Equity (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

The table below summarizes the changes in the number of units outstanding for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2017, and 2018:



(In units)	Common	Class B		General Partner⁽¹⁾		Total
Balance at December 31, 2015	296,687,176	7,981,756		6,800,475		311,469,407
Unit-based compensation awards	120,989	—		2,470		123,459
Issuance of units under the ATM Program	26,347,887	—		537,710		26,885,597
Contribution of HSM (See Note 4)	22,534,002	—		459,878		22,993,880
Class B Conversion	4,350,057	(3,990,878	)	7,330		366,509
Class A Reorganization	7,153,177	—		(436,758	)	6,716,419
Balance at December 31, 2016	357,193,288	3,990,878		7,371,105		368,555,271
Unit-based compensation awards	268,167	—		5,472		273,639
Issuance of units under the ATM Program	13,846,998	—		282,591		14,129,589
Contribution of HST/WHC/MPLXT (See Note 4)	12,960,376	—		264,497		13,224,873
Contribution of the Joint-Interest Acquisition (See Note 4)	18,511,134	—		377,778		18,888,912
Class B conversion	4,350,057	(3,990,878	)	7,330		366,509
Balance at December 31, 2017	407,130,020	—		8,308,773		415,438,793
Unit-based compensation awards	348,387	—		140		348,527
Contribution of Refining Logistics and Fuels Distribution (See Note 4)	111,611,111	—		2,277,778		113,888,889
Conversion of GP economic interests	275,000,000	—		(10,586,691	)	264,413,309
Balance at December 31, 2018	794,089,518	—		—		794,089,518


(1)	Changes to the number of general partner units outstanding, other than changes due to contributions made to MPC for the acquisitions of HSM, HST, WHC, MPLXT, the Joint-Interest Acquisition and Refining Logistics and Fuels Distribution, are the result of cash contributions made by the general partner in order to maintain its two percent GP Interest.

Schedule Of Calculation Of Net Income Applicable to Partners

Net Income Allocation – In preparing the Consolidated Statements of Equity, net income attributable to MPLX LP is allocated to preferred unitholders first and subsequently allocated to the limited partner unitholders in accordance with their respective ownership percentages. Prior to 2018, when distributions related to the IDRs were made, earnings equal to the amount of those distributions were first allocated to the general partner before the remaining earnings are allocated to the unitholders, based on their respective ownership percentages. The following table presents the allocation of the general partner’s GP Interest in net income attributable to MPLX LP, for income statement periods occurring prior to the exchange of the GP economic interests:



(In millions)	2017		2016
Net income attributable to MPLX LP	$	794	$	233
Less: Preferred unit distributions	65		41
General partner's IDRs and other	310		191
Net income attributable to MPLX LP available to general and limited partners	419		1

General partner's two percent GP Interest in net income attributable to MPLX LP	8		—
General partner's IDRs and other	310		191
General partner's GP Interest in net income attributable to MPLX LP	$	318	$	191

Distributions Made to Limited Partner, by Distribution

The allocation of total quarterly cash distributions to general, limited, and preferred unitholders is as follows for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016. MPLX’s distributions are declared subsequent to quarter end; therefore, the following table represents total cash distributions applicable to the period in which the distributions were earned.



(In millions)	2018		2017		2016
General partner's distributions:
General partner's distributions on general partner units	$	—	$	25	$	18
General partner's distributions on IDRs⁽¹⁾	—		303		187
Total distribution on general partner units and IDRs	—		328		205
Limited partners' distributions:
Common unitholders, includes common units of general partner	1,985		895		692
Preferred unit distributions	75		65		41
Total cash distributions declared	$	2,060	$	1,288	$	938


(1)	Includes distributions of fourth quarter 2017 income declared on general partner common units issued February 1, 2018 in exchange for the economic general partner interest.