Marathon Petroleum Corp. Increases Cash Consideration for MPLX/MarkWest Merger

FINDLAY, Ohio & DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MPLX LP (NYSE: MPLX) and MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MWE) (MarkWest) today announced that in connection with the merger of MPLX and MarkWest, MPLX has agreed to increase the amount of the cash consideration payable to MarkWest common unitholders by $400 million, from $675 million to $1.075 billion. Under the revised terms of the merger agreement, MarkWest common unitholders will receive 1.09 MPLX common units plus a one-time cash payment of approximately $5.21 per MarkWest common unit, for a total consideration of approximately $52.93 per MarkWest common unit, based on fully diluted units currently outstanding and the closing price of MPLX’s common units on Nov. 10, 2015. The increase in cash merger consideration is being contributed to MPLX by its sponsor, Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: MPC), under which no new equity units will be issued to MPC. In addition, as part of the original transaction, MPC will contribute approximately $225 million, based on the price of MPLX’s common units on Nov. 10, 2015, to maintain its 2 percent general partner interest in MPLX. These proceeds will be retained by the partnership to support its growth.