The company was founded by Kelcy Warren and Ray Davis in 1996. now known as
Castleton Commodities International. In October 2012,
Sunoco, Inc., became a wholly owned subsidiary of the company. It acquired the general partner interests, 100% of the incentive distribution rights, and a 32.4% limited partnership interest in Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P., which operates a geographically diverse portfolio of crude oil and refined products pipelines, terminating and crude oil acquisition and marketing assets. In January 2015, the company acquired Regency Energy Partners for $11 billion. During the same year, the company also agreed to purchase Williams Cos. for around $32.6 billion. The acquisition expanded Energy Transfer Partners' U.S. network of natural-gas pipelines. In September 2019, the company acquired
SemGroup for $5 billion. In January 2020, former
Energy Secretary Rick Perry rejoined the company's board. In August 2023, it was announced Energy Transfer had signed a definitive agreement to acquire its
Houston-headquartered rival, Crestwood Equity Partners for approximately $7.1 billion. The acquisition of Houston-headquartered Crestwood Equity Partners was completed in early 2025, further expanding Energy Transfer’s midstream footprint. In 2025, Energy Transfer announced the Desert Southwest Pipeline, a 516 mile natural gas project connecting the Permian Basin to markets in Arizona and New Mexico, expected to be operational in 2029.
Dakota Access Pipeline Dakota Access, LLC is owned 36.4% by the company In April 2016, the
United States Environmental Protection Agency,
United States Department of the Interior, and
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation requested a full
Environmental Impact Statement of the pipeline. In July 2016, the
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe filed an injunction against the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to stop building the pipeline. A group of young activists from Standing Rock ran from
North Dakota to
Washington, D.C., to present a petition in protest of the construction of the pipeline and launched an international campaign called
ReZpect Our Water. In October 2016,
Dakota Access Pipeline protests erupted at a construction site near the
Cannonball River in North Dakota, resulting in the arrest of hundreds and the use of force by a private security company, North Dakota State and county police, and the
North Dakota National Guard. In August 2017, Energy Transfer sued environmental groups
Greenpeace USA, BankTrack and
Earth First! under the
Patriot Act. Energy Transfer accused these activists of attempting to profit via
eco-terrorism. Banktrack responded that the case is a
strategic lawsuit against public participation without merit, and that it is legal to inform the public and banks about projects that are with "actual negative social, environmental and human rights impacts." In 2019 a federal court in North Dakota dismissed the racketeering and defamation lawsuit filed by Energy Transfer Partners LP, the builder of the 1,000-mile
Dakota Access Pipeline, against Greenpeace USA, EarthFirst and BankTrack for their pipeline protests. A second civil suit in 2025 sought $300 million in damages from Greenpeace, alleging a leadership role by the organization in the Dakota Access Pipeline protests which Greenpeace denies. A Greenpeace legal advisor called the lawsuit "an attack on the broader movement and all of our First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceful protest." In 2025, a jury in North Dakota awarded $666.8 million in damages to Energy Transfer, holding Greenpeace USA and its affiliates (including Greenpeace Fund and Greenpeace International) liable. The jury found the organizations responsible for defamation, trespass, nuisance, and civil conspiracy, determining that they had backed and promoted protests that disrupted construction and, at times, turned violent, damaging Energy Transfer's business dealings. Of the total judgment, Greenpeace USA and Greenpeace Fund were ordered to pay $535 million. The case included claims that Greenpeace had supplied activists with funding, equipment, and logistical aid at the protest site. Greenpeace is appealing the ruling. ==References==