Western Midstream Services, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Western Midstream Savings Plan
The Woodlands, TXMining, Oil & Gas1,442 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$19,008Employer $ per active participant
$12,066Employee $ saved per active participant
0.11%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$269.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$157,225Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity47.7 / 5095th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost18.1 / 2572th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.0 / 1587th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score86 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Mining, Oil & Gas plans with 500–2,499 active participants (129 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 95th |
| Lower admin cost | 72th |
| Employee saving | 87th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 60% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $2,716 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Western Midstream Services put in about $19,008 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($4,357). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $27,400,113 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $17,393,174 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $4,808,216 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $257,727 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $132,323 |
| Benefits paid out | $22,469,324 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $209.8M / $269.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,367 / 1,516 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,712 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Weaver & Tidwell, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $132,323 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $125,404 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250925092216NAL0007489633001, received 2025-09-25, EIN 84-2835090, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.