The geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has shown just how important oil and natural gas are to the global economy.
As countries assess their energy security, North America could become an increasingly important source of oil and natural gas.
The energy sector is known for being volatile. So it shouldn't be all that surprising that the geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has led to large swings in oil and natural gas prices. What is likely more shocking to the world is how quickly the conflict upended the global energy market, showing just how important these fuels are to the world's normal functioning. This is why investors should be interested in high-yielders like Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD), Enbridge (NYSE: ENB), and Oneok (NYSE: OKE).
Even as the world increasingly shifts toward cleaner energy sources, oil and natural gas remain in high demand. The issue the Middle East conflict exposes is the supply risk countries face when sourcing energy from unstable regions. Partnering with countries like the United States and Canada, which are both economically and politically stable, could become a much more important factor.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Image source: Getty Images.
The quick answer for an investor who thinks North America will see increasing demand for its energy is to buy a North American energy producer like Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ: FANG). But that still exposes you to commodity price volatility. A better choice, particularly for dividend investors, is to buy a North American midstream operator.
Midstream businesses own the energy infrastructure that moves oil and natural gas around the world. Companies like Enbridge, Oneok, and Enterprise charge fees for the use of their assets. Demand for energy is more important to their financial performance than commodity prices. If North America sees increasing demand between now and 2030, the story just gets better for these North American midstream giants.
Enterprise's distribution yield is already highly desirable, at 5.6%. Enbridge's dividend yield is 4.9%. And Oneok's yield is 4.5%. The S&P 500 index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is only offering a yield of around 1%. However, there's more to the story. All have long histories of annual dividend increases, with Enbridge's streak reaching an impressive 31 years in Canadian dollars.
So you are getting a high yield from reliable income investments. And on top of that, you are getting the potential for growth that could come with shifting demand dynamics in global energy markets over the next few years. And even if demand for North American energy doesn't materially increase between now and 2030, income investors can still collect large, reliable, and likely growing dividends. A $1,000 investment will let you buy 25 units of Enterprise, 18 shares of Enbridge, or 11 shares of Oneok.
Before you buy stock in Enterprise Products Partners, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Enterprise Products Partners wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $386,727!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,232,139!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 906% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 1, 2026.
Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Enbridge. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Enbridge. The Motley Fool recommends Enterprise Products Partners and Oneok. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.