Energy is a very difficult sector for dividend investors to invest in because of the dramatic swings in oil and natural gas prices. There are a few energy producers, like ExxonMobil and Chevron, that have managed to reward investors with reliable dividend growth through the cycle, but they are the exception and not the norm. For more conservative income investors a better energy option is the midstream niche of the energy sector, where giants Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD) and Enbridge (NYSE: ENB) have produced reliable dividends backed by reliable cash flows. Here's what you need to know.

There's no way around the big-picture story in the energy sector. Oil and natural gas are commodities that are prone to swift and dramatic price swings. Earnings and stock prices in the sector can be just as volatile. This level of turbulence will likely turn off more conservative dividend investors. That's entirely reasonable.

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Source Fool.com