Exhibit 99.1


[ONEOK LOGO]                                    Financial News
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October 16, 2002                                Contact:  Weldon Watson
                                                918-588-7158

                      ONEOK TO PURCHASE TEXAS PROPERTIES OF
                                 SOUTHERN UNION

         Tulsa, Oklahoma - ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE:OKE), announced today the
definitive agreement with Southern Union Company (NYSE:SUG) to purchase all the
Texas assets of Southern Union for $420 million.

         David Kyle, chairman, president and chief executive officer of ONEOK,
said, "This acquisition will make ONEOK the fourth largest gas distributor in
the United States with over 1.9 million customers in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.
From our beginning we have been a gas distributor and that business continues to
be very important to our strategy. We are excited about the opportunities this
acquisition brings to expand our base into the Texas market."

         As the third largest gas distributor in Texas, the operations serve
535,000 customers in cities located throughout the state, including the major
cities of El Paso and Austin, as well as the cities of Port Arthur, Galveston,
Brownsville, and others. The primary growth areas are El Paso, Austin and the
Rio Grande Valley and over 90 percent of the customers are residential.

         The acquisition also includes 125 miles of natural gas transmission
system that is regulated by the Texas Railroad Commission as well as other
energy related assets involved in gas marketing, retail propane, and natural gas
distribution investments in Mexico.

         Operating income for the Texas properties for the twelve months ending
June 30, 2002, was $41.2 million of which approximately 95% was related to the
Texas distribution operations.

         Regulatory consent and approvals will be sought from numerous
municipalities. Notice is required to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
and the Texas Railroad Commission. Antitrust clearance will also be sought from
the Federal Trade Commission under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. Closing is
expected to be on or before December 31, 2002. The boards of directors of both
companies have approved the transaction and UBS Warburg acted as financial
advisor to ONEOK on the transaction.

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ONEOK, Inc. is a diversified energy company involved primarily in oil and gas
production, natural gas processing, gathering, storage and transmission in the
mid-continent areas of the United States. The company's energy marketing and
trading operations provide service to customers in 28 states. The company is
also the largest natural gas distributor in Kansas and Oklahoma, operating as
Kansas Gas Service and Oklahoma Natural Gas Company, serving 1.4 million
customers.



Statements contained in this release that include company expectations or
predictions are forward-looking statements intended to be covered by the safe
harbor provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934. It is important to note that actual results could differ materially
from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Any additional
information regarding factors that could cause actual results to materially
differ is found in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

      For information about ONEOK, Inc. visit the Web site: www.oneok.com.

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