EXHIBIT 99.A

                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                             18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

         In connection with the Annual Report of the El Paso Corporation
Retirement Savings Plan (the "Plan") on Form 11-K for the period ending December
31, 2002 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof
(the "Report"), I, Ronald L. Kuehn, Jr., Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer of El Paso Corporation, certify that (i) the Report fully
complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and (ii) the information contained in the
Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the net assets available for
benefits and changes in net assets available for benefits of the Plan.

                                                 /s/ Ronald L. Kuehn, Jr.
                                                 ------------------------------
                                                 Ronald L. Kuehn, Jr.
                                                 Chairman of the Board and
                                                 Chief Executive Officer
                                                 (Principal Executive Officer)

                                                 June 30, 2003

A signed original of this written statement has been provided to the Plan and
will be retained by the Plan and furnished to the Securities and Exchange
Commission or its staff upon request.