Merger Mania Sweeps Through the Energy Sector, Dramatically Altering the Landscape

Natural gas pipeline giant Williams Companies (NYSE: WMB)announced today that it agreed to acquire the rest of its master limited partnership(MLP) Williams Partners (NYSE: WPZ)that it didn't already own in a $10.5 billion deal. Not to be outdone, Canadian energy infrastructure giant Enbridge (NYSE: ENB)made an offer to acquire its namesake MLP Enbridge Energy Partners (NYSE: EEP), along with the rest of its publicly traded entities, including Spectra Energy Partners (NYSE: SEP).

These transactions have big implications not only for investors in these entities but for those who own other pipeline companies, too.