Issuu

From Wellhead to Water

ONEOK and MPLX have formed a joint venture that expands and extends our natural gas liquids value chain and provides additional value to our customers.

Powered By Energy, Powered by Us

ONEOK is committed to creating exceptional value for our stakeholders by providing solutions to an evolving energy future, anchored by our Core Values of Safety and Environment, Ethics, Inclusion and Diversity, Excellence, Service and Innovation.

Energy powers every aspect of our lives – from our homes to our means of transportation, to the critical technologies we rely on daily.

Over time, innovations in energy have transformed how we move, live, communicate and learn, creating new opportunities and accessibility at scale for people around the world; nevertheless, energy requires infrastructure. The United States is the envy of the world in terms of the depth and breadth of our energy infrastructure delivering safe, affordable and reliable energy. With increasing demand on energy driven by artificial intelligence, data centers, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) exports, our industry is entering another era of growth – one that will require new and expanded infrastructure to meet future needs.

As one of the most diversified and integrated midstream players in the United States, ONEOK is well positioned to capitalize on this opportunity. Together with MPLX, we are constructing a new world-scale LPG export terminal in Texas City, Texas, along with a new pipeline connecting our Mont Belvieu, Texas, storage facility directly to the new terminal. This initiative is an important step toward efficient and integrated product movement to global demand centers. You’ll find more details about this exciting project in this issue of ONEOK Journal.

Our employees are our most valuable asset. Among these committed employees are six individuals who exemplified our Core Value of Service throughout 2024 – our Volunteer of the Year award winners. Companywide, our employees contributed nearly 20,000 hours of service, leaving a lasting mark in their communities and reminding us that supporting others is as vital as supporting each other. Congratulations

to all the nominees and winners, and thank you for making a meaningful difference through your service!

At our second-quarter town hall in Lafayette, Louisiana, we introduced a new safety-focused call and response: “Be safe … always!” My hope is that this simple, yet impactful phrase will reinforce our shared responsibility to prioritize safety in the workplace and ensure we return home to our families each day. After all, that is the most important commitment we have to one another.

That’s a big commitment, too, with more than 6,000 of us now combined in an expanded footprint, which will provide ample opportunities to work and grow together. It is our collective responsibility to deliver our services safely, reliably and environmentally responsibly, which only can be accomplished when harnessing The Power of US.

So, thank you for upholding our Core Values, and, of course, be safe… always. 

1: Powered By Energy, Powered by Us

3: From Wellhead to Water

ONEOK and MPLX have formed a joint venture that expands and extends our natural gas liquids value chain and provides additional value to our customers.

7: Free App Helps First Responders Throughout ONEOK’s Footprint

Learn more about Buxus, a mobile application that provides critical information on pipelines to first responders.

9: Meet the 2024 Volunteers of the Year

Our 2024 Volunteer of the Year winners were honored in person and virtually during the Volunteer of the Year Leadership Luncheon and companywide during the quarterly town hall in Lafayette, Louisiana.

BACK COVER: Bison to the Bakken to ONEOK

North Dakota State University’s Bison to the Bakken program brought 37 students to McKenzie County and included a tour of our Lonesome Creek natural gas gathering and processing plant.

ONEOK Journal is published by the Communications department of ONEOK and is dedicated to providing information for and about the employees and retirees of ONEOK.

Editor:

Jason Wright Communications Consultant P.O. Box 871, Tulsa, OK 74102-0871 (or internally, Mail Drop PL-2, ONEOK Plaza) 918-732-4829 jason.wright@oneok.com

Advisers:

Darren Wallis Senior Vice President, Communications and Community Relations

Becky Carver Director, Communications

Paul Parmley Director, Digital Communications and Integrated Content

Megan Washbourne Director, Communications

At ONEOK (NYSE: OKE), we deliver energy products and services vital to an advancing world. We are a leading midstream operator that provides gathering, processing, fractionation, transportation, storage and marine export services. Through our approximately 60,000-mile pipeline network, we transport the natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), refined products and crude oil that help meet domestic and international energy demand, contribute to energy security and provide safe, reliable and responsible energy solutions needed today and into the future. As one of the largest integrated energy infrastructure companies in North America, ONEOK is delivering energy that makes a difference in the lives of people in the U.S. and around the world.

ONEOK is an S&P 500 company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

For information about ONEOK, visit the website: www.oneok.com.

For the latest news about ONEOK, find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

From Wellhead to Water

ONEOK and MPLX have formed a joint venture that expands and extends our natural gas liquids value chain, as well as provides additional value to our customers.

The global demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) exports is rising.

LPG serves as a vital energy source for residential, commercial and industrial applications, including cooking, heating and petrochemical processes. Rapid urbanization, population growth and economic development in regions like Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are driving its demand.

As countries seek reliable and efficient energy sources, LPG exports are becoming increasingly critical in meeting global energy needs. As key players in the midstream energy sector, ONEOK and MPLX are in a great position to help address those needs. That’s why the two companies have formed joint

ventures to construct a new 400,000-barrel per day (bpd) LPG export terminal in Texas City, Texas, and a new 24-inch diameter pipeline from ONEOK’s Mont Belvieu, Texas, storage facility to the new Texas City terminal.

“This project allows us to give our customers a fully integrated value chain from wellhead to water,” said Sheridan Swords, executive vice president and chief commercial officer.

“This will add a much needed area of service that will benefit customers and consumers alike.”

Sheridan Swords

“It’s going to make us more competitive across the whole value chain – and that integrated value chain helps us be more dynamic in our businesses,” Swords continued.

Historically, ONEOK has relied on others to export our product, explained Brandon Long, senior vice president, commercial – NGL and marketing. “But, as our peers continued to grow their own supply and fractionation capacity, they have not needed as much of our supply. So, this joint venture made sense to us to step out on our own to add value all the way across the last mile of our system.”

About the Export Terminal and Pipeline

Texas City Logistics LLC (TCX), the export terminal joint venture, is owned 50% by ONEOK and 50% by MPLX. MPLX will construct and operate the facility, the completion of which is expected in early 2028. The export terminal will leverage MPLX’s existing location and infrastructure, providing construction timing and cost benefits.

The 400,000-bpd loading throughput is expected to be primarily low-ethane propane and normal butane, with ONEOK and MPLX each reserving 200,000 bpd for their respective customers.

ONEOK’s and MPLX’s shares of the total investment in the export terminal are expected to be approximately $700 million each for a total of $1.4 billion.

The Mont Belvieu to Texas City pipeline joint venture, MBTC Pipeline LLC, is 80% owned by ONEOK and 20% by MPLX. ONEOK will construct and operate the pipeline. ONEOK’s and MPLX’s combined investment in the pipeline is expected to be approximately $350 million.

“We’ve been intentional and disciplined about going forward with this type of project,” Swords said. “We’ve been evaluating projects like this for years, and we’re very comfortable with where this project sits today and how we can better compete in the marketplace.”

“And, with a project that we can grow further, this dock and pipeline are both expandable beyond the 400,000 bpd,” Swords added.

“Some joint ventures might only make sense on paper,” said Russ Arnold, vice president, commercial marketing. “But, both parties bring something unique to the table.”

“It’s not only an NGL strategy for ONEOK to go from wellhead to the water,” he continued. “We already export refined products and crude oil, and we are moving closer to the wellhead with the Medallion and EnLink acquisitions. This dock leverages the benefits of these acquisitions and makes ONEOK a more integrated company.”

Arnold was among those working on the project before it was announced, often alongside Ross Crutchfield, associate general counsel in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“One of the most challenging aspects of the transaction was the dual nature of its structure,” Crutchfield said. “Since there are two different joint ventures involved in the project – the export terminal, operated by MPLX, and the pipeline, operated by ONEOK –we always had to be mindful of how concepts would apply across both joint ventures. For example, if we required MPLX to do something under the operating agreement for the export terminal, we also had to be comfortable with that same obligation applied to ONEOK for the pipeline.”

Of particular note, Crutchfield related, were two days of in-person meetings with MPLX at its headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, last fall.

“That was very helpful, just being in the same room with them and getting to know them better,” he said. “Because joint ventures are so relationship-driven, you really need to have a comfort level with the people you’re working with, and we were able to grow the relationship through the negotiations.”

Russ Arnold

Brandon Long

Ross Crutchfield

‘Location, Location, Location’

“Building this terminal and pipeline checks a lot of boxes for us, as well as for MPLX, so it integrates all assets for both companies – it is great how it all comes together,” Arnold said.

Perhaps one of the biggest boxes checked is location.

During an earlier earnings call, Swords reiterated the strategic rationale of the project: “Location, location, location. We have access to the open waters at this location, significantly better than the other docks in the area.”

“The site had all the elements we needed,” Arnold said.

As a brownfield construction site (a previously developed property), a lot of the infrastructure is already in place, which greatly reduces costs. Plus, the proximity to ONEOK’s NGL system and storage enables us to easily get our products to the dock.

“This project also is noteworthy because it enables us to connect the dots all the way from the source of the product to the end user of the product,” Arnold said. “Also, it’s a way for us to continue adding customer value, from the molecule throughout the value chain.”

And connecting these dots, as President and CEO Pierce Norton has mentioned in recent years to employees, stakeholders and the public alike, delivers energy products and services vital to an advancing world, making a difference in the lives of people in the U.S. and around the globe. 

With this joint venture, ONEOK will have access to open waters, significantly better than other docks in the area. Plus, much of the infrastructure is already in place.

We are excited to collaborate with MPLX on these strategically located projects, which expand and extend our NGL value chain providing additional optionality and value to our customers. Given our high expectations for future growth and demand for more energy infrastructure, including export capacity, these projects with MPLX complement our disciplined capital allocation strategy.

– President and CEO Pierce Norton in a press release announcing the joint venture

Explaining NGL, LNG and LPG.

Natural gas liquids (NGLs) are hydrocarbons – in the same family of molecules as natural gas and crude oil, composed exclusively of carbon and hydrogen. Ethane, propane, butane, isobutane and pentane are all NGLs. Uses for NGLs span nearly all sectors of the economy, used as inputs for petrochemical plants, burned for space heat and cooking, and blended into vehicle fuel.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas (primarily methane) that has been liquefied by reducing its temperature to -260 degrees Fahrenheit at atmospheric pressure. Liquefaction makes it possible to transport natural gas to places pipelines do not reach, which helps create new markets. Plus, natural gas is relatively clean-burning and emits fewer greenhouse gases than other fossil fuels.

About MPLX

Formed in 2012 by Marathon Petroleum Corp., Findlay, Ohio-based MPLX is engaged in the gathering, processing and transportation of natural gas; the transportation, fractionation, storage and marketing of natural gas liquids (NGLs); the gathering, transportation, storage and distribution of crude oil, refined products, other hydrocarbon-based products and renewables; as well as refining logistics and fuels distribution services.

MPLX provides these midstream services across the hydrocarbon value chain through its two business segments: Crude Oil and Products Logistics and Natural Gas and NGL Services.

Liquefied petroleum gases (LPGs) are a group of hydrocarbon gases, primarily propane, normal butane and isobutane, derived from crude oil refining or natural gas processing, that can be liquefied through pressurization for convenience of transportation or storage. Their uses include cooking, heating, fueling vehicles and manufacturing.

To reduce the required storage pressure when transporting liquid propane or butane via refrigerated bulk vessels, propane is loaded and transported at -40 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit and butane ranges from 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

– Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy

Free App Helps First Responders Throughout ONEOK’s Footprint

ONEOK subscribes to Buxus, a mobile application that provides critical information on pipelines to first responders.

This spring, one of our competitors experienced a lightning strike on one of their natural gas pipelines, which resulted in an explosion. Thankfully, there were no injuries.

Buxus, a mobile application, helped a first responder during the incident. Buxus is an app ONEOK subscribes to and was among the first operators to pioneer the program.

Buxus – Latin for “pipe” – is an app designed to provide critical, 24-7 information on pipelines. Buxus does not require cell or Wi-Fi coverage to work. At the touch of

a button, it provides the information needed by key stakeholders before and during a pipeline emergency, regardless of whether an in-person meeting has occurred or not.

“We’ve been rolling this out to emergency responders for about four years now,” said Donnie Krumsiek, supervisor, regulatory compliance, pipeline safety in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “Emergency responders can sign up for the app, and it will identify their jurisdictions and display the pipelines of companies that are part of Buxus.”

Donnie Krumsiek

Such was the case this spring with a lieutenant from the Woodward Fire Department in Oklahoma.

“We had a pipeline explosion this morning in our response area,” wrote the firefighter in a message to Buxus. He had downloaded the app at an Oklahoma hazmat conference.

“Once the call came in this morning, I pulled your app up and found the pipeline owners in the area,” he said. “Having the emergency numbers right there handy was a huge plus! Your app saved me a huge headache of trying to find pipelines in the area and also who owns them. It was handy, right there. Thank you so much for developing the app and having it free for us first responders.”

Before Buxus, first responders had to carry around bulky three-ring binders or thick folders of information, Krumsiek said. Now, all that information is available through an app.

“It provides specific information, like safety data sheets, product type, pipeline size, emergency response plans for the company,” he explained.

As a first responder with the Richland Fire Department, Kody Jinkens, supervisor, area operations in Medford, Oklahoma, was once dispatched to the scene of a suspected natural gas odor.

“I was able to pull up Buxus to understand any pipelines in the area and proactively make decisions for my crew,” said Jinkens, who also noted the app’s convenience. “It’s quick data at a glance to allow for immediate situational awareness, improved safety for my crew and the public, and incident size-up before arrival.”

Information at First Responders’ Fingertips

Krumsiek provided a quick tour of the app, zooming in on a specific area in Oklahoma with different colored lines zigzagging in myriad directions.

“Each company is a different color,” he said, pointing out ONEOK’s. “If I tap right here, it will pop up that it’s a ONEOK natural gas liquids (NGLs) transmission line, that it’s a six-inch steel pipe. Tap on ‘View Operator,’ and it will start pulling up ONEOK information.”

In an emergency, a first responder can click on that same line and a red bar with an 800 number pops up –the number to contact ONEOK’s Pipeline Control.

Additional tabs tell the first responder exactly what to do in an emergency regarding NGLs and what steps to take next – steps for each type of emergency responder, from 911 dispatchers and firefighters to law enforcement and EMS.

“It puts a lot of information in their hands, all at their fingertips,” said Krumsiek, adding that companies that subscribe to Buxus pay for the app so that first responders don’t have to.

Feedback like the Woodward firefighter’s is crucial to Buxus, as well as ONEOK’s Public Awareness team.

“It helps us understand how emergency responders are using the app,” he said. “We plan on having a sit-down conversation with those emergency responders and ask them questions about how easy was it to use, how practical was it, what services did they find helpful and what could we do to make it better.”

Krumsiek hopes to get the word out about Buxus to all employees, some of whom are volunteer firefighters. Each emergency responder is vetted who signs up for it.

“We’re all stewards of safety,” he reminded. “We all have a responsibility around our Core Value of Safety.” 

Kody Jinkens

Meet the 2024 Volunteers of the Year

Our 2024 Volunteer of the Year winners were honored individually during the Volunteer of the Year Leadership Luncheon and companywide during the May 2025 town hall in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Thrift centers, parent-teacher-student associations and fire departments. Youth clubs and sports teams, chambers of commerce and food banks. Marathons, high school theater departments and track clubs.

No matter the cause, every nonprofit organization’s lifeblood is volunteers. Among those volunteers, in the communities where our employees work and live, are our 2024 Volunteer of the Year winners:

• West Region winner: Michael Ellis, senior mechanic.

• Tulsa Region winner: Laurie England, senior regulatory compliance specialist.

• East Region winner: Tristan Grover, supervisor, environmental.

• Central Region winner: Allison Schultz , operations specialist.

• South Region winner: Sarah Trahan, operations specialist.

• North Region winner: Jared Troudt , measurement technician.

Every year, ONEOK designates an employee or retiree from each community investments region as a Volunteer of the Year – someone who embodies commitment to volunteerism within their community. In celebration of National Volunteer Month, we announced ONEOK’s 2024 Volunteer of the Year winners during ONEOK’s Volunteer of the Year Leadership Luncheon and virtually during the companywide quarterly town hall in Lafayette, Louisiana.

“We have a Core Value of Service,” said Darren Wallis, senior vice president, communications and community relations. “Serving others through volunteerism not only reinforces that core value but also helps build stronger communities and relationships in the areas where we live and work. Our Volunteer of the Year winners inspire us all to do what we can to make a meaningful impact.”

ONEOK values the importance and impact of volunteerism. In 2024, 1,375 employees, retirees, friends and family volunteered 19,615 hours, worth an estimated value of $656,906. Of this total, 4,229 hours were volunteered by our Volunteer of the Year nominees.

Volunteer of the Year nominees are selected based on:

• Spirit of volunteerism.

• Projects and hours invested.

• Leadership in volunteerism.

Scan the QR Code to learn more about how you can live out ONEOK’s Core Value of Service and earn a volunteer service grant for your organization at ONEOK Gives Back. 

West Region

Michael Ellis

Senior mechanic Bushton, Kansas

Organization: Wilson Volunteer Fire Department.

East Region

Tristan Grover

Supervisor, environmental Des Moines, Iowa

Organizations: Run Warren County Track Club, Indianola Athletic Booster Club and High School Theater Department, Knights of Columbus and acting as Santa Claus for various organizations.

Tulsa Region

Laurie England

Senior regulatory compliance specialist Tulsa, Oklahoma

Organizations: Route 66 Marathon, Tulsa Run, Tulsa Tough, Houston Marathon Committee, Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences Foundation, Tulsa Area United Way, River Parks Authority and Emergency Infant Services.

North Region

Jared Troudt

Measurement technician Sidney, Montana

Organizations: Sidney Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, Watford City Area Chamber of Commerce, Richland County Food Bank, Sidney Tiger Sharks Swim Team/Montana Federation of Swimmers and Sidney Public Schools.

Central Region

Allison Schultz

Operations specialist Medford, Oklahoma

Organizations: Pond Creek Community Partners, Family Thrift Center, Young Farmers, Pond CreekHunter Parent Teacher Student Association and Rural League and Rogue Valley Family YMCA.

South Region

Sarah Trahan

Operations specialist Mont Belvieu, Texas

Organizations: United Way of Greater Baytown Area and Chambers County; United Way of Greater Houston; City of Baytown, Texas; City of Mont Belvieu, Texas; Honor Flight Houston; Anahuac Youth Sports Organization and Making Memories for Myles.

Pictured above, from left, are: Michael Ellis, Tristan Grover, Laurie England, Jared Troudt, Allison Schultz and Sarah Trahan.

Post Office Box 871

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74102-0871

Bison to the Bakken to ONEOK

North Dakota State University’s Bison to the Bakken program brought 37 students to McKenzie County and included a tour of our Lonesome Creek natural gas gathering and processing plant.

ONEOK Rockies Midstream (ORM) employees recently hosted students from North Dakota State University (NDSU) on a tour of our Lonesome Creek natural gas gathering and processing plant in Alexander, North Dakota.

The plant was part of Bison to the Bakken, a 12-day summer program offering NDSU students an opportunity to explore western North Dakota’s energy sector, connect with top employers and discover internship and job opportunities. The ONEOK Foundation recently helped fund the program.

A group of 37 students majoring in agriculture, business, engineering and other fields participated in the program, which came to McKenzie County, North Dakota, for two days.

“It was nice for McKenzie County to showcase the area to the students who have limited information and knowledge of opportunities in the western part of the state,” said Anselmo Hernandez Jr., director, technical training in Sidney, Montana. “Also, with our refined products and crude assets close to the Fargo, North Dakota, area, it’s important they become familiar with ONEOK and that we inform them of opportunities with our wonderful organization.”

Jared Troudt, intermediate measurement technician in Sidney, participated in a panel discussion attended by Bison to the Bakken students.

“I talked about how ONEOK supports local communities in multiple ways through grants, sponsorships and more,” said Troudt. “I also talked about how we went from 2,900 employees to more than 6,000 across 20 states and answered questions about our footprint and places they could live and work with us. It was a very fun event.”

ORM Construction has partnered with NDSU for several years regarding research on pipeline remediation, Amanda Jenkins, construction coordinator in Watford City, explained. She said she was excited that the program reached out about this opportunity and that ONEOK was able to participate. The visit gave students a strong overview of the construction process, as well as ONEOK’s presence in the region and how its assets connect from North Dakota to Texas. 