MPLX Announces Successful Joint Binding Open Season on Cushing-to-Patoka Pipeline Expansion

FINDLAY, Ohio, Feb. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MPLX LP (NYSE: MPLX) today announced that its subsidiaries MPLX Ozark Pipe Line LLC (Ozark) and Marathon Pipe Line LLC (MPL) have completed a successful joint binding open season on the combined Ozark 22-inch and Woodpat 22-inch pipelines from Cushing, Oklahoma, to Patoka, Illinois. Based on strong interest from prospective shippers, MPL will continue with plans to increase the capacity of the pipeline by providing operational modifications, including tankage, in Wood River, Illinois. The expansion is expected to begin service in the third quarter of 2018.

"The Cushing-to-Patoka Expansion Project is a great example of providing our customers with additional capacity between two major crude hubs by adding connectivity and tankage," MPLX President Michael J. Hennigan said.  "By securing long term commitments from shippers, MPL continues to enhance the value of its existing assets."

The binding open season began on Jan. 17, 2018, and concluded on Feb. 16, 2018.

About the Cushing-to-Patoka Expansion
The Cushing-to-Patoka Expansion provides transportation from Cushing, Oklahoma, to Patoka, Illinois. The project will further expand the capacity of the pipelines by 15,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 360,000 bpd by providing operational modifications, including tankage, in Wood River, Illinois. The expansion is expected to begin service in the third quarter of 2018.

About the Ozark Pipeline
The Ozark Pipeline is a 433-mile, 22-inch crude oil pipeline originating in Cushing, Oklahoma, and terminating in Wood River, Illinois, capable of transporting approximately 230,000 bpd. MPLX plans an expansion project, expected to be complete in the second quarter of 2018, to increase the line's capacity to approximately 345,000 bpd.

About the Woodpat Pipeline
The Woodpat Pipeline is a 55-mile, 22-inch crude oil pipeline originating in Wood River, Illinois, and terminating in Patoka, Illinois, capable of transporting approximately 215,000 bpd. MPLX plans an expansion project, expected to be complete in the second quarter of 2018, to increase the line's capacity to approximately 345,000 bpd.

About Marathon Pipe Line LLC
MPL operates one of the largest petroleum pipeline systems in the United States, based on total volume delivered. MPL operates approximately 6,400 miles of pipeline in 16 states. These pipelines range from 4 inches to 40 inches in diameter. MPL transports crude oil, refined petroleum products and refinery feedstocks to and from terminals, refineries and other pipelines. MPL safely controls the movement and delivery of an average of 143 million gallons of crude oil and petroleum products daily through its pipelines. For further information on MPL, visit the company's website at http://www.marathonpipeline.com.

About MPLX LP
MPLX is a diversified, growth-oriented master limited partnership formed in 2012 by Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) to own, operate, develop and acquire midstream energy infrastructure assets. MPLX is engaged in the gathering, processing and transportation of natural gas; the gathering, transportation, fractionation, storage and marketing of NGLs; and the transportation, storage and distribution of crude oil and refined petroleum products through a marine fleet and approximately 10,000 miles of crude oil and light product pipelines. Headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, MPLX's assets consist of a network of crude oil and products pipelines and supporting assets, including storage facilities (tank farms) located in the Midwest and Gulf Coast regions of the United States; 62 light-product terminals with approximately 24 million barrels of storage capacity; an inland marine business; storage caverns with approximately 2.8 million barrels of storage capacity; a barge dock facility with approximately 78,000 barrels per day of crude oil and product throughput capacity; and gathering and processing assets that include approximately 5.9 billion cubic feet per day of gathering capacity, 8.2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas processing capacity and 610,000 barrels per day of fractionation capacity. In addition, MPLX provides fuels distribution services to MPC and owns refining logistics assets consisting of tanks with storage capacity of approximately 56 million barrels as well as refinery docks, loading racks and associated piping. 

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, statements with respect to forecasts regarding capacity, rates, incremental investment and timing for becoming operational for the opportunities discussed above, as well as MPLX's future growth and results of operations. You can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "design," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "guidance," "imply," "intend," "objective," "opportunity," "outlook," "plan," "position," "pursue," "prospective," "predict," "project," "potential," "seek," "strategy," "target," "could," "may," "should," "would," "will"  or other similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the control of the company and are difficult to predict. Factors that could impact the opportunities described above are: the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices and demand for crude oil, refined products, feedstocks or other hydrocarbon-based products; continued/further volatility in and/or degradation of market and industry conditions; changes to the expected construction costs and timing of projects; completion of pipeline capacity by our competitors; the ability to obtain required regulatory approvals on a timely basis; the occurrence of an operational hazard or unforeseen interruption; and the factors set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in MPLX's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In addition, the forward-looking statements included herein could be affected by general domestic and international economic and political conditions. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed here or in MPLX's Form 10-K could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements. Copies of MPLX's Form 10-K are available on the SEC website, MPLX's website at http://ir.mplx.com or by contacting MPLX's Investor Relations office.

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SOURCE MPLX LP