Energy Transfer Partners is a U.S. Fortune 500 natural gas and propane company, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas. As of January 2016, the company employed 9,466 individuals. Kelcy Warren is the founder and current Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. It is the parent company of Dakota Access, LLC, the company responsible for developing the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline.

ETE is a master limited partnership, which owns the general partner and 100% of the incentive distribution rights (IDRs) of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.(ETP) and about 50.2 million ETP limited partner units; it owns the general partner and 100% of the IDRs of Regency Energy Partners LP and about 26.3 million RGP limited partner units. ETE also owns a non-controlling interest in a corporation (ETP Holdco Corporation) that owns Southern Union Company and Sunoco, Inc. The ETE family of companies owns approximately 71,000 miles of natural gas, natural gas liquids, refined products, and crude pipelines. Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. is the parent company of Dakota Access, LLC, the company developing the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline.

ETP holds a 100% interest in Lone Star NGL, a joint venture that owns and operates natural gas liquids storage, fractionation and transportation assets in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. ETP Holdco Corporation also owns Southern Union Company.

In October 2012, Sunoco, Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of ETP via ETP HoldCo Corporation. 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 2014, ETP acquired Stripes, a chain of 580+ convenience stores in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. The convenience stores and retail portfolio are now branded under Sunoco and Aplus names as of year-end 2015.

In January 2015, ETP acquired its affiliate Regency Energy Partners for around $11 billion.

Dakota Access, LLC is an ETP subsidiary, tasked with building the Bakken pipeline, also known as the Dakota Access Pipeline. In April 2016, three federal agencies — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Interior, and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation — requested a full Environmental Impact Statement of the pipeline. In July, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe filed an injunction against the US 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. Protests have since 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 New Mexico National Guard.

Energy Transfer has sued the environmental groups Greenpeace, BankTrack and earth first of terrorism under the patriot act Energy Tranfer is accusing these activists of attempting to profit on their 'eco-terrorism'. . Banktrack has responded that this case has no merit. and that it is within their right to inform the public and banks about projects with 'actual negative social, environmental and human rights impacts.' .