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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Notes)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Environmental Matters and Pipeline Safety - The operation of pipelines, plants and other facilities for the gathering, processing, transportation and storage of natural gas, NGLs, condensate and other products is subject to numerous and complex laws and regulations pertaining to health, safety and the environment. As an owner and/or operator of these facilities, we must comply with laws and regulations that relate to facility/pipeline safety and integrity as well as air and water quality, hazardous and solid waste management and disposal, cultural resource protection and other environmental matters. The cost of planning, designing, constructing and operating pipelines, plants and other facilities must incorporate compliance with these laws and regulations and safety standards. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may trigger a variety of administrative, civil and potentially criminal enforcement measures, including citizen suits, which can include the assessment of monetary penalties, the imposition of remedial requirements and the issuance of injunctions or restrictions on operation or construction. Management believes that, based on currently known information, compliance with these laws and regulations will not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.

Legal Proceedings - Gas Index Pricing Litigation - As previously reported, we and our affiliate, ONEOK Energy Services Company, L.P., along with several other energy companies, were named as defendants in multiple lawsuits arising from alleged market manipulation or false reporting of natural gas prices to natural gas-index publications alleged to have occurred prior to 2003.

In September 2019, we settled Sinclair Oil Corporation v. ONEOK Energy Services Company, L.P. (filed in the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming) for an immaterial amount with cash on hand. This was the last remaining case arising from the Gas Index Pricing Litigation.

Other Legal Proceedings - We are a party to various other litigation matters and claims that have arisen in the normal course of our operations. While the results of these litigation matters and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe the reasonably possible losses from such matters, individually and in the aggregate, are not material. Additionally, we believe the probable final outcome of such matters will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.