Energy Transfer Partners Announces Cash Distribution for Fourth Quarter of 2012

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (NYSE:ETP) and Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE:ETE) today announced that the Board of Directors of each Partnership has approved quarterly distributions for the quarter ended December 31, 2012.

ETP’s Board of Directors has approved a quarterly distribution of $0.89375 per unit ($3.575 annualized) on ETP common units for the quarter ended December 31, 2012. The cash distribution will be paid on February 14, 2013 to unitholders of record as of the close of business on February 7, 2013.

ETE’s Board of Directors has approved a quarterly distribution of $0.635 per unit ($2.54 annualized) on ETE common units for the quarter ended December 31, 2012. The quarterly distribution of $0.635 represents an increase of $0.04 per common unit on an annualized basis. The cash distribution will be paid on February 19, 2013 to unitholders of record as of the close of business on February 7, 2013.

Both partnerships expect to release earnings for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2012 on Wednesday, February 20, 2013, after the market closes. ETP and ETE will conduct a joint conference call on Thursday, February 21, 2013 at 8:30 a.m. Central Time to discuss their quarterly and annual results. The conference call will be broadcast live via an internet web cast, which can be accessed through www.energytransfer.com. The call will also be available for replay on Energy Transfer’s web site for a limited time.

Company: Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (NYSE:ETP)
Record Date: February 7, 2013
Ex-Date: February 5, 2013
Payment Date: February 14, 2013
Amount Paid: $0.89375 per Common Unit

Company: Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE:ETE)
Record Date: February 7, 2013
Ex-Date: February 5, 2013
Payment Date: February 19, 2013
Amount Paid: $0.635 per Common Unit

Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (NYSE:ETP) is a master limited partnership owning and operating one of the largest and most diversified portfolios of energy assets in the United States. ETP currently has natural gas operations that include approximately 24,000 miles of gathering and transportation pipelines, treating and processing assets, and storage facilities. ETP also owns general partner interests, 100% of the incentive distribution rights, and a 32.4% limited partnership interest in Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. (NYSE:SXL), which operates a geographically diverse portfolio of crude oil and refined products pipelines, terminalling and crude oil acquisition and marketing assets. ETP also holds a 70% 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. In addition, ETP holds controlling interest in a corporation (ETP Holdco Corporation) that owns Southern Union Company and Sunoco, Inc. ETP’s general partner is owned by ETE. For more information, visit the Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. website at www.energytransfer.com.

Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE: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. (NYSE:ETP) and approximately 50.2 million ETP limited partner units; and owns the general partner and 100% of the IDRs of Regency Energy Partners LP (NYSE:RGP) and approximately 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 69,000 miles of natural gas, natural gas liquids, refined products, and crude pipelines. For more information, visit the Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. web site at www.energytransfer.com.

Regency Energy Partners LP (NYSE:RGP) is a growth-oriented, midstream energy partnership engaged in the gathering and processing, contract compression, treating and transportation of natural gas and the transportation, fractionation and storage of natural gas liquids. RGP also holds a 30% interest in Lone Star NGL LLC, a joint venture that owns and operates natural gas liquids storage, fractionation, and transportation assets in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Regency’s general partner is owned by Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE:ETE). For more information, visit the Regency Energy Partners LP website at www.regencyenergy.com.

Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. (NYSE:SXL), headquartered in Philadelphia, is a master limited partnership that owns and operates a logistics business consisting of a geographically diverse portfolio of complementary pipeline, terminalling and crude oil acquisition and marketing assets. The Crude Oil Pipelines segment consists of approximately 5,400 miles of crude oil pipelines, located principally in Oklahoma and Texas. The Crude Oil Acquisition and Marketing segment consists of acquisition and marketing of crude oil and is principally conducted in the midcontinent and consists of approximately 200 crude oil transport trucks and approximately 120 crude oil truck unloading facilities. The Terminal Facilities segment consists of approximately 42 million shell barrels of refined products and crude oil terminal capacity (including approximately 22 million shell barrels of capacity at the Nederland Terminal on the Gulf Coast of Texas and approximately 5 million shell barrels of capacity at the Eagle Point terminal on the banks of the Delaware River in New Jersey). The Refined Products Pipelines segment consists of approximately 2,500 miles of refined products pipelines located in the northeast, midwest and southwest United States, and equity interests in four refined products pipelines. For more information, visit the Sunoco Logistics Partners, L.P. web site at www.sunocologistics.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include certain statements concerning expectations for the future that are forward-looking statements as defined by federal law. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond management’s control. An extensive list of factors that can affect future results are discussed in the Partnerships’ Annual Reports on Form 10-K and other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Partnerships undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect new information or events.

This release serves as qualified notice to nominees as provided for under Treasury Regulation section 1.1446-4(b)(4) and (d). Please note that 100 percent of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.’s and Energy Transfer Equity, L.P.’s distributions to foreign investors are attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business. Accordingly, all of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.’s and Energy Transfer Equity, L.P.’s distributions to foreign investors are subject to federal tax withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Nominees are treated as withholding agents responsible for withholding distributions received by them on behalf of foreign investors.

The information contained in this press release is available on our website at www.energytransfer.com.