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Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
SEC File No. 333-177048

 

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities and they are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JANUARY 23, 2012

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus Dated September 28, 2011)

$            

ONEOK, Inc.

    % Notes due 2022

 

 

The notes will bear interest at the rate of     % per year and will mature on February 1, 2022. Interest on the notes is payable on February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning on August 1, 2012. We may redeem the notes in whole or in part at any time at the redemption prices described under “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption.”

The notes will be senior unsecured obligations of our company and will rank equally with all of our existing and future unsecured senior debt.

Investing in the notes involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-8 of this prospectus supplement.

 

 

 

Offering Price to Public(1)

Underwriting Discounts

Proceeds to Us Before Expenses

Per note

%

%

%

Total

$

$

$

 

(1)	Plus accrued interest, if any, from the date of original issuance.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the notes to purchasers in registered book entry form only through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company, or through its direct participants, Clearstream Banking, Société anonyme or Euroclear Bank SA/NV, on or about January     , 2012.

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

J.P. Morgan		BofA Merrill Lynch		Wells Fargo Securities

January     , 2012

 

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We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with information different than the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus supplement or, with respect to information incorporated by reference, as of the date of such information.

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
Prospectus Supplement
About this Prospectus Supplement			S-1
Summary			S-2
Risk Factors			S-8
Use of Proceeds			S-15
Capitalization			S-16
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges			S-17
Description of the Notes			S-18
United States Federal Tax Considerations			S-26
Underwriting			S-31
Legal Matters			S-34
Experts			S-34
Forward-Looking Information			S-34
Where You Can Find More Information			S-37

Prospectus

 

About this Prospectus			2
Where You Can Find More Information			3
Incorporation by Reference			3
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements			5
About ONEOK			8
Risk Factors			8
Use of Proceeds			8
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges			9
Description of Debt Securities			10
Description of Capital Stock			22
Description of Stock Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Contract Units			29
Description of Depositary Shares			30
Description of Warrants			32
Plan of Distribution			33
Legal Matters			35
Experts			35

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This prospectus supplement is a supplement to the accompanying prospectus that is also a part of this document. In this prospectus supplement, we provide you with specific information about the terms of this offering of the notes. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement include important information about us, the notes and other information you should know before investing in the notes. This prospectus supplement and the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement also add to, update and change some of the information contained in the accompanying prospectus. To the extent that any statement that we make in this prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the statements made in the accompanying prospectus, the statements made in the accompanying prospectus are deemed modified or superseded by the statements made in this prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

Unless we otherwise indicate or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus supplement to “we,” “our,” “us,” the “Company,” “ONEOK” or similar references mean ONEOK, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, predecessors and acquired businesses. References to “ONEOK Partners” refer to our affiliate ONEOK Partners, L.P. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in the notes involves risks, including the risks described below that are not specific to the notes and those that could affect us and our business. You should not purchase the notes unless you understand these investment risks. Although we have tried to discuss key factors, please be aware that other risks may prove to be important in the future. New risks may emerge at any time and we cannot predict such risks or estimate the extent to which they may affect our financial performance. Before purchasing the notes, you should carefully consider the following discussion of risks and the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including “Forward-Looking Information,” as well as the discussion of risk factors under Part I, Item 1A in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, which is incorporated by reference herein, before making a decision to invest in the notes.

Risks Related to the Notes

Our indebtedness could impair our financial condition and our ability to fulfill our debt obligations, including our obligations under the notes.

As of September 30, 2011, prior to giving effect to this offering, we had total indebtedness of approximately $5.5 billion, which includes $3.9 billion of debt of ONEOK Partners which is nonrecourse to ONEOK, Inc. See “Capitalization.” Our indebtedness could have important consequences to you. For example, it could:

 

•

make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to the notes and our other indebtedness, which could in turn result in an event of default on such other indebtedness or the notes;

 

•

impair our ability to obtain additional financing in the future for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, or general business purposes;

 

•

diminish our ability to withstand a downturn in our business or the economy generally;

 

•

require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to debt service payments, thereby reducing the availability of cash for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or other purposes;

 

•

limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate; and

 

•

place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have proportionately less debt.

If we are unable to meet our debt service obligations, we could be forced to restructure or refinance our indebtedness, seek additional equity capital or sell assets. We may be unable to obtain financing, raise equity or sell assets on satisfactory terms, or at all.

We and our subsidiaries are not prohibited under the indenture governing the notes from incurring additional unsecured indebtedness. The incurrence of significant additional indebtedness could exacerbate the negative consequences mentioned above, and could materially adversely affect our ability to repay the notes.

Our structure causes us to be dependent on distributions from our subsidiaries and ONEOK Partners to make payments on the notes.

Our subsidiaries conduct a substantial portion of our operations and own a substantial portion of our operating assets. Our primary assets are our partnership interest in ONEOK Partners, the equity in our subsidiaries and assets associated with our natural gas distribution divisions. As a result, our ability to make

 

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required payment on the notes largely depends on the performance of our subsidiaries, ONEOK Partners and our natural gas distribution divisions, as well as the ability of our subsidiaries and ONEOK Partners to distribute funds to us. The ability of our subsidiaries and ONEOK Partners to make distributions to us may be restricted by, among other things, credit facilities and applicable state partnership laws and other laws and regulations. If we are unable to obtain the funds necessary to pay the principal amount at maturity of the notes, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as a refinancing of the notes. We cannot assure you that we would be able to refinance the notes.

The notes will be structurally subordinated to liabilities and indebtedness of our subsidiaries and ONEOK Partners and effectively junior to any of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the assets securing such indebtedness.

A substantial portion of our operating assets are in our subsidiaries or our affiliates. The notes are not guaranteed by any of our subsidiaries or other affiliates and our subsidiaries and such affiliates (including ONEOK Partners) are not prohibited under the indenture from incurring additional unsecured indebtedness. As a result, holders of the notes will be structurally subordinated to claims of third party creditors, including holders of indebtedness, of our subsidiaries and such affiliates. Claims of those other creditors, including trade creditors, secured creditors, governmental authorities, and holders of indebtedness or guarantees issued by our subsidiaries or ONEOK Partners, will generally have priority as to the assets of our subsidiaries over claims by the holders of the notes. As a result, rights of payment of holders of our indebtedness, including the holders of the notes, will be structurally subordinated to all those claims of creditors of our subsidiaries and ONEOK Partners, including $3.9 billion of indebtedness of ONEOK Partners.

In addition, holders of our secured indebtedness would have claims with respect to the assets constituting collateral for such indebtedness that are prior to your claims under the notes. We do not currently have any secured indebtedness, however, the indenture governing the notes permits us to incur secured indebtedness in the future, subject to certain limitations. In the event of a default on such secured indebtedness or our bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization, our assets would be available to satisfy obligations with respect to the indebtedness secured thereby before any payment could be made on the notes. While the indenture governing the notes places some limitations on our ability to create liens, there are significant exceptions to these limitations, including with respect to sale and leaseback transactions, that will allow us to secure some kinds of indebtedness without equally and ratably securing the notes. To the extent the value of the collateral is not sufficient to satisfy the secured indebtedness, the holders of that indebtedness would be entitled to share with the holders of the notes and the holders of other claims against us with respect to our other assets.

Your ability to transfer the notes at a time or price you desire may be limited by the absence of an active trading market, which may not develop.

The notes are a new issue of securities for which there is no established public market. Although we have registered the offer and sale of the notes under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, we do not intend to apply for the listing of the notes on any securities exchange or for the quotation of the notes in any automated dealer quotation system. In addition, although the underwriters have informed us that they intend to make a market in the notes, as permitted by applicable laws and regulations, they are not obligated to make a market in the notes, and they may discontinue their market making activities at any time without notice. An active market for the notes may not develop or, if developed, may not continue. In the absence of an active trading market, you may not be able to transfer the notes within the time or at the price you desire.

If we have a default on any of our outstanding senior notes, a cross-default may exist on all of our outstanding senior notes including the notes offered by this prospectus supplement.

The indentures governing our 6.875% Senior Notes due 2028 and 6.50% Senior Notes due 2028 each include an event of default upon acceleration of other indebtedness of more than $15 million, and the indentures

 

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governing our 5.20% Senior Notes due 2015 and 6.00% Senior Notes due 2035 include an event of default upon the acceleration of other indebtedness of more than $100 million. Such events of default would entitle the trustee or the holders of 25 percent in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding senior notes of these series to declare those notes immediately due and payable in full. We may not have sufficient cash on hand to repurchase and repay any accelerated senior notes, which may cause us to borrow money under our credit facilities or seek alternative financing sources to finance the repayments and repurchases. We could also face difficulties accessing capital or our borrowing costs could increase, impacting our ability to obtain financing for acquisitions or capital expenditures, to refinance indebtedness and to fulfill our debt obligations.

Supplementary Risks Related to Our Business

The following risk factors supplement the risk factors contained in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

Our business is subject to regulatory oversight and potential penalties.

The natural gas industry historically has been subject to heavy state and federal regulation that extends to many aspects of our businesses and operations, including:

 

•

rates, operating terms and conditions of service;

 

•

the types of services we may offer our customers;

 

•

construction of new facilities;

 

•

the integrity, safety and security of facilities and operations;

 

•

acquisition, extension or abandonment of services or facilities;

 

•

reporting and information posting requirements;

 

•

maintenance of accounts and records; and

 

•

relationships with affiliate companies involved in all aspects of the natural gas and energy businesses.

Compliance with these requirements can be costly and burdensome. Future changes to laws, regulations and policies in these areas may impair our ability to compete for business or to recover costs and may increase the cost and burden of operations.

We cannot guarantee that state or federal regulators will authorize any projects or acquisitions that we may propose in the future. Moreover, there can be no guarantee that, if granted, any such authorizations will be made in a timely manner or will be free from potentially burdensome conditions.

Failure to comply with all applicable state or federal statutes, rules and regulations and orders, could bring substantial penalties and fines. For example, under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the FERC has civil penalty authority under the Natural Gas Act to impose penalties for current violations of up to $1.0 million per day for each violation.

Finally, we cannot give any assurance regarding future state or federal regulations under which we will operate or the effect such regulations could have on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Pipeline-integrity programs and repairs may impose significant costs and liabilities.

Pursuant to a United States Department of Transportation rule, pipeline operators are required to develop integrity management programs for intrastate and interstate natural gas and natural gas liquids pipelines that could affect high consequence areas in the event of a release of product. As defined by applicable regulations, high consequence areas include areas near the route of a pipeline with high population densities, facilities occupied by persons of limited mobility or outdoor or indoor areas where at least twenty people periodically

 

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gather. The rule requires operators to identify pipeline segments that could impact a high-consequence area; improve data collection, integration and characterization of threats applicable to each segment, implement preventive and mitigating actions, perform ongoing assessments of pipeline integrity and repair and remediate as necessary. These testing programs could cause us and ONEOK Partners to incur significant capital and operating expenditures to make repairs or remediate, as well as initiate preventive or mitigating actions that are determined to be necessary.

ONEOK Partners’ regulated pipelines’ transportation rates are subject to review and possible adjustment by federal and state regulators.

Under the Natural Gas Act, which is applicable to interstate natural gas pipelines, and the Interstate Commerce Act, which is applicable to crude oil and natural gas liquids pipelines, ONEOK Partners’ interstate transportation rates, which are regulated by the FERC, must be just and reasonable and not unduly discriminatory.

Shippers may protest ONEOK Partners’ pipeline tariff filings, and the FERC and or state regulatory agency may investigate tariff rates. Further, the FERC may order refunds of amounts collected under newly filed rates that are determined by the FERC to be in excess of a just and reasonable level. In addition, shippers may challenge by complaint the lawfulness of tariff rates that have become final and effective. The FERC and/or state regulatory agencies may also investigate tariff rates absent shipper complaint. Any finding that approved rates exceed a just and reasonable level on the natural gas pipelines would take effect prospectively. In a complaint proceeding challenging natural gas liquids pipeline rates, if it determines existing rates exceed a just and reasonable level, the FERC could require the payment of reparations to complaining shippers for up to two years prior to the complaint. Any such action by the FERC or a comparable action by a state regulatory agency could adversely affect ONEOK Partners’ pipeline businesses’ ability to charge rates that would cover future increases in costs, or to continue to collect rates that cover current costs and provide for a reasonable return. We can provide no assurance that ONEOK Partners’ pipeline systems will be able to recover all of their costs through existing or future rates.

Increased regulation of exploration and production activities, including hydraulic fracturing, could result in reductions or delays in drilling and completing new oil and natural gas wells, which could adversely impact ONEOK Partners’ revenues by decreasing the volumes of natural gas transported on its natural gas pipelines.

The natural gas industry is increasingly relying on natural gas supplies from unconventional sources, such as shale, tight sands and coal bed methane. Natural gas extracted from these sources frequently requires hydraulic fracturing, which involves the pressurized injection of water, sand, and chemicals into a geologic formation to stimulate gas production. Recently, there have been initiatives at the federal and state levels to regulate or otherwise restrict the use of hydraulic fracturing and several states have adopted regulations that impose more stringent permitting, disclosure and well construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations. Legislation or regulations placing restrictions on hydraulic fracturing activities could impose operational delays, increased operating costs and additional regulatory burdens on exploration and production operators, which could reduce their production of natural gas and, in turn, adversely affect ONEOK Partners’ revenues and results of operations by decreasing the volumes of natural gas gathered, treated, processed and transported on ONEOK Partners’ or its joint ventures’ natural gas pipelines, several of which gather gas from areas in which the use of hydraulic fracturing is prevalent.

We are subject to strict regulations at many of our facilities regarding employee safety, and failure to comply with these regulations could adversely affect our financial results.

The workplaces associated with our facilities are subject to the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) and comparable state statutes that regulate the protection of the health and safety of workers. The failure to comply with OSHA requirements or general industry standards, including

 

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keeping adequate records or monitoring occupational exposure to regulated substances, could expose us to civil or criminal liability, enforcement actions and regulatory fines and penalties, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flow.

Both our and ONEOK Partners’ operations are subject to operational hazards and unforeseen interruptions, which could materially adversely affect our and its business and for which neither we nor ONEOK Partners may be adequately insured.

Our and ONEOK Partners’ operations are subject to all of the risks and hazards typically associated with the operation of natural gas and natural gas liquids gathering, transportation and distribution pipelines, storage facilities and processing and fractionation plants. Operating risks include, but are not limited to, leaks, pipeline ruptures, the breakdown or failure of equipment or processes, and the performance of pipeline facilities below expected levels of capacity and efficiency. Other operational hazards and unforeseen interruptions include adverse weather conditions, accidents, the collision of equipment with our or ONEOK Partners’ pipeline facilities (for example, this may occur if a third party were to perform excavation or construction work near our or ONEOK Partners’ facilities) and catastrophic events such as explosions, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods or other similar events beyond our or ONEOK Partners’ control. It is also possible that our or ONEOK Partners’ facilities could be direct targets or indirect casualties of an act of terrorism. A casualty occurrence might result in injury or loss of life, extensive property damage or environmental damage. Liabilities incurred and interruptions to the operations of our or ONEOK Partners’ pipelines or other facilities caused by such an event could reduce revenues generated by us or ONEOK Partners and increase expenses, thereby impairing our or ONEOK Partners’ ability to meet our or its obligations. Insurance proceeds may not be adequate to cover all liabilities or expenses incurred or revenues lost, and neither we nor ONEOK Partners are fully insured against all risks inherent to us or ONEOK Partners’ businesses.

As a result of market conditions, premiums and deductibles for certain insurance policies can increase substantially, and, in some instances, certain insurance may become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage. Consequently, neither we nor ONEOK Partners may be able to renew existing insurance policies or purchase other desirable insurance on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. If either we or ONEOK Partners were to incur a significant liability for which either we or ONEOK Partners were not fully insured, it could have a material adverse effect on our or ONEOK Partners’ financial position and results of operations, respectively. Further, the proceeds of any such insurance may not be paid in a timely manner and may be insufficient if such an event were to occur.

A failure in our operational systems or cyber security attacks on any of our facilities, or those of third parties, may adversely affect our financial results.

Our businesses are dependent upon our operational systems to process a large amount of data and complex transactions. If any of our financial, accounting, or other data processing systems fail or have other significant shortcomings, our financial results could be adversely affected. Our financial results could also be adversely affected if an employee causes our operational systems to fail, either as a result of inadvertent error or by deliberately tampering with or manipulating our operational systems. In addition, dependence upon automated systems may further increase the risk that operational system flaws, employee tampering or manipulation of those systems will result in losses that are difficult to detect.

Due to increased technology advances, we have become more reliant on technology to help increase efficiency in our businesses. We use computer programs to help run our financial and operations sectors and this may subject our business to increased risks. Any future cyber security attacks that affect our facilities, our customers and any financial data could have a material adverse effect on our businesses. In addition, cyber attacks on our customer and employee data may result in a financial loss and may negatively impact our reputation.

 

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Third party systems on which we rely could also suffer operational system failure. Any of these occurrences could disrupt one or more of our businesses, result in potential liability or reputational damage or otherwise have an adverse affect on our financial results.

Continued development of new supply sources could impact demand.

The discovery of non-traditional natural gas production areas nearer to certain of the market areas that we serve may compete with gas originating in production areas connected to our systems. For example, the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Ohio, may cause gas in supply areas connected to our systems to be diverted to markets other than our traditional market areas and may adversely affect capacity utilization on our pipeline systems and our ability to renew or replace existing contracts at rates sufficient to maintain current revenues and cash flows. In addition, supply volumes from these non-traditional natural gas production areas may compete with and displace volumes from the Mid-Continent, Rocky Mountains and Canadian supply sources in certain of our markets. The displacement of gas originating in supply areas connected to our pipeline systems by these new supply sources that are closer to the end-use markets could result in lower transportation revenues, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Increases in interest rates could adversely affect our business.

We use both fixed and variable rate debt, and we are exposed to market risk due to the floating interest rates on our short-term borrowings. From time to time, we use interest rate derivatives to hedge interest obligations on specific debt issuances, including anticipated debt issuances. These hedges may be ineffective and our results of operations, cash flows and financial position could be adversely affected by significant increases in interest rates above current levels.

An impairment of goodwill, long-lived assets, including intangible assets, and equity-method investments could reduce our earnings.

Goodwill is recorded when the purchase price of a business exceeds the fair market value of the tangible and separately measurable intangible net assets. GAAP require us to test goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite useful lives for impairment on an annual basis or when events or circumstances occur indicating that goodwill might be impaired. Long-lived assets, including intangible assets with finite useful lives, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. For the investments we account for under the equity method, the impairment test considers whether the fair value of the equity investment as a whole, not the underlying net assets, has declined and whether that decline is other than temporary. If we determine that an impairment is indicated, we would be required to take an immediate non-cash charge to earnings with a correlative effect on equity and balance sheet leverage as measured by debt to total capitalization.

We regularly engage in acquisitions, divestitures and other strategic transactions, the success of which may impact our results of operations.

We regularly engage in acquisitions, divestitures and other strategic transactions. If we are unable to successfully integrate businesses that we acquire with our existing business, our results of operations may be materially adversely affected. Similarly, we may from time to time divest portions of our business, which may also materially adversely effect our results of operations.

ONEOK Partners’ may be unable to cause its joint ventures to take or not to take certain actions unless some or all of its joint venture participants agree.

ONEOK Partners participates in several joint ventures. Due to the nature of some of these arrangements, each participant in these joint ventures has made substantial investments in the joint venture and, accordingly,

 

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has required that the relevant charter documents contain certain features designed to provide each participant with the opportunity to participate in the management of the joint venture and to protect its investment, as well as any other assets which may be substantially dependent on or otherwise affected by the activities of that joint venture. These participation and protective features customarily include a corporate governance structure that requires at least a majority-in-interest vote to authorize many basic activities and requires a greater voting interest (sometimes up to 100%) to authorize more significant activities. Examples of these more significant activities are large expenditures or contractual commitments, the construction or acquisition of assets, borrowing money or otherwise raising capital, transactions with affiliates of a joint venture participant, litigation and transactions not in the ordinary course of business, among others. Thus, without the concurrence of joint venture participants with enough voting interests, ONEOK Partners may be unable to cause any of its joint ventures to take or not to take certain actions, even though those actions may be in the best interest of ONEOK Partners or the particular joint venture.

Moreover, any joint venture owner generally may sell, transfer or otherwise modify its ownership interest in a joint venture, whether in a transaction involving third parties or the other joint venture owners. Any such transaction could result in ONEOK Partners being required to partner with different or additional parties.

ONEOK Partners’ operating cash flow is derived partially from cash distributions it receives from its unconsolidated affiliates.

ONEOK Partners’ operating cash flow is derived partially from cash distributions it receives from its unconsolidated affiliates. The amount of cash that ONEOK Partners’ unconsolidated affiliates can distribute principally depends upon the amount of cash flow these affiliates generate from their respective operations, which may fluctuate from quarter-to-quarter. ONEOK Partners does not have any direct control over the cash distribution policies of its unconsolidated affiliates. This lack of control may contribute to ONEOK Partners not having sufficient available cash each quarter to continue paying distributions at its current levels.

Additionally, the amount of cash that ONEOK Partners has available for cash distribution depends primarily upon its cash flow, including cash flow from financial reserves and working capital borrowings, and is not solely a function of profitability, which will be affected by non-cash items such as depreciation, amortization and provisions for asset impairments. As a result, ONEOK Partners may be able to make cash distributions during periods when it records losses and may not be able to make cash distributions during periods when it records net income.

Measurement adjustments on ONEOK Partners’ pipeline system can be materially impacted by changes in estimation, commodity prices and other factors.

Natural gas and natural gas liquids measurement adjustments occur as part of the normal operating conditions associated with ONEOK Partners’ assets. The quantification and resolution of measurement adjustments is complicated by several factors including: (1) the significant quantities (i.e., thousands) of measurement meters that ONEOK Partners uses throughout its natural gas systems, primarily around its gathering and processing assets; (2) varying qualities of natural gas in the streams gathered and processed through ONEOK Partners’ systems and the mixed nature of NGLs gathered and fractionated; and (3) variances in measurement that are inherent in metering technologies. Each of these factors may contribute to measurement adjustments that can occur on ONEOK Partners’ systems, which could negatively effect ONEOK Partners’ earnings and reduce the amount of its distributions to us.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate the net proceeds from the sale of the notes in this offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and the estimated expenses of this offering payable by us, will be approximately $         million. We anticipate using the net proceeds from this offering to repay amounts outstanding under our $1.2 billion commercial paper program and for general corporate purposes, which may include one or more of the following: the repurchase of our common stock, the purchase of additional common units of ONEOK Partners, and the payment of dividends. The amount outstanding under our $1.2 billion commercial paper program as of January 20, 2012 was approximately $766 million, at a weighted average interest rate of 0.45% per year and a weighted average term of 31 days.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of September 30, 2011 and our capitalization as adjusted to reflect the issuance of the notes. The following data is qualified in its entirety by reference to, and should be read together with, the detailed information and financial statements appearing in the documents incorporated in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

		September 30, 2011
		Actual				As Adjusted
		(thousands of dollars)
Cash and cash equivalents of ONEOK		$	20,525			$
Cash and cash equivalents of ONEOK Partners			127,882				127,882
Total cash and cash equivalents		$	148,407			$
Debt, including current maturities:
ONEOK
% senior notes due 2022		$	—			$
$1.2 billion revolving credit agreement due 2016 (1)			—				—
$1.2 billion commercial paper program (2)			650,000
Current portion of long-term debt			3,322				3,322
Other long-term debt (excluding current portion)			1,014,510				1,014,510
Total ONEOK debt			1,667,832
ONEOK Partners
$1.2 billion revolving credit agreement due 2016 (1)			—				—
$1.2 billion commercial paper program (2)			—				—
Current portion of long-term debt			361,931				361,931
Other long-term debt (excluding current portion)			3,517,543				3,517,543
Total ONEOK Partners debt			3,879,474				3,879,474
Total debt			5,547,306
Total ONEOK shareholders’ equity			2,185,960				2,185,960
Noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries			1,496,100				1,496,100
Total equity			3,682,060				3,682,060
Total capitalization		$	9,229,366			$
Total debt-to-capital			60.1	%				%
Stand-alone total debt-to-capital (3)			42.4	%				%

 

(1)	As of September 30, 2011, ONEOK and ONEOK Partners had available credit facility borrowings of $548 million and $1.2 billion, respectively.

 

(2)	As of January 20, 2012, ONEOK had $766 million of outstanding commercial paper notes, with maturities ranging from 3 days to 26 days and an average maturity of 8 days. As of January 20, 2012, ONEOK Partners had no outstanding commercial paper notes.

 

(3)

Neither ONEOK nor ONEOK Partners guarantees the debt or other similar commitments of their respective subsidiaries and affiliates to unaffiliated parties, and ONEOK does not guarantee the debt or other similar commitments of ONEOK Partners. For the purposes of determining compliance with financial covenants in the ONEOK Credit Agreement, the debt of ONEOK Partners is excluded and certain other adjustments are made to arrive at ONEOK’s stand-alone total debt-to-capital ratio.

 

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RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

Our ratios of earnings to fixed charges were as follows for the periods indicated:

 

		Year Ended December 31,																				Nine Months Ended September 30,
		2006				2007				2008				2009				2010				2011
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges			3.94x				3.20x				3.31x				3.13x				3.36x				3.46x

For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, “earnings” consists of pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for income or loss from equity investees plus fixed charges and distributed income of equity investees, less interest capitalized. “Fixed charges” consist of interest charges, the amortization of debt discounts and issue costs and the representative interest portion of operating leases.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

The following description is a summary of the terms of our notes. The descriptions in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain a description of certain terms of the notes and the indenture but do not purport to be complete, and reference is hereby made to the indenture that is an exhibit to the registration statement and to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. This summary supplements the description of debt securities in the accompanying prospectus and, to the extent it is inconsistent, replaces the description in the accompanying prospectus. We urge you to read the indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a holder of the notes. The following description of the notes and the description of the debt securities contained in the accompanying base prospectus are not complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the indenture. You may request a copy of the indenture from us as set forth under “Where You Can Find More Information” below. Whenever particular defined terms of the indenture are referred to, those defined terms are incorporated herein by reference.

General

The notes will be issued under a senior indenture, as supplemented by supplemental indentures, to be dated as of the closing date of this offering, between us and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the indenture, as supplemented, is referred to as the “indenture”).

The notes will be senior debt securities that will be our direct, unsecured obligations and will rank equally with all of our existing and future unsecured senior indebtedness. The notes initially will be issued in an aggregate principal amount equal to $            . We will issue the notes in denominations of $2,000 and whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Because we conduct a significant portion of our operations through our subsidiaries and ONEOK Partners, our ability to service our debt, including our obligations under the notes, and other obligations are largely dependent on the earnings of our subsidiaries and ONEOK Partners and the payment of those earnings to us, in the form of dividends, loans or advances and through repayment of loans or advances from us as well as distributions from ONEOK Partners. Any payment of distributions from ONEOK Partners or of dividends, loans or advances by our subsidiaries could be subject to statutory or contractual restrictions. The notes will not be guaranteed by any of our subsidiaries or affiliates, including ONEOK Partners, or any other party and, therefore, our subsidiaries and affiliates, including ONEOK Partners, have no obligation to pay any amounts due on the notes. The notes will be structurally subordinate to all of the existing and future debt and other liabilities of our subsidiaries and ONEOK Partners, and will be effectively junior to all of our future secured debt to the extent of the collateral securing such debt.

The notes will not be subject to a sinking fund provision. The notes are subject to defeasance at our option as provided in the indenture. Unless we redeem the notes prior to maturity, the entire principal amount of the notes will mature and become due and payable, together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, on February 1, 2022.

The indenture does not contain provisions that afford holders of the notes protection in the event we are involved in a highly leveraged transaction or other similar transaction that may adversely affect such holders. The indenture does not limit our ability to issue or incur other unsecured debt or issue preferred stock.

Interest

Interest on the notes will accrue at     % per year, from January     , 2012, or from the most recent Interest Payment Date (as defined below) to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, and will be payable in U.S. dollars semi-annually in arrears on February 1 and August 1 each year (each, an “Interest Payment Date”), beginning on August 1, 2012 and at maturity or, if applicable, earlier redemption. Interest payable on an Interest

 

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Payment Date will be paid to the Person in whose name the note is registered at the close of business on January 15 or July 15, as the case may be (whether or not a business day in the City of New York), immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date. Interest payable at maturity or earlier redemption will be paid against presentation and surrender of the related notes. Interest on the notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

If any Interest Payment Date, the maturity date or any redemption date is not a business day in New York, New York, the required payment shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a business day as if it were made on the date such payment was due and no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, maturity date or redemption date, as the case may be, to such next business day.

Optional Redemption

On or after November 1, 2021 (3 months prior to their maturity date), we may redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, on at least 30 days, but not more than 60 days, prior notice mailed to each holder of the notes to be redeemed, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.

Prior to November 1, 2021 (3 months prior to their maturity date), the notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at our option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

 

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100% of the principal amount of the notes, or

 

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as determined by the quotation agent, the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the notes (not including any portion of those payments of interest accrued as of the redemption date) discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30 day months at the adjusted treasury rate plus              basis points for the notes

plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest on the notes to the redemption date.

The quotation agent means the reference treasury dealer appointed by us to serve in that capacity. The term reference treasury dealer means any of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and their respective successors. If, however, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC ceases to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer in the United States, we will substitute another primary treasury dealer.

The adjusted treasury rate means, for any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the comparable treasury issue, assuming a price of the comparable treasury issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the comparable treasury price for that redemption date. The comparable treasury issue means the United States treasury security selected by the quotation agent as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the notes to be redeemed that would be used, at the time of a selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the notes.

The comparable treasury price means, for any redemption date, the reference treasury dealer quotation for the redemption date.

A reference treasury dealer quotation means, with respect to any redemption date, the average, as determined by us, of the bid and asked prices for the comparable treasury issue (expressed, in each case, as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted on the third business day preceding the redemption date.

 

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In case of a partial redemption, selection of the notes for redemption will be made by such method as the trustee deems appropriate and fair and may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal of notes. While the notes are held pursuant to the book-entry system, selection of notes for partial redemption will be made by the depositary pursuant to its practices and procedures. Notice of any redemption will be mailed by first class mail at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder of the notes to be redeemed at its registered address. If any note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to the note will state the portion of the principal amount of the note to be redeemed. A new note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the note will be issued in the name of the holder of the note upon surrender for cancellation of the original note. Unless we default in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the notes or the portions of the notes called for redemption.

Mandatory Redemption

We will not be required to make any mandatory sinking fund payments with regard to the notes or to redeem any of the notes before maturity.

Covenants

The notes will have the benefit of the covenants set forth under “Description of Debt Securities—Certain Restrictive Covenants Under Our Senior Indenture” and “Description of Debt Securities—Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets” in the accompanying prospectus.

Events of Default

The notes will have the events of default set forth under “Description of Debt Securities—Events of Default” in the accompanying prospectus.

Further Issues

We may from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the holders of the notes, increase the principal amount under the indenture of the notes offered hereby and issue such increased principal amount (or any portion thereof), in which case any additional notes so issued will have the same form and terms (other than the date of issuance, initial interest payment date and, under certain circumstances, the date from which interest thereon will begin to accrue), and will carry the same right to receive accrued and unpaid interest, as the notes previously issued, and such additional notes will form a single series with such notes.

Governing Law

The indenture and the notes for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Book-Entry System

We have obtained the information in this section concerning The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), Clearstream Banking, Société anonyme, Luxembourg (“Clearstream, Luxembourg”) and Euroclear Bank SA/NV (“Euroclear”) and their book-entry systems and procedures from sources that we believe to be reliable. We take no responsibility for an accurate portrayal of this information. In addition, the description of the clearing systems in this section reflects our understanding of the rules and procedures of DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear as they are currently in effect. Those systems could change their rules and procedures at any time.

 

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The notes will initially be represented by one or more fully registered global notes. Each such global note will be deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC or any successor thereto and registered in the name of Cede & Co. (DTC’s nominee). You may hold your interests in the global notes in the United States through DTC, or in Europe through Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear, either as a participant in such systems or indirectly through organizations which are participants in such systems. Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear will hold interests in the global notes on behalf of their respective participating organizations or customers through customers’ securities accounts in Clearstream, Luxembourg’s or Euroclear’s names on the books of their respective depositaries, which in turn will hold those positions in customers’ securities accounts in the depositaries’ names on the books of DTC. Citibank, N.A. will act as depositary for Clearstream, Luxembourg and JPMorgan Chase Bank will act as depositary for Euroclear.

So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of the global securities representing the notes, DTC or such nominee will be considered the sole owner and holder of the notes for all purposes of the notes and the indenture. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in the notes will not be entitled to have the notes registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the notes in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the notes under the indenture, including for purposes of receiving any reports delivered by us or the trustee pursuant to the indenture. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a note must rely on the procedures of DTC or its nominee and, if such person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which such person owns its interest, in order to exercise any rights of a holder of notes.

Unless and until we issue the notes in fully certificated, registered form under the limited circumstances described below under the heading “—Book-Entry System—Certificated Notes:”

 

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you will not be entitled to receive a certificate representing your interest in the notes;

 

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all references in this prospectus supplement or in the accompanying prospectus to actions by holders will refer to actions taken by DTC upon instructions from its direct participants; and

 

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all references in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus to payments and notices to holders will refer to payments and notices to DTC or Cede & Co., as the registered holder of the notes, for distribution to you in accordance with DTC procedures.

The Depository Trust Company

DTC will act as securities depositary for the notes. The notes will be issued as fully registered notes registered in the name of Cede & Co. DTC has advised us that it is:

 

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a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law;

 

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a “banking organization” under the New York Banking Law;

 

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a member of the Federal Reserve System;

 

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a “clearing corporation” under the New York Uniform Commercial Code; and

 

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a “clearing agency” registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

DTC holds securities that its direct participants deposit with DTC. DTC facilitates the settlement among direct participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in direct participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates.

Direct participants of DTC include securities brokers and dealers (including the underwriters), banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations. DTC is owned by a number of its direct participants. Indirect participants of DTC, such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies, can also access the DTC system if they maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant.

 

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If you are not a direct participant or an indirect participant and you wish to purchase, sell or otherwise transfer ownership of, or other interests in, notes, you must do so through a direct participant or an indirect participant. DTC agrees with and represents to DTC participants that it will administer its book-entry system in accordance with its rules and by-laws and requirements of law. The Securities and Exchange Commission has on file a set of the rules applicable to DTC and its direct participants.

Purchases of notes under DTC’s system must be made by or through direct participants, which will receive a credit for the notes on DTC’s records. The ownership interest of each beneficial owner is in turn to be recorded on the records of direct participants and indirect participants. Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase, but beneficial owners are expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the direct participants or indirect participants through which such beneficial owners entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the notes are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in notes, except as provided below in “—Book-Entry System—Certificated Notes.”

To facilitate subsequent transfers, all notes deposited with DTC are registered in the name of DTC’s nominee, Cede & Co. The deposit of notes with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. effect no change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the notes. DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the direct participants to whose accounts such notes are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct participants, by direct participants to indirect participants and by direct participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

Clearstream, Luxembourg

Clearstream, Luxembourg advises that it is incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg as a professional depository. Clearstream, Luxembourg holds securities for its customers and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between its customers through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its customers, thus eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. Clearstream, Luxembourg provides to its customers, among other things, services for safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and securities lending and borrowing. Clearstream, Luxembourg interfaces with domestic markets in a number of countries. Clearstream, Luxembourg is an indirect participant in DTC.

Clearstream, Luxembourg customers are recognized financial institutions around the world, including underwriters, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Indirect access to Clearstream, Luxembourg is also available to others, such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through, or maintain a custodial relationship with, a Clearstream, Luxembourg customer either directly or indirectly.

The Euroclear System

Euroclear has advised us that the Euroclear System was created in 1968 to hold securities for participants in the Euroclear System and to clear and settle transactions between Euroclear participants through simultaneous electronic book-entry delivery against payment, thus eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates and risk from lack of simultaneous transfers of securities and cash. Transactions may now be settled in many currencies, including United States dollars. The Euroclear System provides various other services, including securities lending and borrowing and interfaces with domestic markets in several countries generally similar to the arrangements for cross-market transfers with DTC described below.

 

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The Euroclear System is operated by Euroclear (the “Euroclear Operator”), under contract with Euroclear Clearance System, S.C., a Belgian cooperative corporation. The Euroclear Operator conducts all operations, and all Euroclear securities clearance accounts and Euroclear cash accounts are accounts with the Euroclear Operator, not the cooperative. The cooperative establishes policy for the Euroclear System on behalf of Euroclear participants. Euroclear participants include banks (including central banks), securities brokers and dealers and other professional financial intermediaries and may include the underwriters. Indirect access to the Euroclear System is also available to other firms that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Euroclear participant, either directly or indirectly. Euroclear is an indirect participant in DTC.

The Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear and the related Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System and applicable Belgian law govern securities clearance accounts and cash accounts with the Euroclear Operator. Specifically, these terms and conditions govern:

 

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transfers of securities and cash within the Euroclear System;

 

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withdrawal of securities and cash from the Euroclear System; and

 

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receipts of payments with respect to securities in the Euroclear System.

All securities in the Euroclear System are held on a fungible basis without attribution of specific certificates to specific securities clearance accounts. The Euroclear Operator acts under the terms and conditions only on behalf of Euroclear participants and has no record of or relationship with persons holding securities through Euroclear participants.

Euroclear further advises that investors that acquire, hold and transfer interests in the notes by book-entry through accounts with the Euroclear Operator or any other securities intermediary are subject to the laws and contractual provisions governing their relationship with their intermediary, as well as the laws and contractual provisions governing the relationship between such an intermediary and each other intermediary, if any, standing between themselves and the notes.

The Euroclear Operator advises that under Belgian law, investors that are credited with securities on the records of the Euroclear Operator have a co-property right in the fungible pool of interests in securities on deposit with the Euroclear Operator in an amount equal to the amount of interests in securities credited to their accounts. In the event of the insolvency of the Euroclear Operator, Euroclear participants would have a right under Belgian law to the return of the amount and type of interests in securities credited to their accounts with the Euroclear Operator. If the Euroclear Operator did not have a sufficient amount of interests in securities on deposit of a particular type to cover the claims of all Euroclear participants credited with such interests in securities on the Euroclear Operator’s records, all Euroclear participants having an amount of interests in securities of such type credited to their accounts with the Euroclear Operator would have the right under Belgian law to the return of their pro rata share of the amount of interest in securities actually on deposit.

Under Belgian law, the Euroclear Operator is required to pass on the benefits of ownership in any interests in securities on deposit with it, such as dividends, voting rights and other entitlements, to any person credited with such interests in securities on its records.

Book-Entry Format

Under the book-entry format, the trustee will pay interest or principal payments to Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. DTC will forward the payment to the direct participants, who will then forward the payment to the

indirect participants (including Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear) or to you as the beneficial owner. You may experience some delay in receiving your payments under this system. Neither we, the trustee under the indenture nor any paying agent has any direct responsibility or liability for the payment of principal or interest on the notes to owners of beneficial interests in the notes.

 

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DTC is required to make book-entry transfers on behalf of its direct participants and is required to receive and transmit payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the notes. Any direct participant or indirect participant with which you have an account is similarly required to make book-entry transfers and to receive and transmit payments with respect to the notes on your behalf. We and the trustee under the indenture have no responsibility for any aspect of the actions of DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear or any of their direct or indirect participants. In addition, we and the trustee under the indenture have no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records kept by DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg, Euroclear or any of their direct or indirect participants relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests. We also do not supervise these systems in any way.

The trustee will not recognize you as a holder under the indenture, and you can only exercise the rights of a holder indirectly through DTC and its direct participants. DTC has advised us that it will only take action regarding a note if one or more of the direct participants to whom the note is credited directs DTC to take such action and only in respect of the portion of the aggregate principal amount of the notes as to which that participant or participants has or have given that direction. DTC can only act on behalf of its direct participants. Your ability to pledge notes to non-direct participants, and to take other actions, may be limited because you will not possess a physical certificate that represents your notes.

Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (nor such other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to the notes unless authorized by a direct participant in accordance with DTC’s procedures. Under its usual procedures, DTC will mail an omnibus proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s consenting or voting rights to those direct participants to whose accounts the notes are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy).

Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear will credit payments to the cash accounts of Clearstream, Luxembourg customers or Euroclear participants in accordance with the relevant system’s rules and procedures, to the extent received by its depositary. These payments will be subject to tax reporting in accordance with relevant United States tax laws and regulations. Clearstream, Luxembourg or the Euroclear Operator, as the case may be, will take any other action permitted to be taken by a holder under the indenture on behalf of a Clearstream, Luxembourg customer or Euroclear participant only in accordance with its relevant rules and procedures and subject to its depositary’s ability to effect those actions on its behalf through DTC.

DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of the notes among participants of DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear. However, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform those procedures, and they may discontinue those procedures at any time.

Transfers Within and Among Book-Entry Systems

Transfers between DTC’s direct participants will occur in accordance with DTC rules. Transfers between Clearstream, Luxembourg customers and Euroclear participants will occur in accordance with its applicable rules and operating procedures.

DTC will effect cross-market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly through DTC, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly through Clearstream, Luxembourg customers or Euroclear participants, on the other hand, in accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European international clearing system by its depositary. However, cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to the relevant European international clearing system by the counterparty in that system in accordance with its rules and procedures and within its established deadlines (European time). The relevant European international clearing system will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, instruct its depositary to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving securities in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal

 

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procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Clearstream, Luxembourg customers and Euroclear participants may not deliver instructions directly to the depositaries.

Because of time-zone differences, credits of securities received in Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear resulting from a transaction with a DTC direct participant will be made during the subsequent securities settlement processing, dated the business day following the DTC settlement date. Those credits or any transactions in those securities settled during that processing will be reported to the relevant Clearstream, Luxembourg customer or Euroclear participant on that business day. Cash received in Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear as a result of sales of securities by or through a Clearstream, Luxembourg customer or a Euroclear participant to a DTC direct participant will be received with value on the DTC settlement date but will be available in the relevant Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear cash amount only as of the business day following settlement in DTC.

Although DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear has agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of notes among their respective participants, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be discontinued at any time.

Same-Day Settlement and Payment

The underwriters will settle the notes in immediately available funds. We will make principal and interest payments on the notes in immediately available funds or the equivalent. Secondary market trading between DTC direct participants will occur in accordance with DTC rules and will be settled in immediately available funds using DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System. Secondary market trading between Clearstream, Luxembourg customers and Euroclear participants will occur in accordance with their respective applicable rules and operating procedures and will be settled using the procedures applicable to conventional eurobonds in immediately available funds. No assurance can be given as to the effect, if any, of settlement in immediately available funds on trading activity (if any) in the notes.

Certificated Notes

Unless and until they are exchanged, in whole or in part, for notes in definitive form in accordance with the terms of the notes, the notes may not be transferred except (1) as a whole by DTC to a nominee of DTC or (2) by a nominee of DTC to DTC or another nominee of DTC or (3) by DTC or any such nominee to a successor of DTC or a nominee of such successor.

We will issue notes to you or your nominees, in fully certificated registered form, rather than to DTC or its nominees, only if:

 

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the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a depositary for the global security certificates and no successor depositary has been appointed within 90 days after this notice;

 

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an event of default occurs and is continuing with respect to the notes; or

 

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we determine in our sole discretion that we will no longer have notes represented by global securities.

If any of the three above events occurs, DTC is required to notify all direct participants that notes in fully certificated registered form are available through DTC. DTC will then surrender the global note representing the notes along with instructions for re-registration. The trustee will re-issue the notes in fully certificated registered form and will recognize the registered holders of the certificated notes as holders under the indenture.

Unless and until we issue the notes in fully certificated, registered form, (1) you will not be entitled to receive a certificate representing your interest in the notes; (2) all references in this prospectus supplement or in the accompanying prospectus to actions by holders will refer to actions taken by the depositary upon instructions from their direct participants; and (3) all references in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus to payments and notices to holders will refer to payments and notices to the depositary, as the registered holder of the notes, for distribution to you in accordance with its policies and procedures.

 

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UNITED STATES FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following summary describes the material United States federal income tax consequences and, in the case of a non-U.S. holder (as defined below), the material United States federal estate tax consequences, of purchasing, owning and disposing of the notes. This summary applies to you only if you are a beneficial owner of notes and you acquire the notes in this offering for cash at a price equal to the issue price of the notes. The issue price of the notes is the first price at which a substantial amount of the notes are sold other than to bond houses, brokers, or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents or wholesalers.

This summary deals only with notes held as capital assets (generally, investment property) and does not deal with special tax situations such as:

 

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dealers in securities or currencies;

 

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traders in securities;

 

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United States holders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the United States dollar;

 

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persons holding notes as part of a conversion, constructive sale, wash sale or other integrated transaction or a hedge, straddle or synthetic security;

 

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persons subject to the alternative minimum tax;

 

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certain United States expatriates;

 

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financial institutions;

 

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insurance companies;

 

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controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies and regulated investment companies and shareholders of such corporations;

 

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entities that are tax-exempt for United States federal income tax purposes and retirement plans, individual retirement accounts and tax-deferred accounts;

 

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pass-through entities, including partnerships and entities and arrangements classified as partnerships for United States federal tax purposes, and beneficial owners of pass-through entities; and

 

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persons that acquire a note for a price other than its respective issue price.

If you are a partnership (or an entity or arrangement classified as a partnership for United States federal tax purposes) holding notes or a partner in such a partnership, the United States federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level, and you should consult your own tax advisor regarding the United States federal income and estate tax consequences of purchasing, owning and disposing of the notes.

This summary does not discuss all of the aspects of United States federal income and estate taxation that may be relevant to you in light of your particular investment or other circumstances. In addition, this summary does not discuss any United States state or local, or non-U.S., income tax consequences, any tax consequences under the newly enacted Medicare tax on certain investment income or other tax consequences. This summary is based on United States federal income and estate tax law, including the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), Treasury regulations, administrative rulings and judicial authority, all as in effect or in existence as of the date of this prospectus supplement. Subsequent developments in United States federal income and estate tax law, including changes in law or differing interpretations, which may be applied retroactively, could have a material effect on the United States federal income and estate tax consequences of purchasing, owning and disposing of notes as set forth in this summary. Before you purchase

 

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notes, you should consult your own tax advisor regarding the particular United States federal, state and local and non-U.S. income and other tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of the notes that may be applicable to you.

United States Holders

The following summary applies to you only if you are a United States holder (as defined below).

Definition of a United States Holder

A “United States holder” is a beneficial owner of a note or notes that, for United States federal income tax purposes, meets any of the following:

 

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an individual citizen or resident of the United States;

 

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a corporation (or other entity classified as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

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an estate, the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of the source of that income; or

 

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a trust, if (1) a United States court is able to exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more “United States persons” (within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code) has the authority to control all of the trust’s substantial decisions, or (2) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a “United States person.”

Payments of Interest

Interest on your notes will be taxed as ordinary interest income. In addition:

 

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if you use the cash method of accounting for United States federal income tax purposes, you will have to include the interest on your notes in your gross income at the time you receive the interest; and

 

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if you use the accrual method of accounting for United States federal income tax purposes, you will have to include the interest on your notes in your gross income at the time the interest accrues.

Sale or Other Disposition of Notes

Your tax basis in your notes generally will be their cost. Upon the sale, redemption, exchange or other taxable disposition of the notes, you generally will recognize taxable gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between:

 

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the amount realized on the taxable disposition (less any amount attributable to accrued interest not yet included in your gross income, which will be taxable as ordinary interest income in the manner described under “United States Federal Tax Considerations—United States Holders—Payments of Interest”); and

 

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your tax basis in the notes.

Your gain or loss generally will be capital gain or loss. This capital gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if at the time of the disposition you have held the notes for more than one year. Subject to limited exceptions, your capital losses cannot be used to offset your ordinary income. If you are a non-corporate United States holder (including an individual), your long-term capital gain generally will be subject to a preferential rate of taxation.

 

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Backup Withholding

In general, “backup withholding” at a rate of 28% (which rate is currently scheduled to increase to 31% for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2013) may apply:

 

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to any payments made to you of principal of and interest on your note, and

 

•

to payment of the proceeds of a sale or other disposition of your note,

if you are a non-corporate United States holder and you fail to provide a correct taxpayer identification number or otherwise comply with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax and may be credited against your United States federal income tax liability, provided that correct information is timely provided to the Internal Revenue Service.

Non-U.S. Holders

The following summary applies to you if you are a beneficial owner of a note and you are neither a United States holder (as defined above) nor a partnership (or an entity or arrangement classified as a partnership for United States federal tax purposes) (a “non-U.S. holder”).

United States Federal Withholding Tax

Under current United States federal income tax laws, and subject to the discussion below, United States federal withholding tax will not apply to payments by us or our paying agent (in its capacity as such) of principal of the notes and, under the “portfolio interest” exception of the Internal Revenue Code, interest on your notes, provided that in the case of interest:

 

•

you do not, directly or indirectly, actually or constructively, own ten percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote within the meaning of section 871(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder;

 

•

you are not a controlled foreign corporation for United States federal income tax purposes that is related, directly or indirectly, to us through sufficient stock ownership (as provided in the Internal Revenue Code);

 

•

you are not a bank receiving interest described in section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code;

 

•

such interest is not effectively connected with your conduct of a United States trade or business; and

 

•

you provide a signed written statement, on an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN (or other applicable form) which can reliably be related to you, certifying under penalties of perjury that you are not a United States person within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code and providing your name and address to:

(A) us or our paying agent; or

(B) a securities clearing organization, bank or other financial institution that holds customers’ securities in the ordinary course of its trade or business and holds your notes on your behalf and that certifies to us or our paying agent under penalties of perjury that it, or the bank or financial institution between it and you, has received from you your signed, written statement and provides us or our paying agent with a copy of this statement.

The applicable Treasury regulations provide alternative methods for satisfying the certification requirement described in this section. In addition, under these Treasury regulations, special rules apply to pass-through entities and this certification requirement may also apply to beneficial owners of pass-through entities.

 

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If you cannot satisfy the requirements of the “portfolio interest” exception described above, payments of interest made to you will be subject to 30% United States federal withholding tax unless you provide the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed (1) Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI (or other applicable form) stating that interest paid on your notes is not subject to withholding tax because it is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States, or (2) Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN (or other applicable form) claiming an exemption from or reduction in this withholding tax under an applicable income tax treaty.

United States Federal Income Tax

Except for the possible application of United States federal withholding tax (see “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Non-U.S. Holders—United States Federal Withholding Tax” above) and backup withholding tax (see “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Non-U.S. Holders—Backup Withholding and Information Reporting” below), you generally will not have to pay United States federal income tax on payments of principal of and interest on your notes, or on any gain realized from (or accrued interest treated as received in connection with) the sale, redemption, retirement at maturity or other taxable disposition of your notes unless:

 

•

in the case of interest payments or disposition proceeds representing accrued interest, you cannot satisfy the requirements of the “portfolio interest” exception described above (and your United States federal income tax liability has not otherwise been fully satisfied through the United States federal withholding tax described above);

 

•

in the case of gain, you are an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the sale or other disposition of your notes and specific other conditions are met (in which case, except as otherwise provided by an applicable income tax treaty, the gain, which may be offset by United States source capital losses, generally will be subject to a flat 30% United States federal income tax, even though you are not considered a resident alien under the Internal Revenue Code); or

 

•

the interest or gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a United States trade or business and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a United States “permanent establishment” (or, if you are an individual, a fixed base) maintained by you.

If you are engaged in a trade or business in the United States and interest or gain in respect of your notes is effectively connected with the conduct of your trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a United States “permanent establishment” (or, if you are an individual, a fixed base) maintained by you), the interest or gain generally will be subject to United States federal income tax on a net basis at the regular graduated rates and in the manner applicable to a United States holder (although the interest will be exempt from the withholding tax discussed in the preceding paragraphs if you provide a properly executed Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI (or other applicable form) on or before any payment date to claim the exemption). In addition, if you are a foreign corporation, you may be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% of your effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, as adjusted for certain items, unless a lower rate applies to you under an applicable United States income tax treaty.

United States Federal Estate Tax

If you are an individual and are not a United States citizen or a resident of the United States (as specially defined for United States federal estate tax purposes) at the time of your death, your notes generally will not be subject to the United States federal estate tax, unless, at the time of your death:

 

•

you directly or indirectly, actually or constructively, own ten percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote within the meaning of section 871(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder; or

 

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•

your interest on the notes is effectively connected with your conduct of a United States trade or business.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

Under current Treasury regulations, backup withholding and information reporting will not apply to payments on the notes to you if you have provided the required certification that you are not a United States person as described in “United States Federal Tax Considerations—Non-U.S. Holders—United States Federal Withholding Tax” above, and provided that the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person. However, the applicable withholding agent may be required to report to the IRS and you payments of interest on the notes and the amount of tax, if any, withheld with respect to those payments. Copies of the information returns reporting such interest payments and any withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which you reside under the provisions of a treaty or agreement.

The gross proceeds from the disposition of your notes may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding tax at a rate of 28% (which rate currently is scheduled to increase to 31% for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2013). If you sell your notes outside the United States through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker and the sales proceeds are paid to you outside the United States, then the U.S. backup withholding and information reporting requirements generally will not apply to that payment. However, U.S. information reporting, but not backup withholding, will apply to a payment of sales proceeds, even if that payment is made outside the United States, if you sell your notes through a non-U.S. office of a broker that is a United States person (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code) or has certain enumerated connections with the United States, unless the broker has documentary evidence in its files that you are not a United States person and certain other conditions are met or you otherwise establish an exemption. If you receive payments of the proceeds of a sale of your notes to or through a U.S. office of a broker, the payment is subject to both U.S. backup withholding and information reporting unless you provide a Form W-8BEN certifying that you are not a United States person or you otherwise establish an exemption, provided the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person or the conditions of any other exemption are not, in fact, satisfied.

You should consult your own tax advisor regarding application of backup withholding in your particular circumstance and the availability of and procedure for obtaining an exemption from backup withholding under current Treasury regulations. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to you will be allowed as a refund or credit against your United States federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.

 

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UNDERWRITING

We are offering the notes described in this prospectus supplement through the underwriters named below. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are joint book-running managers of this offering and are acting as the representatives of the underwriters. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the representatives on behalf of the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, each of the underwriters has severally agreed to purchase the principal amount of notes listed next to its name in the following table:

 

Underwriters		Principal Amount of  notes
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC		$
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith  Incorporated
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
Total		$

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligation of the several underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the notes is subject, among other things, to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and certain other conditions. The underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the notes being offered, if any are taken.

The notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading market. We have been advised by the underwriters that the underwriters intend to make a market in the notes but are not obligated to do so and may discontinue market making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the notes.

Commissions and Discounts

The underwriters have advised us that they propose initially to offer the notes to the public at the public offering price on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, and to dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of         % of the principal amount of the notes. The underwriters may allow, and the dealers may reallow, to other dealers a discount not in excess of         % of the principal amount of the notes. After the initial public offering, the public offering price and other selling terms may be changed.

 

		Paid by us
Per Note				%
Total		$

The expenses of the offering, not including the underwriting discount, are estimated at $1.2 million and are payable by us.

Price Stabilization, Short Positions

In order to facilitate the offering of the notes, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the notes. Specifically, the underwriters may overallot in connection with the offering, creating a short position in the notes for their own account. In addition, to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the notes, the underwriters may purchase and sell notes in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of notes than they are required to purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the notes while the offering is in progress.

 

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The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased notes sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

These activities by the underwriters may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the notes. As a result, the price of the notes may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, they may be discontinued by the underwriters at any time. These transactions may be effected in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

Indemnification

We have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), each underwriter has represented and agreed that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”) it has not made and will not make an offer of the notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement to the public in that Relevant Member State except that it may, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of such notes to the public in the Relevant Member State:

 

(a)	at any time to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

 

(b)

at any time to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the relevant underwriter or underwriters nominated by us for any such offer; or

 

(c)	at any time in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive,

provided that no such offer of the notes referred to in (a) to (c) above shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 16 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe to the notes, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State. For the purposes of this provision, the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto including that Directive as amended by the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State in question), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State in question; and the expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.

United Kingdom

Each of the underwriters has represented and agreed that:

 

(a)

it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the United Kingdom Financial Services and Market Act of 2000, or “FSMA”) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the notes in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to us; and

 

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(b)	it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

Underwriters’ Conflicts of Interest

The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters and their respective affiliates have provided in the past and may provide from time to time in the future certain commercial banking, financial advisory, investment banking and other services for us or ONEOK Partners for which they will receive customary fees. Affiliates of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and certain of the other underwriters are lenders under our $1.2 billion revolving credit agreement. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates may from time to time act as dealers under our and/or ONEOK Partners’ commercial paper program or lenders under ONEOK Partners’ $1.2 billion revolving credit agreement.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. If any of the underwriters or their affiliates has a lending relationship with us, certain of those underwriters or their affiliates routinely hedge, and certain other of those underwriters or affiliates may hedge, their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. Typically, these underwriters and their affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities, including potentially the notes offered hereby. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the notes offered hereby. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

 

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Various legal matters, including the validity of the notes offered by this prospectus supplement, will be passed on for ONEOK by Gable & Gotwals, Tulsa, Oklahoma and by Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, New York, New York. The validity of the notes will be passed on for the underwriters by Shearman & Sterling LLP, New York, New York.

EXPERTS

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Some of the statements contained and incorporated in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements relate to anticipated financial performance, liquidity, management’s plans and objectives for our future operations, our business prospects, anticipated capital expenditures for our capital projects, the outcome of regulatory and legal proceedings, market conditions and other matters. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements in certain circumstances. The following discussion is intended to identify important factors that could cause future outcomes to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements include the information concerning possible or assumed future results of our operations and other statements contained or incorporated in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus identified by words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “should,” “goal,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “could,” “may,” “continue,” “might,” “potential,” “scheduled,” and other words and terms of similar meaning.

You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Those factors may affect our operations, markets, products, services and prices. In addition to any assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection with the forward-looking statements, factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statement include, among others, the following:

 

•

the effects of weather and other natural phenomena, including climate change, on our operations, including energy sales and demand for our services and energy prices;

 

•

competition from other United States and foreign energy suppliers and transporters, as well as alternative forms of energy, including, but not limited to, solar power, wind power, geothermal energy and biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel;

 

•

the status of deregulation of retail natural gas distribution;

 

•

the capital intensive nature of our businesses;

 

•

the profitability of assets or businesses acquired or constructed by us;

 

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•

our ability to make cost-saving changes in operations;

 

•

risks of marketing, trading and hedging activities, including the risks of changes in energy prices or the financial condition of our counterparties;

 

•

the uncertainty of estimates, including accruals and costs of environmental remediation;

 

•

the timing and extent of changes in energy commodity prices;

 

•

the effects of changes in governmental policies and regulatory actions, including changes with respect to income and other taxes, pipeline safety, environmental compliance, climate change initiatives and authorized rates of recovery of natural gas and natural gas transportation costs;

 

•

the impact on drilling and production by factors beyond our control, including the demand for natural gas and crude oil; producers’ desire and ability to obtain necessary permits; reserve performance; and capacity constraints on the pipelines that transport crude oil, natural gas and NGLs from producing areas and our facilities;

 

•

changes in demand for the use of natural gas because of market conditions caused by concerns about global warming;

 

•

the impact of unforeseen changes in interest rates, equity markets, inflation rates, economic recession and other external factors over which we have no control, including the effect on pension and postretirement expense and funding resulting from changes in stock and bond market returns;

 

•

our indebtedness could make us vulnerable to general adverse economic and industry conditions, limit our ability to borrow additional funds and/or place us at competitive disadvantages compared with our competitors that have less debt, or have other adverse consequences;

 

•

actions by rating agencies concerning the credit ratings of ONEOK and ONEOK Partners;

 

•

the results of administrative proceedings and litigation, regulatory actions, rule changes and receipt of expected clearances involving the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Kansas Corporation Commission, Texas regulatory authorities or any other local, state or federal regulatory body, including the FERC, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the EPA and Commodity Futures Trading Commission;

 

•

our ability to access capital at competitive rates or on terms acceptable to us;

 

•

risks associated with adequate supply to our gathering, processing, fractionation and pipeline facilities, including production declines that outpace new drilling;

 

•

the risk that material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting could emerge or that minor problems could become significant;

 

•

the impact and outcome of pending and future litigation;

 

•

the ability to market pipeline capacity on favorable terms, including the effects of:

 

•

future demand for and prices of natural gas and NGLs;

 

•

competitive conditions in the overall energy market;

 

•

availability of supplies of Canadian and United States natural gas; and

 

•

availability of additional storage capacity;

 

•

performance of contractual obligations by our customers, service providers, contractors and shippers;

 

•

the timely receipt of approval by applicable governmental entities for construction and operation of our pipeline and other projects and required regulatory clearances;

 

•

our ability to acquire all necessary permits, consents or other approvals in a timely manner, to promptly

 

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obtain all necessary materials and supplies required for construction, and to construct gathering, processing, storage, fractionation and transportation facilities without labor or contractor problems;

 

•

the mechanical integrity of facilities operated;

 

•

demand for our services in the proximity of our facilities;

 

•

our ability to control operating costs;

 

•

adverse labor relations;

 

•

acts of nature, sabotage, terrorism or other similar acts that cause damage to our facilities or our suppliers’ or shippers’ facilities;

 

•

economic climate and growth in the geographic areas in which we do business;

 

•

the risk of a prolonged slowdown in growth or decline in the United States or international economies, including liquidity risks in United States or foreign credit markets;

 

•

the impact of recently issued and future accounting updates and other changes in accounting policies;

 

•

the possibility of future terrorist attacks or the possibility or occurrence of an outbreak of, or changes in, hostilities or changes in the political conditions in the Middle East and elsewhere;

 

•

the risk of increased costs for insurance premiums, security or other items as a consequence of terrorist attacks;

 

•

risks associated with pending or possible acquisitions and dispositions, including our ability to finance or integrate any such acquisitions and any regulatory delay or conditions imposed by regulatory bodies in connection with any such acquisitions and dispositions;

 

•

the possible loss of natural gas distribution franchises or other adverse effects caused by the actions of municipalities;

 

•

the impact of uncontracted capacity in our assets being greater or less than expected;

 

•

the ability to recover operating costs and amounts equivalent to income taxes, costs of property, plant and equipment and regulatory assets in our state and FERC-regulated rates;

 

•

the composition and quality of the natural gas and NGLs we gather and process in our plants and transport on our pipelines;

 

•

the efficiency of our plants in processing natural gas and extracting and fractionating NGLs;

 

•

the impact of potential impairment charges;

 

•

the risk inherent in the use of information systems in our respective businesses, implementation of new software and hardware, and the impact on the timeliness of information for financial reporting;

 

•

our ability to control construction costs and completion schedules of our pipelines and other projects; and

 

•

the risk factors listed in this prospectus supplement and the reports we have filed and may file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are incorporated by reference.

These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other factors could also have material adverse effects on our future results. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated herein by reference. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or change in circumstances, expectations or otherwise.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You can read and copy any materials we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission at its Public Reference Room at Station Place, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can obtain information about the operations of the Securities and Exchange Commission Public Reference Room by calling the Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330. The Securities and Exchange Commission also maintains a website that contains information we file electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which you can access over the Internet at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, our Securities and Exchange Commission filings are available at www.oneok.com. Information contained in our website does not constitute part of this prospectus supplement. Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: OKE), and you can obtain information about us at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

As permitted by Securities and Exchange Commission rules, this prospectus supplement does not contain all of the information we have included in the registration statement and the accompanying exhibits. You may refer to the registration statement and the exhibits for more information about us and our securities. The registration statement and the exhibits are available at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Public Reference Room or through its website.

The Securities and Exchange Commission allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. All information incorporated by reference is part of this document, unless and until that information is updated and superseded by the information contained in this document or any information subsequently filed that is incorporated by reference. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below, other than any portions of the respective filings that were furnished, pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Current Reports on Form 8-K (including exhibits related thereto) or other applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules, rather than filed, prior to the consummation of the offering under this prospectus supplement.

 

•

our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010;

 

•

our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2011, June 30, 2011 and September 30, 2011; and

 

•

our current reports on Form 8-K filed on January 21, 2011 (only the second and third reports filed on this date), January 27, 2011, February 18, 2011, April 7, 2011, April 20, 2011, April 22, 2011, May 19, 2011, May 31, 2011, June 1, 2011 (only the first report filed on this date), June 23, 2011, July 22, 2011 (both reports filed on this date), August 2, 2011, October 27, 2011 (as amended on October 31, 2011), December 19, 2011 and January 20, 2012.

You may request a copy of these filings (other than an exhibit to the filings unless we have specifically incorporated that exhibit by reference into the filing) at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

ONEOK, Inc.

100 West Fifth Street

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

Telephone: (918) 588-7000

We also incorporate by reference all future filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (other than current reports on Form 8-K furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 and any related exhibits) on or after the date of this prospectus supplement and prior to the closing of the related offering made hereby. Those documents will become a part of this prospectus supplement from the date that the documents are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

You may request and we will deliver to you promptly, without charge, a paper copy of this prospectus if you send a request in writing to us at the above address.

 

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ONEOK, Inc.

Debt Securities, Common Stock, Stock Purchase Contracts,

Stock Purchase Contract Units, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares, and Warrants

 

 

We may offer and sell, from time to time in one or more issuances, (1) one or more series of debt securities, which may be senior or subordinated notes or debentures, or other senior or subordinated evidences of indebtedness, and which may include terms permitting or requiring holders to convert or exchange their debt securities for common stock, preferred stock or other securities, (2) shares of our common stock, (3) stock purchase contracts, (4) stock purchase contract units that consist of (a) a stock purchase contract and (b) senior or subordinated debt securities, or preferred stock, U.S. Treasury securities or other debt obligations of third parties, that may be used to secure the holders’ obligations under a purchase contract, (5) shares of our preferred stock, which may include terms permitting or requiring holders to convert or exchange their preferred stock for common stock or other securities, (6) depositary shares, or (7) warrants.

We will provide you with the specific terms of the particular securities being offered in supplements to this prospectus. Any prospectus supplement may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and each related prospectus supplement carefully before you make an investment decision. This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

Our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “OKE.”

Investing in these securities involves certain risks. Please read “Risk Factors” on page 8 of this prospectus.

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this Prospectus is September 28, 2011.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			2
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			3
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE			3
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			5
ABOUT ONEOK			8
RISK FACTORS			8
USE OF PROCEEDS			8
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES			9
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES			10
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK			22
DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACT UNITS			29
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES			30
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS			32
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			33
LEGAL MATTERS			35
EXPERTS			35

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

The information contained in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. You should rely only on the information provided in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, or documents to which we otherwise refer you. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of any securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document in which such information is contained or such other date referred to in such document, regardless of the time of any sale or issuance of a security.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may sell different types of securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering and the securities offered by us in that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation by Reference.”

This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed or will be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described below in the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Unless we otherwise indicate or unless the context requires, all references in this prospectus to:

 

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“ONEOK,” “we,” “our,” “us,” or similar references mean ONEOK, Inc. and its subsidiaries, predecessors and acquired businesses;

 

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“common stock” mean our common stock, par value $0.01 per share; and

 

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“securities” mean the debt securities, common stock, stock purchase contracts, stock purchase contract units, preferred stock, depositary shares and warrants described in this prospectus.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, that registers the securities offered by this prospectus. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us. The rules and regulations of the SEC allow us to omit some information included in the registration statement from this prospectus.

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at its Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can obtain information about the operations of the SEC Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains a website that contains information we file electronically with the SEC, which you can access over the Internet at http://www.sec.gov. Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: OKE), and you can obtain information about us at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005. General information about us, including our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports, is available free of charge through our website at http://www.oneok.com as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with, or furnish them to, the SEC. Information on, or accessible through, our website is not incorporated into this prospectus or our other securities filings and is not a part of these filings.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we have filed with the SEC. As permitted by SEC rules, this prospectus does not contain all of the information we have included in the registration statement and the accompanying exhibits. You may refer to the registration statement and the exhibits for more information about us and our securities. The registration statement and the exhibits are available at the SEC’s Public Reference Room or through its website.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this document. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the previously filed information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made by us with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, other than any portions of the respective filings that were furnished, pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Current Reports on Form 8-K (including exhibits related thereto) or other applicable SEC rules, rather than filed, prior to the termination of the offerings under this prospectus:

 

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Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 1-13643) for the year ended December 31, 2010, filed on February 22, 2011;

 

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Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q (File No. 1-13643) for the periods ended March 31, 2011, filed on May 4, 2011 and June 30, 2011, filed on August 3, 2011;

 

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Current Reports on Form 8-K (File No. 1-13643) filed on January 21, 2011 (only the second and third reports filed on this date, and with respect to the second report filed on this date, except for the information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and the furnished exhibit relating to that information), January 27, 2011 (except for the information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and the furnished exhibit relating to that information), February 18, 2011, April 7, 2011 (except for the information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and the furnished exhibit relating to that information), April 20, 2011 (except for the information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and the furnished exhibit relating to that information), April 22, 2011 (except for the information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and the furnished exhibit relating to that information), May 19, 2011 (except for the information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and the furnished exhibit relating to that information), May 31, 2011, June 1, 2011, June 23, 2011

 

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(except for the information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and the furnished exhibit relating to that information), July 22, 2011 (both reports filed on this date, except for the information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and the furnished exhibits relating to such information in each report) and August 2, 2011 (except for the information furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and the furnished exhibit relating to that information);

 

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the description of our common stock contained in our Form 8-A registration statement filed with the SEC on November 21, 1997, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating that description; and

 

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the description of our Class C preferred share purchase rights contained in our Form 8-A registration statement, as amended, filed with the SEC on February 6, 2003, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating that description.

You may request a copy of these filings (other than an exhibit to the filings unless we have specifically incorporated that exhibit by reference into the filing), at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

ONEOK, Inc.

100 West Fifth Street

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103

Attention: Corporate Secretary

Telephone: (918) 588-7000

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell, or soliciting an offer to buy, securities in any jurisdiction where the offer and sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement or any applicable pricing supplement is accurate only as of the date of the documents containing the information, regardless of the time of its delivery or of any sale of our securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some of the statements contained and incorporated in this prospectus are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements relate to our anticipated financial performance, management plans and objectives for our future operations, our business prospects, the outcome of regulatory and legal proceedings, market conditions and other matters. We make these forward-looking statements in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following discussion is intended to identify important factors that could cause future outcomes to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements include the items identified in the preceding paragraph, the information concerning possible or assumed future results of our operations and other statements contained or incorporated in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement identified by words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “believe,” “should,” “project,” “goal,” “guidance,” “could,” “may,” “continue,” “might,” “potential,” “scheduled” and other words and terms of similar meaning.

You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Those factors may affect our operations, markets, products, services and prices. In addition to any assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection with the forward-looking statements, factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statement include, among others, the following:

 

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the effects of weather and other natural phenomena, including climate change, on our operations, including energy sales and demand for our services and energy prices;

 

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competition from other United States and foreign energy suppliers and transporters, as well as alternative forms of energy, including, but not limited to, solar power, wind power, geothermal energy and biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel;

 

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the status of deregulation of retail natural gas distribution;

 

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the capital intensive nature of our businesses;

 

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the profitability of assets or businesses acquired or constructed by us;

 

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our ability to make cost-saving changes in operations;

 

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risks of marketing, trading and hedging activities, including the risks of changes in energy prices or the financial condition of our counterparties;

 

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the uncertainty of estimates, including accruals and costs of environmental remediation;

 

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the timing and extent of changes in energy commodity prices;

 

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the effects of changes in governmental policies and regulatory actions, including changes with respect to income and other taxes, pipeline safety, environmental compliance, climate change initiatives and authorized rates of recovery of natural gas and natural gas transportation costs;

 

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the impact on drilling and production by factors beyond our control, including the demand for natural gas and crude oil; producers’ desire and ability to obtain necessary permits; reserve performance; and capacity constraints on the pipelines that transport crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) from producing areas and our facilities;

 

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changes in demand for the use of natural gas because of market conditions caused by concerns about climate change;

 

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the impact of unforeseen changes in interest rates, equity markets, inflation rates, economic recession and other external factors over which we have no control, including the effect on pension and postretirement expense and funding resulting from changes in stock and bond market returns;

 

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our indebtedness could make us vulnerable to general adverse economic and industry conditions, limit our ability to borrow additional funds and/or place us at competitive disadvantages compared with our competitors that have less debt, or have other adverse consequences;

 

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actions by rating agencies concerning the credit ratings of ONEOK and ONEOK Partners, L.P.;

 

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the results of administrative proceedings and litigation, regulatory actions, rule changes and receipt of expected clearances involving the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Kansas Corporation Commission, Texas regulatory authorities or any other local, state or federal regulatory body, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”), the National Transportation Safety Board, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the EPA and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission;

 

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our ability to access capital at competitive rates or on terms acceptable to us;

 

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risks associated with adequate supply to our gathering, processing, fractionation and pipeline facilities, including production declines that outpace new drilling;

 

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the risk that material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting could emerge or that minor problems could become significant;

 

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the impact and outcome of pending and future litigation;

 

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the ability to market pipeline capacity on favorable terms, including the effects of:

 

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future demand for and prices of natural gas and NGLs;

 

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competitive conditions in the overall energy market;

 

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availability of supplies of Canadian and United States natural gas; and

 

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availability of additional storage capacity;

 

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performance of contractual obligations by our customers, service providers, contractors and shippers;

 

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the timely receipt of approval by applicable governmental entities for construction and operation of our pipeline and other projects and required regulatory clearances;

 

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our ability to acquire all necessary permits, consents or other approvals in a timely manner, to promptly obtain all necessary materials and supplies required for construction, and to construct gathering, processing, storage, fractionation and transportation facilities without labor or contractor problems;

 

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the mechanical integrity of facilities operated;

 

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demand for our services in the proximity of our facilities;

 

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our ability to control operating costs;

 

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adverse labor relations;

 

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acts of nature, sabotage, terrorism or other similar acts that cause damage to our facilities or our suppliers’ or shippers’ facilities;

 

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economic climate and growth in the geographic areas in which we do business;

 

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the risk of a prolonged slowdown in growth or decline in the United States or international economies, including liquidity risks in United States or foreign credit markets;

 

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the impact of recently issued and future accounting updates and other changes in accounting policies;

 

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the possibility of future terrorist attacks or the possibility or occurrence of an outbreak of, or changes in, hostilities or changes in the political conditions in the Middle East and elsewhere;

 

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the risk of increased costs for insurance premiums, security or other items as a consequence of terrorist attacks;

 

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risks associated with pending or possible acquisitions and dispositions, including our ability to finance or integrate any such acquisitions and any regulatory delay or conditions imposed by regulatory bodies in connection with any such acquisitions and dispositions;

 

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the possible loss of natural gas distribution franchises or other adverse effects caused by the actions of municipalities;

 

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the impact of uncontracted capacity in our assets being greater or less than expected;

 

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the ability to recover operating costs and amounts equivalent to income taxes, costs of property, plant and equipment and regulatory assets in our state- and FERC-regulated rates;

 

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the composition and quality of the natural gas and NGLs we gather and process in our plants and transport on our pipelines;

 

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the efficiency of our plants in processing natural gas and extracting and fractionating NGLs;

 

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the impact of potential impairment charges;

 

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the risk inherent in the use of information systems in our respective businesses, implementation of new software and hardware, and the impact on the timeliness of information for financial reporting;

 

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our ability to control construction costs and completion schedules of our pipelines and other projects; and

 

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the risk factors listed in the reports we have filed and may file with the SEC, which are incorporated by reference.

These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. Other factors could also have material adverse effects on our future results. These and other risks are described in greater detail in Part 1, Item 1A, Risk Factors, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, and Part II, Item 1A, Risk Factors, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2011 and June 30, 2011. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or changes in circumstances, expectations or otherwise.

 

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ABOUT ONEOK

We are a diversified energy company and successor to the company founded in 1906 known as Oklahoma Natural Gas Company. Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “OKE.” We are the sole general partner and own 42.8 percent of ONEOK Partners, L.P. (NYSE: OKS), one of the largest publicly traded master limited partnerships. ONEOK Partners is a leader in the gathering, processing, storage and transportation of natural gas in the United States. In addition, ONEOK Partners owns one of the nation’s premier natural gas liquids systems, connecting NGL supply in the Mid-Continent and Rocky Mountain regions with key market centers. We are the largest natural gas distributor in Oklahoma and Kansas and the third largest natural gas distributor in Texas, providing service as a regulated public utility to wholesale and retail customers. Our largest distribution markets are Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Kansas City, Wichita and Topeka, Kansas; and Austin and El Paso, Texas. Our energy services business is engaged in providing premium natural gas marketing services to its customers across the United States.

RISK FACTORS

Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully consider those risk factors included in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q that are incorporated herein by reference and those that may be included in the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference in evaluating an investment in our securities.

If any of the risks discussed in the foregoing documents were actually to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flow could be materially adversely affected. In that case, our ability to pay dividends to our shareholders or pay interest on, or the principal of, any debt securities, may be reduced, the trading price of our securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless we inform you otherwise in an applicable prospectus supplement, ONEOK will use the net proceeds from the sale of the offered securities for general corporate purposes. These purposes may include repayment and refinancing of debt, acquisitions, working capital, capital expenditures and repurchases and redemptions of securities. Pending any specific application, we may initially invest funds in marketable securities or apply them to the reduction of short-term indebtedness.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

Our ratio of earnings to fixed charges in each of the periods shown is as follows:

 

Six months ended June 30, 2011		For the years ended December 31,
		2010		2009		2008		2007		2006
3.57x		3.36x		3.13x		3.31x		3.20x		3.94x

For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, “earnings” consists of pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for income or loss from equity investees plus fixed charges and distributed income of equity investees, less interest capitalized. “Fixed charges” consist of interest charges, the amortization of debt discounts and issue costs and the representative interest portion of operating leases.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following description states the general terms and provisions of our debt securities. The debt securities offered by this prospectus will be issued under one of two separate indentures between us and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. We have filed the forms of indenture as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The debt securities will be unsecured obligations of ONEOK and will be either senior or subordinated debt. Senior debt will be issued under a senior indenture and subordinated debt will be issued under a subordinated indenture. The senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are sometimes referred to in this prospectus individually as an “Indenture” and collectively as the “Indentures.” Each prospectus supplement that we provide when we offer debt securities will describe the specific terms of the debt securities offered through that prospectus supplement and any general terms outlined in this section that will not apply to those debt securities. Unless otherwise specified in this prospectus, the term “debt securities” includes senior debt securities and subordinated debt securities and the descriptions of the debt securities describe both the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities unless otherwise specified in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.

We have summarized the material terms and provisions of the Indentures in this section. The summary is not complete. We have filed the forms of each of the Indentures as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You should read the applicable form of Indenture for additional information before you buy any debt securities. Each of the Indentures is qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. You should refer to the Trust Indenture Act for provisions that apply to the debt securities. This summary also is subject to and qualified by reference to the description of the particular terms of the debt securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement or supplements and pricing supplement or supplements. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this summary have the meanings specified in the applicable Indenture. In this section, “we,” “us” and “our” refer only to ONEOK, Inc. and not to any of our subsidiaries.

Debt securities issued under either Indenture will be issued as part of a series that will be established pursuant to a supplemental indenture or other corporate action designating the specific terms of the series of debt securities. A prospectus supplement will describe these terms and will include, among other things, the following:

 

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the title of the debt securities of the particular series and whether the debt securities will be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities;

 

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the total principal amount of those debt securities and the percentage of their principal amount at which we will issue those debt securities;

 

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the date or dates on which the principal of those debt securities will be payable;

 

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the interest rate, the method for determining the interest rate (if the interest rate is variable), the date from which interest will accrue, interest payment dates and record dates for interest payments;

 

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the place or places where payments on those debt securities will be made, where holders may surrender their debt securities for transfer or exchange and where to serve notices or demands;

 

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any provisions for optional redemption or early repayment;

 

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any provisions that would obligate us to redeem, purchase or repay those debt securities;

 

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any provisions for conversion or exchange of the debt securities;

 

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whether payments on the debt securities of the particular series will be payable by reference to any index, formula or other method;

 

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any deletions from, changes of or additions to the events of default, covenants or other provisions described in this prospectus;

 

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the portion of the principal amount of those debt securities that will be payable if the maturity is accelerated, if other than the entire principal amount;

 

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any additional means of defeasance of all or any portion of those debt securities, any additional conditions or limitations to defeasance of those debt securities or any changes to those conditions or limitations;

 

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any provisions granting special rights to holders of the debt securities of the particular series upon the occurrence of events identified in the prospectus supplement;

 

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if other than the trustee, the designation of any paying agent or security registrar for those debt securities and the designation of any transfer or other agents or depositories for those debt securities;

 

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whether we will issue the debt securities of the particular series in individual certificates to each holder or in the form of temporary or permanent global securities that a depository will hold on behalf of holders;

 

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the denominations in which we will issue the debt securities of the particular series or in which they may be owned, if other than $1,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000; and

 

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any other terms or conditions that are consistent with the Indenture, which may include the applicability of or change in the subordination provisions of the Indenture or providing collateral, security, assurance or guarantee for a series of debt securities.

We may sell the debt securities at a discount (which may be substantial) below their stated principal amount. These discounted debt securities may bear no interest or interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below market rates. We will describe in the prospectus supplement any material United States federal income tax consequences and other special considerations.

Certain Restrictive Covenants Under Our Senior Indenture

Under the senior indenture, we have agreed to two principal restrictions on our activities for the benefit of holders of the senior debt securities. The restrictive covenants summarized below will apply to a series of senior debt securities (unless waived or amended) as long as any of those senior debt securities are outstanding or, unless the prospectus supplement for the series states otherwise. We have used in this summary description capitalized terms that we have defined below under “—Glossary.” Our Restricted Subsidiaries are those that own or lease a Principal Property.

Other than the restrictions on Liens and Sale/Leaseback transactions under the senior indenture described below, the Indentures and the debt securities do not contain any covenants or other provisions designed to protect holders of any debt securities in the event we participate in a highly leveraged transaction. The Indentures and the debt securities also do not contain provisions that give holders of the debt securities the right to require us to repurchase their securities in the event of change-in-control, recapitalization or similar restructuring or otherwise or upon a decline in our credit rating.

For these purposes, “debt” means obligations for money borrowed, evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar evidences of indebtedness.

Limitation on Liens

We agree that we will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, issue or assume any debt secured by any Lien on any Principal Property, or on shares of stock or debt of any Restricted Subsidiary, without making effective provision for the outstanding securities issued under the senior indenture (except as otherwise specified pursuant to an applicable supplemental indenture) to be secured by the Lien equally and ratably with (or prior to) any and all debt and obligations secured or to be secured thereby for so long as such debt is so secured, except that the foregoing restriction will not apply to:

 

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Any Lien existing on the date of the first issue of securities under the senior indenture.

 

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Any Lien on any Principal Property or Restricted Securities of any Person existing at the time such Person is merged or consolidated with or into us or a Restricted Subsidiary, or such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary.

 

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Any Lien on any Principal Property existing at the time of acquisition of such Principal Property by us or a Restricted Subsidiary, whether or not assumed by us or such Restricted Subsidiary, provided that no such Lien may extend to any other Principal Property of ours or of any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

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Any Lien on any Principal Property (including any improvements on an existing Principal Property) of ours or of any Restricted Subsidiary, and any Lien on the shares of stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that was formed or is held for the purpose of acquiring and holding such Principal Property, in each case to secure all or any part of the cost of acquisition, development, operation, construction, alteration, repair or improvement of all or any part of such Principal Property (or to secure Indebtedness incurred by us or a Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of financing all or any part of such cost); provided that such Lien is created prior to, at the time of, or within 12 months after the latest of, the acquisition, completion of construction or improvement or commencement of commercial operation of such Principal Property and provided, further, that no such Lien may extend to any other Principal Property of us or any Restricted Subsidiary, other than any theretofore unimproved real property on which the Principal Property is so constructed or developed or the improvement is located.

 

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Any Lien on any Principal Property or Restricted Securities to secure debt owing to us or to another Restricted Subsidiary.

 

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Any Lien in favor of governmental bodies to secure advances or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute or to secure debt incurred to finance the purchase price or cost of constructing or improving the property subject to such Lien.

 

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Any Lien created in connection with a project financed with, and created to secure, non-recourse indebtedness.

 

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Carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, landlords’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which are not delinquent or remain payable without penalty or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings.

 

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Liens (other than Liens imposed by Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) on the property of ours or any of our Restricted Subsidiaries incurred, or pledges or deposits required, in connection with workmen’s compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation.

 

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Liens securing taxes that remain payable without penalty or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings where collection thereof is stayed; provided that we have or any Restricted Subsidiary has set aside on its books reserves with respect to such taxes (segregated to the extent required by GAAP) deemed by it to be adequate.

 

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Any right which any municipal or governmental body or agency may have by virtue of any franchise, license or contract to purchase or designate a purchaser of, or order the sale of, any property of ours upon payment of reasonable compensation therefor or to terminate any franchise, license or other rights or to regulate our property and business.

 

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Any Liens, neither assumed by us or any Restricted Subsidiary or on which we or any Restricted Subsidiary customarily pays interest, existing upon real estate or rights in or relating to real estate acquired by us or any Restricted Subsidiary for sub-station, measuring station, regulating station, gas purification station, compressor station, transmission line, distribution line or right-of-way purposes.

 

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Easements or reservations in any property of ours or of any Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of roads, pipe lines, gas transmission and distribution lines, electric light and power transmission and distribution lines, water mains and other like purposes, and zoning ordinances, regulations and restrictions which do not impair the use of such property in the operation of the business of ours or of any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

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Any extension, renewal, substitution or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals, substitutions or replacements), in whole or in part, of any Lien referred to in above, provided that the debt secured thereby may not exceed the principal amount of debt so secured at the time of such renewal or refunding, and that such renewal or refunding Lien must be limited to all or any part of the same property and improvements thereon, shares of stock or debt that secured the Lien renewed or refunded.

 

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Any Lien not permitted above securing debt that, together with the aggregate outstanding principal amount of other secured debt that would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions (excluding debt secured by Liens permitted under the foregoing exceptions) and the Attributable Debt in respect of all Sale and Leaseback Transactions (not including Attributable Debt in respect of any such Sale and Leaseback Transactions described in the third and fourth “bullet points” in “Limitations on Sale and Leaseback Transactions”) would not then exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

Limitation on Sale/Leaseback Transactions

We agree that we will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction unless:

 

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we or a Restricted Subsidiary would be entitled, without securing the outstanding securities under the senior indenture, to incur debt secured by a Lien on the Principal Property that is the subject of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction;

 

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the Attributable Debt associated therewith would be in an amount permitted under the “basket” described above under “Limitation on Liens”;

 

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the proceeds received in respect of the Principal Property so sold and leased back at the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction are used for the business and operations of us or any subsidiary; or

 

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within 12 months after the sale or transfer, an amount equal to the proceeds received in respect of the Principal Property so sold and leased back at the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction is applied to the prepayment (other than mandatory prepayment) of any outstanding securities issued under the senior indenture or Funded Indebtedness of ours or of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Funded Indebtedness that is held by us or any Restricted Subsidiary or Funded Indebtedness of ours that is subordinate in right of payment to any outstanding securities issued under the senior indenture).

Glossary

“Attributable Debt” means, as to any particular Sale and Leaseback Transaction under which any Person is at the time liable, at any date as of which the amount thereof is to be determined, the total net amount of rent required to be paid by that Person under the lease during the remaining term thereof (excluding amounts required to be paid on account of maintenance and repairs, services, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates and similar charges and contingent rents), discounted from the respective due dates thereof at the weighted average of the rates of interest (or yield to maturity, in the case of senior debt securities originally sold at a discount) borne by the debt securities then outstanding under the senior indenture, compounded annually.

“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means the total amount of assets (less applicable reserves and other properly deductible items) that under generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, would be included on a consolidated balance sheet of ours and our subsidiaries after deducting therefrom (A) all current liabilities, provided, however, that there will not be deducted billings recorded as revenues deferred pending the outcome of rate proceedings (less applicable income taxes thereon), if and to the extent the obligation to refund the same has not been finally determined, (B) appropriate allowance for minority interests in common stocks of subsidiaries and (C) all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles, which in each case under GAAP would be included on the consolidated balance sheet.

 

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“Funded Indebtedness” as applied to any Person, means all debt of that Person maturing after, or renewable or extendable at that Person’s option beyond, 12 months from the date of determination.

“Lien” means any lien, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, charge or security interest securing debt; provided, however, that the following types of transactions will not be considered for purposes of this definition to result in a Lien: (1) any acquisition by us or any of our Restricted Subsidiaries of any property or assets subject to any reservation or exception under the terms of which any vendor, lessor or assignor creates, reserves or excepts or has created, reserved or excepted an interest in oil, gas or any other mineral in place or the proceeds thereof, (2) any conveyance or assignment whereby we or any Restricted Subsidiary convey or assign to any Person or Persons an interest in oil, gas or any other mineral in place or the proceeds thereof, (3) any Lien upon any property or assets either owned or leased by us or any Restricted Subsidiary or in which we or any Restricted Subsidiary own an interest that secures for the benefit of the Person or Persons paying the expenses of developing or conducting operations for the recovery, storage, transportation or sale of the mineral resources of the property or assets (or property or assets with which it is unitized) the payment to that Person or Persons of our or a Restricted Subsidiary’s proportionate part of such development or operating expenses or (4) any hedging arrangements entered into in the ordinary course of business, including any obligation to deliver any mineral, commodity or asset in connection with the arrangement.

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

“Principal Property” means any property located in the United States, except any property that in the opinion of our board of directors is not of material importance to the total business conducted by us and our consolidated subsidiaries.

“Restricted Securities” means shares of stock or debt of any Restricted Subsidiary.

“Restricted Subsidiary” means any subsidiary that owns or leases Principal Property.

“Sale/Leaseback Transaction” means any arrangement with any Person pursuant to which we or any Restricted Subsidiary lease any Principal Property that has been or is to be sold or transferred by us to that Person, other than (1) a lease for a term, including renewals at the option of the lessee, of not more than three years or classified as an operating lease under GAAP, (2) leases between us and a Restricted Subsidiary or between Restricted Subsidiaries, (3) leases of a Principal Property executed by the time of, or within 12 months after the latest of, the acquisition, the completion of construction or improvement, or the commencement of commercial operation, of the Principal Property and (4) the ground lease for ONEOK Plaza, 100 West Fifth Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

The Indentures generally permit a consolidation or merger between us and another entity. They also permit the sale by us of all or substantially all of our assets. We have agreed, unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, however, that we will consolidate with or merge into any entity or transfer or dispose of all or substantially all of our assets to any entity only if:

 

•

immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no default or event of default under the Indenture would have occurred and be continuing or would result from the transaction;

 

•

we are the continuing corporation or, if we are not the continuing corporation, the resulting entity is organized and existing under the laws of any United States jurisdiction and assumes the due and punctual payments on the debt securities and the performance of our covenants and obligations under the Indenture and those debt securities; and

 

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•

we provide the trustee with a certificate and a legal opinion, each stating that the Indenture permits the transaction.

Under the senior indenture, if we engage in any of these transactions that result in any Principal Property or shares of stock or debt of any Restricted Subsidiary becoming subject to any Lien and unless we are otherwise able to create that Lien, the senior debt securities (so long as those senior debt securities are entitled to the protection of the “Limitation on Liens” covenant) will be secured to at least the same extent as the debt that would become secured by the Lien as a result of the transaction.

Events of Default

Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the following are events of default for a series of debt securities:

 

•

our failure to pay interest on that series of debt securities for 30 days after it becomes due and payable;

 

•

our failure to pay principal of or any premium on that series of debt securities when due;

 

•

our failure to comply with any of our covenants or agreements for that series of debt securities or in the Indenture (other than an agreement or covenant that we have included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of less than all series of debt securities) for 60 days after the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities affected by that failure provide written notice to us;

 

•

the default under any agreement under which we have or any Restricted Subsidiary has at the time outstanding debt in excess of $100,000,000 and, if that debt has not already matured, it has been accelerated and the acceleration is not rescinded within 30 days after we receive notice from the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of a series so long as, prior to the entry of judgment in favor of the trustee for payment of the debt securities of that series, we do not cure the default, or the default under the agreement has not been waived;

 

•

various events involving our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization; or

 

•

any other event of default provided for that series of debt securities.

A default under one series of debt securities will not necessarily be a default under another series. The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of a series of debt securities of any default or event of default (except in any payment on that series of debt securities) if the trustee considers it in the interest of the holders of that series of debt securities to do so.

If an event of default for any series of debt securities occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series affected by the default (or, in some cases, 25% in principal amount of all debt securities affected, voting as one class) may require us to pay on an accelerated basis the principal of and all accrued and unpaid interest on those debt securities. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series affected by the default (or of all debt securities affected, voting as one class) may in some cases rescind this accelerated payment requirement.

If an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee must use the degree of care and skill of a prudent man in the conduct of his own affairs. The trustee will become obligated to exercise any of its powers under the Indenture at the request of any of the holders of any debt securities only after those holders have offered the trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of debt securities of any series have the right to waive past defaults under the Indenture that relate to that series except for a default in the payment on the debt securities or a provision that can only, under the Indenture, be modified or amended if all holders that are affected consent.

 

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In most cases, holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series (or of all debt securities affected, voting as one class) may direct the time, method and place of:

 

•

conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee; and

 

•

exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee.

The Indentures require us to file each year with the trustee a written statement as to our compliance with the covenants contained in the Indentures.

Modification and Waiver

We may amend or supplement either of the Indentures if the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series that the amendment or supplement affects (acting as one class) consent to it. Without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected, however, no modification may:

 

•

reduce the principal of the debt security or change its stated maturity;

 

•

reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on the debt security;

 

•

reduce any premium payable on the redemption of the debt security or change the time at which the debt security may or must be redeemed;

 

•

change any obligation to pay additional amounts on the debt security;

 

•

impair the holder’s right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on the debt security;

 

•

impair the holder’s right to convert or exchange any debt security;

 

•

reduce the percentage of principal amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment to or supplement of the Indenture;

 

•

reduce the percentage of principal amount of debt securities necessary to waive compliance with some of the provisions of the Indenture; or

 

•

modify provisions relating to amendment or waiver, except to increase percentages or to provide that other provisions of the Indenture cannot be amended or waived without the consent of each holder affected.

We may amend or supplement either of the Indentures or waive any provision of such Indenture without the consent of any holders of debt securities in various circumstances, including:

 

•

to provide for the assumption of our obligations under the applicable Indenture and the debt securities by a successor;

 

•

to add covenants that would benefit the holders of any debt securities or to surrender any of our rights or powers;

 

•

to provide for the issuance of additional securities, including debt securities of a particular series, under the Indenture;

 

•

to add events of default;

 

•

to provide any security for or guarantees of any series of debt securities;

 

•

to provide for the form or terms of any series of debt securities;

 

•

to appoint a successor trustee or to provide for the administration of the trusts under the applicable Indenture by more than one trustee;

 

•

to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency that does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of outstanding debt securities of any series;

 

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•

to make any change to the extent necessary to permit or facilitate defeasance or discharge of any series of debt securities that does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of outstanding debt securities of any series; or

 

•

to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge any property to or with the trustee;

 

•

to permit the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

•

to change or eliminate any restriction on the payment of principal of, or premium, if any, on, any debt securities;

 

•

to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of the applicable Indenture in respect of one or more series of debt securities; provided, however, that any such addition, change or elimination not otherwise permitted shall neither apply to any debt security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor modify the rights of the holder of any such debt security with respect to such provision or shall become effective only when there is no such debt security outstanding; or

 

•

to make any change that does not affect the rights of any holder.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities under either Indenture may waive our obligations to comply with various covenants, including those relating to:

 

•

our obligation to secure the debt securities in the event of mergers, consolidations and sales of assets;

 

•

corporate existence; and

 

•

with respect to the senior debt securities, the restrictions on Liens and Sale/Leaseback Transactions.

Defeasance

When we use the term defeasance, we mean discharge from some or all of our obligations under either Indenture. If we deposit with the trustee funds or government securities the maturing principal and interest of which is sufficient to make payments on the debt securities of a series on the dates those payments are due and payable, then, at our option, either of the following will occur:

 

•

“legal defeasance,” which means that we will be discharged from our obligations with respect to the debt securities of that series; or

 

•

“covenant defeasance,” which means that we will no longer have any obligation to comply with the restrictive covenants under the applicable Indenture and any other restrictive covenants that apply to that series of the debt securities, and the related events of default will no longer apply to us.

If we defease a series of debt securities, the holders of the debt securities of the series affected will not be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, to provide temporary debt securities, to register the transfer or exchange of debt securities, to replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities or to maintain paying agencies and hold money for payment in trust. In the case of covenant defeasance, our obligation to pay principal, premium and interest on the debt securities will also survive.

Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, we will be required to deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel that the deposit and related defeasance would not cause the holders of the debt securities to recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. If we elect legal defeasance, that opinion of counsel must be based upon a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or a change in law to that effect.

Subordination Provisions for Subordinated Debt Securities

Any subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated indenture will be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our Senior Indebtedness. The following provisions will apply to the subordinated debt securities unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement:

 

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Subject to any collateral, security, assurance or guarantee provided for the benefit of any series of subordinated debt securities, if any, the payment of principal, any premium and interest on the subordinated debt securities will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our Senior Indebtedness. This means that in certain circumstances where we may not be making payments on all of our debt obligations as they become due, the holders of all of our Senior Indebtedness will be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts that are due or will become due on the Senior Indebtedness before the holders of subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive any payment or distribution (other than in the form of subordinated securities) on the subordinated debt securities. These circumstances include the following circumstances:

 

•

we make a payment or distribute assets to creditors upon any liquidation, dissolution, winding up or reorganization of our company, or as part of an assignment or marshalling of our assets for the benefit of our creditors;

 

•

we file for bankruptcy or certain other events in bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceedings occur; and

 

•

the maturity of the subordinated debt securities is accelerated. For example, the entire principal amount of a series of subordinated debt securities may be declared to be due and immediately payable or may be automatically accelerated due to an event of default as described under “—Events of Default.”

In addition, we are generally not permitted to make payments of principal, any premium or interest on the subordinated debt securities if we default on our obligation to make payments on our Senior Indebtedness and do not cure such default. We are also prohibited from making payments on subordinated debt securities if an event of default (other than a payment default) that permits the holders of senior indebtedness to accelerate the maturity of the Senior Indebtedness occurs and we and the trustee have received a notice of such event of default. However, unless the senior indebtedness has been accelerated because of that event of default, this payment blockage upon notice cannot last more than 179 days.

These subordination provisions mean that if we are insolvent a holder of Senior Indebtedness is likely to ultimately receive out of our assets more than a holder of the same amount of our subordinated debt securities, and a creditor of ours that is owed a specific amount but who owns neither our Senior Indebtedness nor our subordinated debt securities may ultimately receive less than a holder of the same amount of Senior Indebtedness and more than a holder of subordinated debt securities.

The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of senior indebtedness we are permitted to have and we may in the future incur additional senior indebtedness.

“Senior Indebtedness” is defined in the subordinated indenture to mean, with respect to us,

 

(i)

the principal, premium, if any, and interest (including interest, whether or not allowable, accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding under any state, federal or foreign bankruptcy law) in respect of (A) our indebtedness and obligations related thereto and (B) indebtedness evidenced by securities, debentures, notes, bonds or other similar instruments issued by us;

 

(ii)

all our capital lease, purchase money and similar obligations;

 

(iii)

all our obligations issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all our conditional sale obligations and all our obligations under any title retention agreement;

 

(iv)

all our obligations for the reimbursement of any letter of credit, any banker’s acceptance, any security purchase facility, any repurchase agreement or similar arrangement, any commercial paper, any interest rate swap, any other hedging arrangement, or any obligation under options or any similar credit or other transaction;

 

(v)

all obligations for indemnification, contributions, earnouts, adjustments of purchase price or similar obligations;

 

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(vi)

all obligations in respect of workers compensation claims, self-insurance, indemnities, bid performance, warranty release, appeal, surety and similar bonds;

 

(vii)

all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (vi) above of other Persons for the payment of which we are responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise;

 

(viii)

all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (vii) above of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of ours (whether or not such obligation is assumed by us); and

 

(ix)

all renewals, extensions, modifications and refunding of obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (viii) above;

whether incurred on or prior to the date of the subordinated indenture or thereafter incurred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Senior Indebtedness” shall not include (1) any Additional Junior Indebtedness, (2) debt securities issued pursuant to the subordinated indenture and guarantees in respect of such debt securities, (3) our trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business (such trade accounts payable being pari passu in right of payment to debt securities issued pursuant to the subordinated indenture), or (4) obligations with respect to which in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, it is provided that such obligations are pari passu or junior in right of payment to debt securities issued pursuant to the subordinated indenture. Senior Indebtedness shall continue to be Senior Indebtedness and be entitled to the subordination provisions irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of such Senior Indebtedness.

“Additional Junior Indebtedness” is defined in the subordinated indenture to mean, without duplication and other than the subordinated debt securities, any indebtedness, liabilities, guarantees or obligations of ours or any of our subsidiaries, under debt securities (or guarantees in respect of debt securities or preferred securities) initially issued after the date of the subordinated indenture to any trust, or a trustee of a trust, partnership or other entity affiliated with us that is, directly or indirectly, a finance subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 3a-5 under the Investment Company Act of 1940) or other financing vehicle of ours or any subsidiary of ours in connection with the issuance by that entity of preferred securities or other securities that are issued on a pari passu basis with the subordinated debt securities.

If this prospectus is being delivered in connection with a series of subordinated securities, the accompanying prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference will set forth the approximate amount of senior indebtedness outstanding as of a recent date.

Satisfaction and Discharge

The Indentures will cease to be of further effect and will be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged with respect to a particular series of debt securities, when the following conditions have been satisfied:

 

•

all debt securities of that series have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation, or all debt securities of that series not previously delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and payable at their stated maturity or on a redemption date within one year, and we:

 

•

irrevocably deposit with the trustee, in trust, funds sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the senior debt securities of that series that had not been previously delivered for cancellation, for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, to the date of the deposit (for debt securities that have become due and payable) or to the stated maturity or the redemption date, as the case may be;

 

•

we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable under the Indenture or have made arrangements for any such payments satisfactory to the payee; and

 

•

we have delivered to the trustee an officer’s certificate and opinion of counsel, each stating that all these conditions have been complied with.

 

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Governing Law

New York law governs the Indentures and the debt securities.

Trustee

The Indentures contain limitations on the right of the trustee, if it becomes one of our creditors, to obtain payment of claims or to realize payment on property received for those claims, as security or otherwise. The trustee is permitted to engage in other transactions with us. If, however, it acquires any conflicting interest, it must eliminate that conflict or resign.

Form, Exchange, Registration and Transfer

We will issue the debt securities in registered form, without interest coupons. We will not charge a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities. We may, however, require the payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable for that registration.

Holders may exchange debt securities of any series for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount and the same terms but in different authorized denominations in accordance with the Indenture. Holders may present debt securities for registration of transfer at the office of the security registrar or any transfer agent we designate. The security registrar or transfer agent will effect the transfer or exchange when it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request.

We have appointed the trustee as security registrar for the debt securities. If a prospectus supplement refers to any transfer agent initially designated by us, we may at any time rescind that designation or approve a change in the location through which any transfer agent acts. We are required to maintain an office or agency for transfers and exchanges in each place of payment. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents for any series of debt securities.

In the case of any redemption, neither the security registrar nor the transfer agent will be required to register the transfer or exchange of any debt security either:

 

•

during a period beginning 15 business days prior to the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption and ending on the close of business on the day of mailing of that notice; or

 

•

if we have called the debt security for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being redeemed in part.

Payment and Paying Agents

Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, payments on the debt securities will be made in U.S. dollars at the office of the trustee. At our option, however, we may make payments by check mailed to the holder’s registered address or, for global debt securities, by wire transfer. Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we will make interest payments to the person in whose name the debt security is registered at the close of business on the record date for the interest payment.

Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we will designate the trustee as our paying agent for payments on debt securities issued under the Indentures. We may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts.

Subject to the requirements of any applicable abandoned property laws, the trustee and paying agent will pay to us upon written request any money they are holding for payments on the debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment. In that case, all liability of the trustee or paying agent with respect to that money will cease.

 

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Book-Entry Debt Securities

We may issue the debt securities of a series in the form of one or more global debt securities that would be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the prospectus supplement. We may issue global debt securities in either temporary or permanent form. We will describe in the prospectus supplement the terms of any depositary arrangement and the rights and limitations of owners of beneficial interests in any global debt security.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

General

We are authorized to issue a total of 400,000,000 shares of all classes of stock. Of those authorized shares, 300,000,000 are shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, 102,981,895 shares of which were outstanding as of September 23, 2011, and 100,000,000 are shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. Of the authorized preferred stock, there are 20,000,000 shares designated as Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A, 30,000,000 shares designated as Convertible Preferred Stock, Series B, and 1,000,000 shares designated as Series C Participating Preferred Stock, none of which was outstanding on September 23, 2011.

The additional shares of our authorized stock available for issuance might be issued at times and under circumstances so as to have a dilutive effect on earnings per share and on the equity ownership of the holders of our common stock. The ability of our board of directors to issue additional shares of stock could enhance the board’s ability to negotiate on behalf of the shareholders in a takeover situation but could also be used by the board to make a change-in-control more difficult, thereby denying shareholders the potential to sell their shares at a premium and entrenching current management.

The following description is a summary of the material provisions of our capital stock and various provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws. This summary is not intended to be complete and is qualified by reference to the provisions of applicable law and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws included as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Common Stock

As of September 23, 2011, there were approximately 14,753 holders of record. The issued and outstanding shares of common stock are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Subject to any preferential rights of any prior ranking class or series of capital stock, including the preferred stock, holders of shares of common stock are entitled to receive dividends on that stock, payable either in cash, property or shares out of assets legally available for distribution when, as and if authorized and declared by our board of directors and to share ratably in our assets legally available for distribution to our shareholders in the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding-up. Subject to various exceptions, we will not be able to pay any dividend or make any distribution of assets on shares of our common stock until we pay dividends on any shares of preferred stock then outstanding with dividend or distribution rights senior to our common stock.

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters voted on by our shareholders, including the election of directors. Our certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting for the election of directors, which means that holders of more than one-half of the outstanding shares of our voting securities will be able to elect all of the directors then standing for election and holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any director.

Our board of directors may make rules and regulations concerning the transfer of shares of our common stock from time to time, in accordance with our bylaws.

Holders of our common stock will have no conversion, sinking fund or redemption rights.

Some provisions of the Oklahoma General Corporation Act, our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws may discriminate against holders of a substantial amount of the shares of our common stock. See “—Oklahoma Law” and “—Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.” Similarly, some provisions of our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change-in-control with respect to an extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization, tender offer, sale or transfer of substantially all of our assets.

 

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Preferred Stock

Our board of directors is authorized to issue shares of preferred stock, in one or more series or classes, and to fix for each series or class the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, or terms or redemption, as are permitted by Oklahoma law and as are stated in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the board providing for the issuance of shares of that series or class.

Our board has authorized series designated as Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A and Convertible Preferred Stock, Series B. Our board has also authorized a series designated as Series C Participating Preferred Stock which relates to our Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement.

When we offer to sell a particular series of preferred stock, we will describe the specific terms of the securities in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also indicate whether the terms and provisions described in this prospectus apply to the particular series of preferred stock. The preferred stock will be issued under a certificate of designations relating to each series of preferred stock. It is also subject to our certificate of incorporation.

Series C Participating Preferred Stock

In connection with our Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, our board of directors established a series of preferred stock, designated as Series C Participating Preferred Stock. Holders of the Series C Participating Preferred Stock are entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by our board of directors, in preference to the holders of our common stock, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of each fiscal quarter in each year, or those other dates as our board of directors deems appropriate, in an amount per share equal to the greater of $0.50 or subject to adjustment, 100 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in our common stock, payable on our common stock. The Series C Participating Preferred Stock dividends are cumulative but do not bear interest. Shares of Series C Participating Preferred Stock are not redeemable. Subject to adjustment, each share of Series C Participating Preferred Stock entitles the holder thereof to 100 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of our common shareholders and, during a certain dividend default period, holders of the Series C Participating Preferred Stock have other special voting rights. If we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs, holders of Series C Participating Preferred Stock are entitled to priority over the holders of shares of our common stock or other junior ranking stock. See “—Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement.”

Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement

Under Oklahoma law, every corporation may create and issue rights entitling the holders of those rights to purchase from the corporation shares of its capital stock of any class or classes, subject to any provisions in its certificate of incorporation. The price and terms of the shares must be stated in the certificate of incorporation or in a resolution adopted by the board of directors for the creation or issuance of those rights.

We adopted a Rights Plan in November 1997. On March 31, 2011, we entered into a Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, which amended and restated our prior rights agreement in its entirety to, among other things, effect the appointment of a new rights agent. As with most rights agreements, the terms of our Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement are complex and not easily summarized, particularly as they relate to the acquisition of our common stock and to exercisability.

Our Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement provides that each share of our common stock outstanding as of November 26, 1997 and issued between that date and a date determined pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, will have one right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Series C Participating Preferred Stock attached to it, at a purchase price of $40 per one one-hundredth of a share of Series C Participating Preferred Stock, subject to adjustment, as described below.

 

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Initially, the rights under our Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement are attached to outstanding certificates representing our common stock and no separate certificates representing the rights are distributed. The rights will separate from our common stock and be represented by separate certificates on the earlier of the first date someone acquires beneficial ownership (as defined in the Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement) of 15% or more of our outstanding common stock, subject to various exceptions, or approximately 10 days after someone commences or indicates an intent to commence a tender offer or exchange offer for 15% or more of our outstanding common stock. The person or group that acquires or indicates an intent to acquire stock as described in the immediately preceding sentence is referred to as an acquiring person.

All shares of our common stock issued prior to the date the rights separate from the common stock will be issued with the rights attached. The rights are not exercisable until the date the rights separate from the common stock. The rights will expire at the close of business on February 4, 2013, unless we redeem or exchange them at an earlier time or upon the consummation of specified transactions.

If a person or group becomes an acquiring person, then each right not owned by that acquiring person or its affiliates, associates or transferees, will entitle its holder to purchase, within specified time periods and at the right’s then current purchase price, shares of our common stock (or, in limited circumstances, one one-hundredths of a share of Series C Participating Preferred Stock) as equals the result obtained by:

 

•

multiplying the then current purchase price by the then number of one one-hundredths of a share of our Series C Participating Preferred Stock for which a right was exercisable immediately prior to the first occurrence of a person or group becoming an acquiring person; and

 

•

dividing that product by 50% of the then current per share market price of our common stock on the date of the first occurrence.

If, after a person or group becomes an acquiring person, and:

 

•

we are involved in a merger or consolidation with an interested shareholder or with any other person in a case where all holders of our common stock are not treated alike; or

 

•

we sell or transfer more than 50% of our assets or earning power to an interested shareholder or any other person in a case where all holders of our common stock are not treated alike;

then each right entitles the holder to purchase, at the right’s then current purchase price, shares of common stock of the acquiring company as equal to the result obtained by:

 

•

multiplying the then current purchase price by the number of one one-hundredths of a share of our Series C Participating Preferred Stock for which a right is then exercisable; and

 

•

dividing the product by 50% of the then current per share market price of the common stock of the acquiring company.

We may, at our option, at any time after any person becomes an acquiring person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable rights for our common stock (or shares of our other equity securities, including one one-hundredths of a share of Series C Participating Preferred Stock, with equivalent rights and privileges as our common stock) at an exchange ratio of one share of our common stock per right, subject to adjustment, until the time that any person, together with its affiliates and associates, has become the beneficial owner of 50% or more of our outstanding common stock.

Our board of directors may, at its option, redeem all of the outstanding rights under our Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement prior to the earlier of (1) the time that an acquiring person obtains 15% or more of our outstanding common stock or (2) the final expiration date of the rights. The redemption price under our Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement is $0.005 per right, subject to adjustment. The right to exercise the rights will terminate upon the action of our board ordering the redemption of the rights and the only right of the holders of the rights will be to receive the redemption price.

 

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Holders of rights have no rights as our shareholders, including the right to vote or receive dividends, simply by virtue of holding the rights.

Preemptive Rights

No holder of any shares of any class of our stock has any preemptive or preferential right to acquire or subscribe for any unissued shares of any class of stock or any unauthorized securities, convertible into or carrying any right, option or warrant to subscribe for or acquire shares of any class of stock.

Oklahoma Law

Oklahoma Takeover Statute

We are subject to Section 1090.3 of the Oklahoma General Corporation Act. In general, Section 1090.3 prevents an “interested shareholder” from engaging in a “business combination” with an Oklahoma corporation for three years following the date that person became an interested shareholder, unless:

 

•

prior to the date that person became an interested shareholder, our board of directors approved the transaction in which the interested shareholder became an interested shareholder or approved the business combination;

 

•

upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the interested shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the interested shareholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding stock held by directors who are also officers of the corporation and stock held by certain employee stock plans; or

 

•

on or subsequent to the date of the transaction in which that person became an interested shareholder, the business combination was approved by our board of directors and authorized at a meeting of shareholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation not owned by the interested shareholder.

Section 1090.3 defines a “business combination” to include:

 

•

any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and an interested shareholder;

 

•

any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition involving an interested shareholder of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation;

 

•

subject to limited exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of the stock of the corporation to an interested shareholder;

 

•

any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested shareholder; or

 

•

the receipt by an interested shareholder of any loans, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.

For purposes of the description above and Section 1090.3, the term “corporation” also includes our majority-owned subsidiaries. In addition, Section 1090.3, defines an “interested shareholder” as an entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by that entity or person.

Oklahoma Control Share Provisions

Our certificate of incorporation provides that we are not subject to the control share provisions of the Oklahoma General Corporation Act. With exceptions, this act prevents holders of more than 20% of the voting power of the stock of an Oklahoma corporation from voting their shares. If we were to become subject to the control share provisions of the Oklahoma General Corporation Act in the future, this provision may delay the time it takes anyone to gain control of us.

 

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Oklahoma Classified Board Requirements

The Oklahoma Corporation Act requires all large, publicly traded corporations to have classified, or staggered, boards of directors. If a publicly traded corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws do not provide for a classified board, the Oklahoma General Corporation Act automatically divides a corporation’s board of directors into three classes. A corporation may opt out of the requirements of the statute only after January 1, 2015, by a vote of a majority of its outstanding shares.

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

Exculpation

Our certificate of incorporation provides that our directors and officers will not be personally liable for monetary damages for any action taken, or any failure to take any action, unless:

 

•

the director or officer has breached his or her duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders;

 

•

the breach or failure to perform constitutes an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

•

the director served at the time of payment of an unlawful dividend or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption, unless the director was absent at the time the action was taken or dissented from the action; or

 

•

the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit from the transaction.

Indemnification

We will generally indemnify any person who was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to a proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she:

 

•

is or was our director, officer, employee or agent; or

 

•

while our director, officer, employee or agent is or was serving at our request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

Any indemnification of our directors, officers or others pursuant to the foregoing provisions for liabilities arising under the Securities Act are, in the opinion of the SEC, against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and are unenforceable.

Shareholder Action; Special Meeting of Shareholders

Our certificate of incorporation eliminates the ability of our shareholders to act by written consent. Our bylaws provide that special meetings of our shareholders may be called only by a majority of the members of our board of directors.

Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder Proposals

At any meeting of our shareholders, the only business that shall be brought before the meeting is that which is brought:

 

•

pursuant to our notice of meeting;

 

•

by or at the discretion of our board of directors; or

 

•

by any of our shareholders of record at the time the notice is given, who shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth herein.

For business to be properly brought before a meeting by a shareholder pursuant to the immediately preceding clause, the shareholder must have given timely notice in writing to our secretary. To be timely as to an annual meeting of shareholders, a shareholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not

 

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less than 120 calendar days before the date our proxy statement is released to shareholders in connection with the previous year’s annual meeting; provided however, that if the date of the meeting is changed by more than 30 days from the date of the previous year’s meeting, notice must be received no later than the close of business on the 10th day following the earlier of the day on which notice of the date of the meeting was mailed to shareholders or public disclosure of that date was made. To be timely as to a special meeting of shareholders, a shareholder notice must be received not later than the call of the meeting as provided in our bylaws. The shareholder notice shall set forth as to each matter the shareholder proposes to bring before the meeting:

 

•

a brief description of and the reasons for proposing the matter at the meeting;

 

•

the name and address, as they appear on our books, and the name and address of the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made;

 

•

the class and number of shares that are owned beneficially and of record by the shareholder of record and by the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and

 

•

any material interest of the shareholder of record and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, in the proposal.

These provisions may impede shareholders’ ability to bring matters before an annual meeting of shareholders.

Higher Vote for Some Business Combinations and Other Actions

Subject to various exceptions, including acquiring 85% of the outstanding shares less shares owned by related persons in a single transaction, a business combination (including, but not limited to, a merger or consolidation, the sale, lease, exchange, transfer or other disposition of our assets in excess of $5,000,000, various issuances and reclassifications of securities and the adoption of a plan or proposal for liquidation or dissolution) with or upon a proposal by a related person, who is a person that is the direct or indirect beneficial owner of more than 10% of the outstanding voting shares of our stock (subject to various exceptions), and any affiliates of that person, shall require, in addition to any approvals required by law, the approval of the business combination by either:

 

•

a majority vote of all of the independent directors; or

 

•

the holders of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding shares otherwise entitled to vote as a single class with the common stock to approve the business combination, excluding any shares owned by the related person.

In addition, our certificate of incorporation provides that our bylaws may only be adopted, amended or repealed by a majority of the board of directors or by 80% of our shareholders, voting as a class. Our certificate of incorporation also requires the affirmative vote of 80% of our shareholders to amend, repeal or adopt provisions in our certificate of incorporation relating to, among other things,

 

•

the number of directors and the manner of electing those directors, including the election of directors to newly created directorships;

 

•

provisions relating to changes in the bylaws;

 

•

a director’s personal liability to us or our shareholders;

 

•

shareholder ratification of various contracts, transactions and acts; and

 

•

voting requirements for approval of business combinations.

Transactions with Interested Parties

Our certificate of incorporation provides that, in the absence of fraud, no contract or other transaction will be affected or invalidated by the fact that any of our directors are in any way interested in or connected with any other party to the contract or transaction or are themselves parties to the contract or transaction, provided that the

 

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interest is fully disclosed or otherwise known to our board of directors at the meeting of the board at which the contract or transaction is authorized or confirmed, and provided further that a quorum of disinterested directors is present at the meeting of our board of directors authorizing or confirming the contract or transaction and the contract or transaction is approved by a majority of the quorum, and no interested director votes on the contract or transaction. Any contract, transaction or act entered into or taken by us or our board or any committee thereof that is ratified by a majority of a quorum of the shareholders having voting power at any annual meeting, or any special meeting called for that purpose, will be valid and binding as though ratified by all of our shareholders. Any director may vote upon any contract or other transaction between us and any subsidiary corporation without regard to the fact that he is also a director of that subsidiary corporation. No contract or agreement between us and any other corporation or party that owns a majority of our capital stock or any subsidiary of that other corporation shall be made or entered into without the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole board of directors at a regular meeting of the board.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The current transfer agent and registrar for our common stock and our Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A, Convertible Preferred Stock, Series B, and the Series C Participating Preferred Stock is Wells Fargo Shareholder Services, a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS

AND STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACT UNITS

We may issue stock purchase contracts for the purchase of our securities or securities of an entity unaffiliated or affiliated with us, a basket of such securities or any combination of the above as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each stock purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to purchase, and obligate us to sell, on specified dates, such securities, at a specified purchase price, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may purchase such securities, any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the settlement of a stock purchase contract and, if applicable, the identity of any of our subsidiaries guaranteeing our obligations with respect to such stock purchase contracts. Stock purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations thereunder when the stock purchase contracts are issued. Our obligation to settle such prepaid stock purchase contracts on the relevant settlement date may constitute indebtedness. Accordingly, the prepaid stock purchase contracts will be issued under one of the Indentures. The stock purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of a stock purchase contract unit that consists of (a) a stock purchase contract and (b) senior or subordinated debt securities, or preferred stock, U.S. Treasury securities or other debt obligations of third parties, that may be used to secure the holders’ obligations under a stock purchase contract. The stock purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the stock purchase contract units, and such payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations in a specified manner and, in certain circumstances, we may deliver newly issued prepaid stock purchase contracts upon release to a holder of any collateral securing such holder’s obligations under the original stock purchase contract.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the general terms of any stock purchase contracts or stock purchase contract units and, if applicable, prepaid stock purchase contracts. The description in the prospectus supplement will not purport to be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to (a) the stock purchase contracts, (b) the collateral arrangements and depository arrangements, if applicable, relating to such stock purchase contracts or stock purchase contract units and (c) if applicable, the prepaid stock purchase contracts and the documents pursuant to which such prepaid stock purchase contracts will be issued. Some of the material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the stock purchase contracts and the stock purchase contract units will also be discussed in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

General

We may, at our option, elect to offer fractional shares of preferred stock, rather than full shares of preferred stock. If we exercise this option, we will issue to the public receipts for depositary shares, and each of these depositary shares will represent a fraction (to be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement) of a share of a particular series of preferred stock.

The shares of any series of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares will be deposited under a deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company selected by us. The depositary will have its principal office in the United States and a combined capital of at least $50,000,000. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion, to the applicable fraction of a share of preferred stock underlying that depositary share, to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock underlying that depositary share. Those rights (to be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement) include dividend, voting, redemption and liquidation rights.

The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the deposit agreement. Depositary receipts will be distributed to those persons purchasing the fractional shares of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares, in accordance with the terms of the offering. Copies of the forms of deposit agreement and depositary receipt will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement. The following summary of the deposit agreement, the depositary shares and the depositary receipts is not complete. You should refer to the forms of the deposit agreement and depositary receipts that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of the specific depositary shares.

Pending the preparation of definitive engraved depositary receipts, the depositary may, upon our written order, issue temporary depositary receipts substantially identical to the definitive depositary receipts but not in definitive form. These temporary depositary receipts entitle their holders to all the rights of definitive depositary receipts which are to be prepared without unreasonable delay. Temporary depositary receipts will then be exchangeable for definitive depositary receipts at our expense.

Dividends and Other Distributions

The depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions received with respect to the preferred stock to the record holders of depositary shares relating to the preferred stock in proportion to the number of depositary shares owned by those holders.

If there is a distribution other than in cash, the depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of depositary shares that are entitled to receive the distribution, unless the depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution. If this occurs, the depositary may, with our approval, sell the property and distribute the net proceeds from the sale to the applicable holders.

Redemption of Depositary Shares

If a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares is subject to redemption, the depositary shares will be redeemed from the proceeds received by the depositary resulting from the redemption, in whole or in part, of that series of preferred stock held by the depositary. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the applicable redemption fraction of the redemption price per share payable with respect to that series of the preferred stock. Whenever we redeem shares of preferred stock that are held by the depositary, the depositary will redeem, as of the same redemption date, the number of depositary shares representing the shares of preferred stock so redeemed. If fewer than all the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as may be determined by the depositary.

 

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Voting the Preferred Stock

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the preferred stock are entitled to vote, the depositary will mail the information contained in such notice to the record holders of the depositary shares underlying the preferred stock. Each record holder of the depositary shares on the record date, which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock, will be entitled to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of the preferred stock represented by the holder’s depositary shares. The depositary will then try, as far as practicable, to vote the number of shares of preferred stock underlying those depositary shares in accordance with such instructions. We will agree to take all actions which may be deemed necessary by the depositary to enable the depositary to do so. The depositary will not vote the shares of preferred stock to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary shares underlying the preferred stock.

Amendment and Termination of the Depositary Agreement

The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the deposit agreement may at any time be amended by agreement between us and the depositary. However, any amendment which materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of depositary shares will not be effective unless the amendment has been approved by the holders of at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding. The deposit agreement may be terminated by us or by the depositary only if (a) all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed or (b) there has been a final distribution of the underlying preferred stock in connection with our liquidation, dissolution or winding up and the preferred stock has been distributed to the holders of depositary receipts.

Charges of Depositary

We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will also pay charges of the depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary receipts will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and those other charges, including a fee for the withdrawal of shares of preferred stock upon surrender of depositary receipts, as are expressly provided in the deposit agreement to be for their accounts.

Miscellaneous

The depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts all reports and communications from us that we deliver to the depositary and that we are required to furnish to the holders of the preferred stock.

Neither we nor the depositary will be liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control in performing our respective obligations under the deposit agreement. Our obligations and those of the depositary will be limited to performance in good faith of our respective duties under the deposit agreement. Neither we nor the depositary will be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We and the depositary may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or upon information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.

Resignation and Removal of Depositary

The depositary may resign at any time by delivering notice to us of its election to resign. We may remove the depositary at any time. Any resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of the appointment. The successor depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, or units of two or more of these types of securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any registered holders of warrants or beneficial owners of warrants.

We will distribute a prospectus supplement with regard to each issue of warrants. Each prospectus supplement will describe:

 

•

in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the designation, aggregate principal amount, currencies, denominations and terms of the series of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants and the price at which you may purchase the debt securities upon exercise;

 

•

in the case of warrants to purchase preferred stock, the designation, number of shares, stated value and terms, such as liquidation, dividend, conversion and voting rights, of the series of preferred stock purchasable upon exercise of the warrants and the price at which you may purchase such number of shares of preferred stock of such series upon such exercise;

 

•

in the case of warrants to purchase common stock, the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants and the price at which you may purchase such number of shares of common stock upon such exercise;

 

•

the period during which you may exercise the warrants;

 

•

any provision adjusting the securities that may be purchased on exercise of the warrants, and the exercise price of the warrants, to prevent dilution or otherwise;

 

•

the place or places where warrants can be presented for exercise or for registration of transfer or exchange; and

 

•

any other material terms of the warrants.

Warrants for the purchase of preferred stock and common stock will be offered and exercisable for U.S. dollars only. Warrants will be issued in registered form only. The exercise price for warrants will be subject to adjustment as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Prior to the exercise of any warrants to purchase debt securities, preferred stock or common stock, holders of the warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities, preferred stock or common stock purchasable upon exercise, including:

 

•

in the case of warrants for the purchase of debt securities, the right to receive payments of principal of, any premium or interest on the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture; or

 

•

in the case of warrants for the purchase of preferred stock or common stock, the right to vote or to receive any payments of dividends on the preferred stock or common stock purchasable upon exercise.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell our securities through agents, underwriters or dealers, or directly to purchasers.

We may designate agents to solicit offers to purchase our securities.

 

•

We will name any agent involved in offering or selling our securities, and any commissions that we will pay to the agent, in our prospectus supplement.

 

•

Unless we indicate otherwise in our prospectus supplement, our agents will act on a best-efforts basis for the period of their appointment.

 

•

Our agents may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act of any of our securities that they offer or sell.

We may use one or more underwriters in the offer or sale of our securities.

 

•

If we use an underwriter, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriter(s) at the time that we reach an agreement for the sale of our securities.

 

•

We will include the names of the managing underwriter(s), as well as any other underwriters, and the terms of the transaction, including the compensation the underwriters and dealers will receive, in our prospectus supplement.

 

•

The underwriter(s) will use our prospectus supplement to sell our securities.

We may use a dealer to sell our securities.

 

•

If we use a dealer, we, as principal, will sell our securities to the dealer.

 

•

The dealer will then sell our securities to the public at varying prices that the dealer will determine at the time it sells our securities.

 

•

We will include the name of the dealer and the terms of our transactions with the dealer in our prospectus supplement.

We may directly solicit offers to purchase our securities, and we may directly sell our securities to institutional or other investors. We will describe the terms of our direct sales in our prospectus supplement.

We may indemnify agents, underwriters and dealers against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

We may authorize our agents and underwriters to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase our securities at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts.

 

•

If we use delayed delivery contracts, we will disclose that we are using them in the prospectus supplement and will tell you when we will demand payment and delivery of the securities under the delayed delivery contracts.

 

•

These delayed delivery contracts will be subject only to the conditions that we set forth in the prospectus supplement.

 

•

We will indicate in our prospectus supplement the commission that underwriters and agents soliciting purchases of our securities under delayed delivery contracts will be entitled to receive.

Underwriters, dealers and agents and their affiliates may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, or be customers of ONEOK and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

 

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Other than our common stock, all securities offered by this prospectus will be a new issue of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriter to whom securities are sold by us for public offering and sale may make a market in such securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. The securities may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange or a foreign securities exchange, except for the common stock which is currently listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Any common stock sold by this prospectus will be listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange subject to official notice of issuance. We cannot give you any assurance as to the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities will be passed upon for ONEOK by GableGotwals, Tulsa, Oklahoma, except that Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver  & Jacobson LLP, New York, New York, will pass upon such matters to the extent governed by New York law.

EXPERTS

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this Form S-3 by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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