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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.a


       ONEOK FINANCIAL NEWS



ONEOK, INC.               CONTACT:  WELDON WATSON, 918/588-7158
P. O. BOX 871
TULSA, OK 74102-0871       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 18, 1999




                     BRUMMETT HOSPITALIZED FOLLOWING SURGERY


         TULSA--ONEOK, Inc. Chairman and CEO Larry Brummett is hospitalized in
good condition following surgery yesterday. He is expected to remain in the
hospital for another week, followed by several weeks of recovery at home.

         David Kyle, ONEOK's president and chief operating officer, will assume
Brummett's responsibilities during his recovery.

         "Larry has shown tremendous courage and resilience over the course of
the past year," Kyle said. "He has continued to provide strong leadership for
this company at a time when he has also had to deal with the challenges posed by
his illness. He has done both with remarkable energy and spirit."

         In a note to ONEOK employees, Brummett expressed his "complete
confidence" in the company's management team during his absence.

         ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE), is engaged in intrastate natural gas
distribution and transmission, gas processing, gas marketing and oil and gas
production. Information is available on the Internet World Wide Web at
http://www.oneok.com.

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