INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Investments in and Advance to Affiliates, Subsidiaries, Associates, and Joint Ventures [Abstract]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Schedule of Investments [Text Block]

e Company previously held an investment in Regency, which had been received in connection with a contribution transaction in 2013. In April 2015, ETP completed its acquisition of Regency and the Company’s investment converted to 15.5 million ETP common units.

Subsequent to the Regency merger, the Company’s investment in ETP consisted of 17.8 million ETP common units, which included ETP common units already held by the Company prior to the Regency merger. This investment was accounted for using the equity method. Effective September 1, 2015, the Company exchanged these ETP common units for a note receivable from a subsidiary of ETP in the amount of $1.37 billion. The note receivable accrued interest annually at 4.75% and was due on September 1, 2035. On August 31, 2016, the remaining balance of $541 million on the note receivable and related accrued interest from a subsidiary of ETP was settled through a non-cash distribution.

The Company has other equity method investments which are not, individually or in the aggregate, significant to our consolidated financial statements.