GRAYSON COUNTY, Tex. -- A Houston -based company has plans to build a natural gas pipeline extending from Sherman to Bennington to Paris onto Tallulah, Louisiana. But before they do, they need to acquire land, which in many cases, belongs to individuals who aren't willing to give it up.

Gulf crossing pipeline has proposed a 355-mile natural gas pipeline starting in northeast Grayson County. It’s an idea that idea has not sat well with residents who went to Durant on Wednesday afternoon to get answers.

More than 30 people gathered at the Durant Chamber of Commerce to listen to a representative from Gulf South Pipeline and ask questions regarding the pipeline project.

Officials with the company say they want to build here because there are several large natural gas fields situated in north central Texas and southeastern Oklahoma.

The project itself represents investment of approximately $1.3 billion and includes several compressor stations, two of which are proposed just east of Sherman.

In Lamar County, the proposed pipeline has drawn opposition from land owners who are situated above the projected path of the project, but because of eminent domain county officials say companies have the right to pick where they want to lay their pipeline.

It’s a step which officials with gulf south want to avoid.

"Eminent domain is the absolute last result that we want to take. Almost 90 to 95 percent of the time we are able to work with the land owner, but certainly, we understand."

If they are able to acquire all the land necessary to build the pipeline, the company hopes to start construction by March of 2008.

Gulf South Pipeline has applied with the Federal Energy Reglatory Commission and will wait to hear back from them to move forward with an acquisition of land.