Since we cover all the major firms on Wall Street, we have a fairly good idea what many of their investment suggestions, strategies and ideas have been over the preceding year. One firm that has hit the ball way out of the park on energy and oil prices is arguably the top Wall Street investment bank. Goldman Sachs has been pounding the table on energy and rising oil prices for well over a year, and investors that followed their prescient lead have made some serious money.

Now, the Goldman Sachs energy team is out with 12 top ideas in the midstream energy area, and here we focus on the companies paying the highest distributions to shareholders. With oil closing in on $90 a barrel, and the analysts expecting a move over the $100 level, it is a good bet that these top stocks will continue to garner more attention.

These five stocks are outstanding ideas for investors looking for growth in a volatile market and dependable income streams. It is important to remember that no single analyst report should be used as a sole basis for any buying or selling decision.

Energy Transfer

This top MLP is a very safe way for investors looking for energy exposure and income. Energy Transfer L.P. (NYSE: ET) owns and operates one of the largest and most diversified portfolios of energy assets in the United States, with a strategic footprint in all the major domestic production basins.

This publicly traded limited partnership has core operations that include complimentary natural gas midstream, intrastate and interstate transportation and storage assets; crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and refined product transportation and terminaling assets; NGL fractionation; and various acquisition and marketing assets.

Through its ownership of Energy Transfer Operating, formerly known as Energy Transfer Partners, the company also owns Lake Charles LNG, as well as the general partner interests, the incentive distribution rights and 28.5 million common units of Sunoco, and the general partner interests and 39.7 million common units of USA Compression Partners.

Investors receive a 6.36% distribution. The Goldman Sachs price target on Energy Transfer stock is $15, and the consensus target is $14.21. The shares were last seen on Tuesday at $9.70.

This is the largest publicly traded energy partnership and a leading North American provider of midstream energy services to producers and consumers. Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE: EPD) provides a wide variety of midstream energy services, including gathering, processing, transportation and storage of natural gas, NGL fractionation, import and export terminaling, and offshore production platform services.

One reason many analysts may have a liking for the stock might be its distribution coverage ratio. This ratio is well above 1 times, making it relatively less risky among the MLPs.

Enterprise Products Partners stock investors receive a 7.75% distribution. Goldman Sachs has a $31 price target, while the consensus target is $28.55. Shares closed at $24.13 on Tuesday.

Hess Midstream

This is the limited partnership midstream arm of one of the country’s top energy companies. Hess Midstream L.P. (NYSE: HESM) owns, develops, operates and acquires midstream assets. The company operates through three segments.

The Gathering segment owns natural gas gathering and crude oil gathering systems, as well as produced water gathering and disposal facilities. Its gathering system consists of approximately 1,350 miles of high and low pressure natural gas and natural gas liquids gathering pipelines with capacity of approximately 450 million cubic feet per day, and the crude oil gathering system comprises approximately 550 miles of crude oil gathering pipelines.

The Processing and Storage segment comprises Tioga Gas Plant, a natural gas processing and fractionation plant located in Tioga, North Dakota; a 50% interest in the Little Missouri 4 gas processing plant located in south of the Missouri River in McKenzie County, North Dakota; and Mentor Storage Terminal, a propane storage cavern and rail, and truck loading and unloading facility located in Mentor, Minnesota.

The Terminaling and Export segment owns Ramberg terminal facility; Tioga rail terminal; and crude oil rail cars, as well as Johnson’s Corner Header System, a crude oil pipeline header system.

Investors receive a 6.76% distribution. The $39 Goldman Sachs price target is higher than the $31.14 consensus target. Hess Midstream stock closed Tuesday at $30.40.

This is the top holding for the Alerian MLP energy exchange-traded fund. MPLX L.P. (NYSE: MPLX) is primarily engaged in crude oil and refined products transportation and terminaling in the U.S. Midwest and Gulf Coast regions, as well as natural gas gathering and processing in the northeast from its prior acquisition of MarkWest Energy in 2015. MPLX was formed by independent U.S. refiner Marathon Petroleum.

The company’s assets include a network of crude oil and refined product pipelines; an inland marine business; light-product terminals; storage caverns; refinery tanks, docks, loading racks and associated piping; and crude and light-product marine terminals. It also owns crude oil and natural gas gathering systems and pipelines, as well as natural gas and NGL processing and fractionation facilities in key U.S. supply basins.

Investors receive an 8.95% distribution. Goldman Sachs has set a $37 price target. The consensus target on MPLX stock is $35.00, and Tuesday’s closing price was $30.31.

Plains All American Pipeline

This remains one of the top MLP picks across Wall Street. Plains All American Pipeline L.P. (NYSE: PAA) engages in the pipeline transportation, terminaling, storage and gathering of crude oil and NGLs in the United States and Canada. The company operates through three segments.

The Transportation segment transports crude oil and NGLs through pipelines, gathering systems and trucks. As of December 31, 2020, this segment owned and leased 18,370 miles of active crude oil and NGL pipelines and gathering systems, 35 million barrels of active and above-ground tank capacity and 815 trailers.

The Facilities segment provides storage, terminaling and throughput services for crude oil, NGLs and natural gas. It also provides NGL fractionation and isomerization and natural gas and condensate processing services. As of December 31, 2020, this segment owned and operated approximately 75 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity; 28 million barrels of NGL storage capacity; 68 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas storage working capacity; 25 Bcf of base gas; five natural gas processing plants; a condensate processing facility; eight fractionation plants; 22 crude oil and NGL rail terminals; five marine facilities; and approximately 330 miles of active pipelines.

The Supply and Logistics segment engages in the purchase, logistics and resale of crude oil and NGLs. As of December 31, 2020, this segment owned 16 million barrels of crude oil and NGL linefill; 4 million barrels of crude oil and NGL linefill; 680 trucks and 840 trailers; and 6,000 crude oil and NGL railcars.

Investors receive a 6.58% distribution. The Goldman Sachs price objective on Plains All American Pipeline stock is $17. The consensus target is $13.60, and shares closed on Tuesday at $11.06.

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These companies offer reasonably safe and reliable distributions, plus all are major players in the energy midstream infrastructure arena. Investors looking for solid total return potential can do well owning these MLP leaders. It is important to note that MLP distributions may contain return of principal. Those looking to avoid the pesky K-1s can always purchase shares in the ALPS Alerian MLP ETF (NYSEARCA: AMLP). Investors receive a 1099 instead of a K-1, and it pays a solid 7.70% distribution.

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