Kelcy Warren: The Billionaire Behind Controversial Pipelines And Country Songs

Kelcy Warren builds pipelines, and that business has been very good for his net worth. When he’s not building pipelines, he likes to write old school sad sappy country songs, such as the one about his girlfriend leaving him for his best friend. Despite his musical interests, Warren is primarily known as a business mogul in the energy sector.

The Texas billionaire is the co-founder and CEO of Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), the company building the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock, North Dakota. This project has drawn significant attention and criticism, and Warren is also behind the Trans-Pecos pipeline near Big Bend National Park, which is the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States. His ventures in pipeline construction have made him a central figure in discussions about energy, politics, and environmental concerns.

Warren has spent millions in support of right-wing politicians, including a notable $700,000 donation to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s PAC. In 2015, Abbott appointed Warren to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, and he also contributed $6 million to Rick Perry’s unsuccessful presidential campaign. Perry, a member of his company’s board, exemplifies the political connections Warren has cultivated to influence policy and ensure the success of his business endeavors.

Warren spent $100,000 to help get Donald Trump, a former ETP shareholder, elected President. In exchange for his contribution, he expected obstacles to the Dakota Access Pipeline to be removed shortly after Trump took office, which indeed happened. Just four days after taking office, Trump issued an executive order to expedite the pipeline's completion.

Additionally, Warren has contributed $223,000 to members of the Texas Railroad Commission. This financial support was specifically directed to the three members who decide on the eminent domain requests his company uses to run its pipelines through privately owned farms and ranches. His strategic financial contributions highlight the intricate relationship between business interests and political influence.

Biography of Kelcy Warren

Kelcy Warren was born into a working-class family in 1955 in Gladewater, a small town in east Texas. Growing up, he played football and basketball, and like many teenagers, he had summer jobs. His father worked as a welder for Sun Pipeline, and one of Kelcy's summer jobs involved sanding seams for that company. He enrolled at the University of Texas-Arlington, joined a fraternity, and ran track, but flunked out after his freshman year. Upon returning home, his father informed him he could attend community college on the condition that he worked in the oil fields with him. Eventually, Warren returned to UT Arlington and graduated with a degree in civil engineering.

After completing his studies, Warren began as an entry-level employee at a small gas company in Dallas called Lone Star. He then held executive roles in various gas companies, including Endevico, Cornerstone Natural Gas, ETP Enogex Partners, and La Grange Energy. In 1995, he co-founded Energy Transfer Partners with Texas Rangers owner Ray Davis by purchasing a bankrupt pipeline company. By 2002, Warren and Davis had amassed $50 million in assets, marking the start of a significant business venture.

In addition to his business pursuits, Warren enjoys a lavish lifestyle, owning several private jets, a private island off Honduras, a 25,000-acre golf resort near Big Bend, and ranches in Colorado and Texas. His primary residence in Dallas is a 27,000 square foot mansion complete with a bowling alley and baseball diamond.

Warren is also passionate about music, owning a small music label and recording company, and he is the founder of the Cherokee Creek Music Festival in Texas. Music is not just a pastime for him; it is an integral part of his identity.

Despite the controversies surrounding his projects, Warren maintains that the Dakota Access Pipeline is "built to safety standards that far exceed anything government requires." The pipeline stretches 1,172 miles and is designed to transport 570,000 barrels of oil each day, crossing through wildlife habitats and watersheds. This project adds to the extensive network of pipelines he already operates, which collectively are valued at around $67 billion.

Warren's friends describe him as a good-hearted and quirky individual who has a deep appreciation for nature. They argue that he is unfairly demonized by activists, citing instances such as when he revitalized a park in Dallas and named it after his son Klyde, insisting that Klyde dedicate time each month to pick up trash there.

While many view Warren through a critical lens due to his business practices, his supporters assert that he is not out to harm anyone; rather, he is simply an American entrepreneur seeking to expand his business.

Opposing Warren's pipeline initiatives are the Standing Rock Sioux, whose territory is affected by the Dakota Access Pipeline. The tribe relies on the Missouri River for drinking and irrigation water, and they have garnered support from over 60 American Indian tribes, along with various environmentalists, human rights advocates, and farmers.

Kelcy Warren's journey from a working-class background to achieving a net worth of $6.4 billion illustrates the complexities of business, politics, and social responsibility in today's world.