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MPLX/MARKWEST, PLAINS ALL AMERICAN, AND WILLIAMS RATE HIGHEST IN ENERGYPOINT RESEARCH’S 2017 OIL & GAS MIDSTREAM SERVICES CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY

Overall Customer Satisfaction Levels Rise As New Entrants Help Boost Scores in Several Areas

HOUSTON (November 14, 2017) – As reality of a “lower‑for‑longer” commodity‑price environment settles over North American oil and gas markets, midstream services providers are redoubling their efforts to provide customers with reason to remain loyal, according to results from EnergyPoint Research’s 2017 Oil & Gas Midstream Services Customer Satisfaction Survey.

Top overall ratings in customer satisfaction in 2017 go to MPLX/MarkWest Energy. In addition to rating first in total satisfaction, the company rated first in the Appalachian – Marcellus, Ark‑La‑Tex, and Texas Intrastate regions. The company also took top honors for its HSE practices.

Plains All American is the survey’s No. 2 rated company, capturing top scores for NGL transportation and storage, onshore crude gathering, and project development. Ranking No. 3 overall is Williams, which rated first in gas transportation, offshore gathering and transportation, and in the U.S. Rockies & San Juan Basin region.

Rounding out the survey’s top five are Andeavor Logistics and Lucid Energy, respectively. Andeavor rated first in operations, crude transportation, and in the Bakken – Dakotas region. Lucid Energy rated first in the Permian Basin region, as well as in onshore gas gathering.

“As the segment continues to attract new entrants, we have seen improvements in overall customer ratings for midstream providers,” said Doug Sheridan, Managing Director of EnergyPoint Research. “Moreover, these improvements are not solely related to pricing. This year’s survey saw upticks in scores in several areas, including productivity and efficiency, project development, and service and professionalism.”

Now it its eighth year, EnergyPoint’s closely followed survey is the only annual study focused on customers’ satisfaction with providers of a full range of midstream services. The online survey, which was conducted from September through early November of this year, measured customers’ satisfaction with midstream services providers across a variety of attributes, categories and regions.

Other companies rating first in various categories from this year’s survey include:

  • Crestwood Midstream in service and professionalism;
  • Enable Midstream in gas storage;
  • Enterprise Products in gas processing and treating, NGL fractionation, and gas & NGL purchasing;
  • Inter Pipeline in Canada, and systems and administration;
  • Kinder Morgan in the Onshore Gulf Coast region;
  • Magellan Midstream in crude storage and terminaling;
  • Phillips 66 Partners in the Mid‑continent region;
  • USA Compression in gas compression services.

“As customers remain cost conscious in today’s touch‑and‑go commodity‑price environment, midstream providers are under continual pressure to lower rates. But customers should think twice before stepping into the price trap,” warned Sheridan. “While the absolute lowest price might be tempting, history suggests it comes with its own costs. Better to pay up for higher‑quality assets and proven performance than roll the dice with marginal performers.”

In addition to the companies listed above, others rated in the survey include Anadarko Midstream/Western Gas Partners, Boardwalk Pipeline, Buckeye, CSI Compressco, DCP Midstream, Enbridge, Energy Transfer, EnLink Midstream, Exterran, NuStar Energy, ONEOK, Targa Resources and Valero Energy Partners.

Survey Information

EnergyPoint’s closely followed oil and gas midstream services survey is the only study of its kind focused on the oil and gas industry’s satisfaction with major providers of midstream services. This year’s rankings reflect findings from over 3,000 evaluations of midstream service providers by qualified respondents.

The companies rated in the survey were evaluated across a variety of attributes such as total satisfaction, pricing and contract terms, operations and performance, project development, personnel, systems and administration, and corporate capabilities. Respondents also evaluated providers in multiple service segments and geographic regions. A total of 26 companies received the minimum number of evaluations needed to be included in this year’s final rankings.

For those categories and providers in which ratings existed, scores from the 2014‑2015 survey period were included in category‑winner calculations at lesser weightings than for the 2016‑2017 period. In no case were 2014‑2015 ratings assigned a weighting of more than 20 percent for purposes of calculating this year’s final category winners.

For more information concerning EnergyPoint Research, its independent surveys, or suite of research products and services, visit the company’s web site at www.energypointresearch.com or contact the firm at info@energypointresearch.com or +1‑713‑529‑9450.

About EnergyPoint Research, Inc.

EnergyPoint Research provides independent research regarding customers’ satisfaction with oil and gas industry products and services. Founded in 2003, the firm publishes annual customer satisfaction ratings and rankings in six industry segments, including: onshore drilling, offshore drilling, oilfield services, oilfield products, midstream services, and gasoline retailers.

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