Securities designated
on the face hereof limited in aggregate principal amount to U.S. $500,000,000.

         The Securities of this series are redeemable, upon not less than 30 nor
more than 60 days' notice by mail, as a whole or in part, at the option of the
Company at any time at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of
the principal amount thereof and (ii) as determined by an Independent Investment
Banker, the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of
principal and interest thereon discounted to the date of redemption on a
semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months)
at the Adjusted Treasury Rate, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest
thereon to the date of redemption, but interest installments whose Stated
Maturity is on or prior to such date of redemption will be payable to the
Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at
the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face
hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.

         "Adjusted Treasury Rate" means, with respect to any Redemption Date,
the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the
Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue
(expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable
Treasury Price for such Redemption Date, plus 0.25%.

         "Comparable Treasury Issue" means the United States Treasury security
selected by an Independent Investment Banker that (i) has a maturity comparable
to the remaining term of the Securities of this series to be redeemed and (ii)
would be used, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary
financial practice, to price new issues of corporate debt securities of
comparable maturity to the remaining term of such Securities.

         "Comparable Treasury Price" means, with respect to any Redemption Date,
(i) the average of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue
(expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) on the third
Business Day preceding such Redemption Date, as set forth in the daily
statistical release (or any successor release) published by the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York and designated "Composite 3:30 p.m. Quotations for U.S.
Government Securities," or (ii) if such release (or any successor release) is
not published or does not contain such


                                       A-4

<PAGE>   9




prices on such Business Day, (A) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer
Quotations for such Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest such
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (B) if the Trustee obtains fewer than
three such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations.

         "Independent Investment Banker" means one of the Reference Treasury
Dealers appointed by the Trustee after consultation with the Company.

         "Reference Treasury Dealer" means each of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Securities Corporation, ABN AMRO Incorporated, Chase Securities Inc. and
NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC, and their respective successors;
provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall not be a primary U.S.
Government securities dealer in New York City (a "Primary Treasury Dealer"), the
Company shall substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

         "Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations" means, with respect to each
Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by
the Trustee, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue
(expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in
writing to the Trustee by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m. on the
third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.

         Notwithstanding Section 1104 of the Indenture, the notice of redemption
with respect to the foregoing redemption need not set forth the Redemption Price
but only the manner of calculation thereof.

         Promptly after the calculation thereof, the Company shall give the
Trustee written notice of the Redemption Price for the foregoing redemption.

         In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new
Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed
portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the
cancellation hereof.

         If an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series
shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series
may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in
the Indenture.

         The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the
consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of all series to be affected (voting as one class). The
Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all affected series
(voting as one class), on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such
series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the
Indenture. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided,
the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities of any
series then Outstanding to waive past defaults under the Indenture with respect
to such series and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the


                                       A-5

<PAGE>   10




Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and
upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the
registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof,
whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

         As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the
Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding
with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or
for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given
the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the
Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount
of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written
request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of
Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity and the Trustee
shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of
the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent
with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for
60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The
foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security
for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or interest hereon on or
after the respective due dates expressed herein.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security
or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which
is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and
interest on this Security at the times, place(s) and rate, and in the coin or
currency, herein prescribed.

         [This Global Security or portion hereof may not be exchanged for
Definitive Securities except in the limited circumstances provided in the
Indenture.

         The holders of beneficial interests in this Global Security will not be
entitled to receive physical delivery of Definitive Securities except as
described in the Indenture and will not be considered the Holders hereof for any
purpose under the Indenture.]*

         [As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations set
forth, the transfer of this Security is registerable in the Security Register,
upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or
agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or at
such other offices or agencies as the Company may designate, duly endorsed by,
or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his
attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of
this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for a like
aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or
transferees.]**

- --------
*        Insert in Global Securities only.

**       Insert in Definitive Securities only.


                                       A-6

<PAGE>   11




         The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form,
without coupons, in denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple
thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, the Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate
principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different
authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

         No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer
or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any transfer tax or other similar governmental charge payable in connection
therewith.

         Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer,
the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat
the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

         No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of or
contained in the Indenture or of or contained in any Security, or for any claim
based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, or in any Security, or because of
the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any
incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or
future, of the Company or of any successor Person, either directly or through
the Company or any successor Person, whether by virtue of any constitution,
statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment, penalty or
otherwise; it being expressly understood that all such liability is hereby
expressly waived and released by the acceptance hereof and as a condition of,
and as part of the consideration for, the Securities and the execution of the
Indenture.

         The Indenture provides that the Company (a) will be discharged from any
and all obligations in respect of the Securities (except for certain obligations
described in the Indenture), or (b) need not comply with certain restrictive
covenants of the Indenture, in each case if the Company deposits, in trust, with
the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations (or a combination thereof)
which through the payment of interest thereon and principal thereof in
accordance with their terms will provide money, in an amount sufficient to pay
all the principal of and interest of the Securities, but such money need not be
segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

         THIS SECURITY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

         All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.


                                       A-7

<PAGE>   12




         [FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
transfer(s) unto _______________________________________________________________

            (Please Print or Typewrite Name and Address of Assignee)

the within instrument of EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION and does hereby irrevocably
constitute and appoint ________________________ Attorney to transfer said
instrument on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of
substitution in the premises.

Please Insert Social Security or
Other Identifying Number of Assignee:


      ----------------------------------           -----------------------------
Dated:
      ----------------------------------           -----------------------------
                                                           (Signature)

NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as
written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.]**



- -----------------

**       Insert in Definitive Securities only.




                                       A-8

<PAGE>   1
                     [LETTERHEAD OF ANDREWS & KURTH L.L.P.]





                                  May 10, 1999

Board of Directors
El Paso Energy Corporation
El Paso Energy Building
1001 Louisiana Street
Houston, Texas 77002

Gentlemen:

                  We have acted as special counsel to El Paso Energy
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with (i) the
preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), of the
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed
by the Company with the Commission on September 4, 1998 (the "Registration
Statement"), for the purpose of registering under the Act, among other
securities, senior debt securities of the Company; and (ii) the preparation of a
prospectus supplement (the "Prospectus Supplement") in connection with the
issuance of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6 3/4% Senior Notes Due
2009 of the Company (the "Senior Notes").

                  In connection with this opinion, we have examined originals or
copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the
Registration Statement, as amended to the date hereof, including the form of
prospectus included therein and the documents incorporated by reference therein,
and the Prospectus Supplement, (ii) the Company's Certificate of Incorporation
and By-laws, each as amended to date, and (iii) the Indenture relating to the
Company's senior debt securities, dated as of May 10, 1999, and the First
Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of May 10, 1999 (collectively, the
"Indenture"), between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as trustee. We
have also examined originals or copies, certified, or otherwise identified to
our satisfaction, of such other documents, certificates, and records as we have
deemed necessary or appropriate, and we have made such investigations of law, as
we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinions expressed below.

                  In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have assumed and
have not verified (i) the genuineness of the signatures on all documents that we
have examined, (ii) the conformity to the originals of all documents supplied to
us as certified or photostatic or faxed copies, (iii) the authenticity of the
originals of such documents and (iv) as to the forms of all documents in respect
of which forms were filed with the Commission or incorporated by reference as
exhibits to the Registration Statement, the conformity in all material respects
of such documents to the forms thereof that we have examined. In conducting our
examination of documents executed by parties other than the Company, we have
assumed that such parties had the power, corporate or other, to enter into and
perform all obligations thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization
by all requisite action, corporate or other, and execution and delivery by such
parties of such documents and that such documents constitute valid and binding
obligations of such parties. We have assumed that the Senior Notes and the
Indenture, when executed, will be executed in substantially the forms reviewed
by us. In addition, we have assumed the receipt by each person to whom a Senior
Note is to be issued (collectively, the "Senior Note Holders") of a certificate
for such Senior Note or of a global certificate by the Depository Trust Company,
acting as agent, and the payment for the Senior Note so acquired, in accordance 


<PAGE>   2




El Paso Energy Corporation
May 10, 1999
Page 2

with the Registration Statement, and that the Senior Notes are issued and sold
to the Senior Note Holders in accordance with the Registration Statement. As to
any facts material to the opinions expressed herein which were not independently
established or verified, we have relied upon oral or written statements and
representations of officers, trustees, and other representatives of the Company
and others. We have further assumed that the Registration Statement, and any
amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments), have become effective.

                  Based upon and subject to the foregoing and to other
qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that when
(i) the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
as amended, and has been duly executed and delivered, and (ii) the Senior Notes
have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with
the Indenture and delivered and paid for as contemplated by the Registration
Statement:

         (A) the Indenture will be a valid and legally binding instrument of the
         Company, and

         (B) the Senior Notes will be legally issued and will constitute valid
         and legally binding obligations of the Company.

                  The opinion expressed above with respect to the legally
binding effect of the Indenture and the Senior Notes is subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to
fraudulent transfer), reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally and to general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at
law).

                  We express no opinion other than as to the federal laws of the
United States of America to the extent specifically referred to herein, the laws
of the State of New York and the Delaware General Corporation Law. We hereby
consent to the reference to us under the caption "Legal Matters" in the
Prospectus dated May 3, 1999 and in the Prospectus Supplement dated May 5, 1999
which form a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do
not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is
required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under the
rules and regulations of the Commission relating thereto.


                                                     Very truly yours, 

                                                     /s/ Andrews & Kurth L.L.P.


<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1


                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement  on Form S-3 of our report dated March 9, 1999 relating to the
consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule, which
appears in El Paso Energy Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 1998. We also consent to the references to us under the
headings "Experts" and "Summary Historical Financial Data" in such Registration
Statement.



/s/ PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Houston, Texas
May 3, 1999

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.2

                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in the
Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-42713) and the related Prospectus of
El Paso Energy Corporation and to the incorporation by reference therein of our
report dated January 19, 1999, with respect to the consolidated financial
statements of Sonat Inc. for the year ended December 31, 1998 included in the
El Paso Energy Corporation Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated April 30, 1999
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


                                              /s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
                                              ----------------------------
                                                  ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Birmingham, Alabama
May 5, 1999

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.3


                        Consent of Independent Auditors
 

The Board of Directors
Sonat Exploration GOM Inc.
(formerly Zilkha Energy Company):

We consent to the refence to our firm under the heading "Experts" in the 
prospectus of the Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration
statement (No. 333-42713) on Form S-3 of El Paso Energy Corporation.


                                            /s/ KMPG LLP
                                                ------------------------
                                                KMPG LLP

Houston, Texas
May 5, 1999

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 25.1


       -------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D. C. 20549

                            -------------------------

                                    FORM T-1

                            STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
                    UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF
                   A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

                   -------------------------------------------
               CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF
                A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2) ________

                    ----------------------------------------

                            THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
               (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)


NEW YORK                                                             13-4994650
(State of incorporation                                         (I.R.S. employer
if not a national bank)                                      identification No.)

270 PARK AVENUE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK                                                         10017
(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)

                               William H. McDavid
                                 General Counsel
                                 270 Park Avenue
                            New York, New York 10017
                               Tel: (212) 270-2611
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                  --------------------------------------------
                           EL PASO ENERGY CORPORATION
               (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)


DELAWARE                                                             76-0568816
(State or other jurisdiction of                                 (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                               identification No.)


1001 LOUISIANA
HOUSTON, TEXAS                                                             77002
(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)

                         ------------------------------
                             SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES
                       (TITLE OF THE INDENTURE SECURITIES)






<PAGE>   2


                                     GENERAL

Item 1.  General Information.

         Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

         (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to
which it is subject.

             New York State Banking Department, State House, Albany, New York
             12110.

             Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, D.C.,
             20551

             Federal Reserve Bank of New York, District No. 2, 33 Liberty
             Street, New York, N.Y.

             Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C., 20429.


         (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

             Yes.


Item 2.  Affiliations with the Obligor.

         If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such
affiliation.

         None.









<PAGE>   3


Item 16.   List of Exhibits

           List below all exhibits filed as a part of this Statement of
Eligibility.

           1. A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee as now in
effect, including the Organization Certificate and the Certificates of Amendment
dated February 17, 1969, August 31, 1977, December 31, 1980, September 9, 1982,
February 28, 1985, December 2, 1991 and July 10, 1996 (see Exhibit 1 to Form T-1
filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-06249, which is
incorporated by reference).

           2. A copy of the Certificate of Authority of the Trustee to Commence
Business (see Exhibit 2 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration
Statement No. 33-50010, which is incorporated by reference. On July 14, 1996, in
connection with the merger of Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank
(National Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed
The Chase Manhattan Bank).

           3. None, authorization to exercise corporate trust powers being
contained in the documents identified above as Exhibits 1 and 2.

           4. A copy of the existing By-Laws of the Trustee (see Exhibit 4 to
Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-06249, which is
incorporated by reference).

           5. Not applicable.

           6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act
(see Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No.
33-50010, which is incorporated by reference. On July 14, 1996, in connection
with the merger of Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National
Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed The Chase
Manhattan Bank).

           7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee, published
pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

           8. Not applicable.

           9. Not applicable.

                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 the
Trustee, The Chase Manhattan Bank, a corporation organized and existing under
the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in
the City of New York and State of New York, on the 26th day of April, 1999.

                                          THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

                                          By  /s/ R. Lorenzen
                                             -----------------------------------
                                                  R. Lorenzen
                                                  Assistant Vice President

                                      - 3 -


<PAGE>   4
                              Exhibit 7 to Form T-1


                                Bank Call Notice

                             RESERVE DISTRICT NO. 2
                       CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF CONDITION OF

                            The Chase Manhattan Bank
                  of 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
                     and Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,
                     a member of the Federal Reserve System,

                   at the close of business December 31, 1998,
              in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve
               Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of
                            the Federal Reserve Act.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                   DOLLAR AMOUNTS
                        ASSETS                                                       IN MILLIONS

<S>                                                                                    <C>     
Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
     Noninterest-bearing balances and
     currency and coin .............................................................   $ 13,915
     Interest-bearing balances .....................................................      7,805
Securities:.........................................................................
Held to maturity securities ........................................................      1,429
Available for sale securities ......................................................     56,327
Federal funds sold and securities purchased under
     agreements to resell ..........................................................     21,733
Loans and lease financing receivables:
     Loans and leases, net of unearned income                           $131,095
     Less: Allowance for loan and lease losses                             2,711
     Less: Allocated transfer risk reserve                                     0
                                                                        --------
     Loans and leases, net of unearned income,
     allowance, and reserve ........................................................    128,384
Trading Assets .....................................................................     48,949
Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized
     leases) .......................................................................      3,095
Other real estate owned ............................................................        239
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and
     associated companies ..........................................................        199
Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances
     outstanding ...................................................................      1,209
Intangible assets ..................................................................      2,081
Other assets .......................................................................     11,352
                                                                                       --------

TOTAL ASSETS .......................................................................   $296,717
                                                                                       ========
</TABLE>


                                      - 4 -



<PAGE>   5



                                   LIABILITIES

<TABLE>


<S>                                                                                         <C>     
Deposits
     In domestic offices ................................................................   $105,879
     Noninterest-bearing ............................................   $ 39,175
     Interest-bearing ...............................................     66,704
     In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement,
     subsidiaries and IBF's .............................................................     79,294
Noninterest-bearing .................................................   $  4,082
     Interest-bearing ...............................................     75,212

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agree-
ments to repurchase .....................................................................     32,546
Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury ................................................        629
Trading liabilities .....................................................................     36,807

Other borrowed money (includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under
     capitalized leases):
     With a remaining maturity of one year or less ......................................      4,478
     With a remaining maturity of more than one year
            through three years .........................................................        213
       With a remaining maturity of more than three years ...............................        115
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding ................................      1,209
Subordinated notes and debentures .......................................................      5,408
Other liabilities .......................................................................     10,855

TOTAL LIABILITIES .......................................................................    277,433
                                                                                            --------

                                 EQUITY CAPITAL

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus ...........................................          0
Common stock ............................................................................      1,211
Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock) ................................     11,016
Undivided profits and capital reserves ..................................................      6,762
Net unrealized holding gains (losses)
on available-for-sale securities ........................................................        279
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments .....................................         16

TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL ....................................................................     19,284
                                                                                            --------
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY CAPITAL ....................................................   $296,717
                                                                                            ========
</TABLE>


I, Joseph L. Sclafani, E.V.P. & Controller of the
above-named bank, do hereby declare that this Report
of Condition has been prepared in conformance with
the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal
regulatory authority and is true to the best of my
knowledge and belief.

                        JOSEPH L. SCLAFANI

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the
correctness of this Report of Condition and declare
that it has been examined by us, and to the best of
our knowledge and belief has been prepared in
conformance with the instructions issued by the
appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true
and correct.

                       WALTER V. SHIPLEY           )
                       THOMAS G. LABRECQUE         )   DIRECTORS
                       WILLIAM B. HARRISON, JR.    )
                               -5-



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