2 Oil Stocks to Buy Now and Hold For Decades

By Reuben Gregg Brewer – Mar 19, 2026 at 10:15AM ESTKey PointsEnbridge and Enterprise Products Partners are North American midstream giants.They both have attractive yields and attractive dividend histories.Investors tend to get caught up in short-term market moves. Right now, the big headlines are all about the geopolitical conflict in the Middle East. And, of course, the impact that it is having on energy markets. Before you jump into an oil stock, you'll want to think about what happens when the conflict cools and oil prices start declining. If you want to buy an oil stock right now and hold it for decades, you'll probably find midstream giants like Enbridge (ENB +1.30%) and Enterprise Products Partners (EPD +0.68%) more interesting than an oil producer. Here's why. Enbridge is a diversified cash flow machine The core of Enbridge's business is its oil and natural gas pipelines. The company collects fees for the use of these energy infrastructure assets, as it helps to move oil and gas around the world. It is a toll-taker business, so the volume of energy it moves is more important than the price of the products it is transporting. Given how vital oil and natural gas are to the modern economy, Enbridge tends to generate reliable cash flows through the energy cycle. Image source: Getty Images. In addition to the core midstream operation, Enbridge also owns a regulated natural gas utility business and renewable power assets. These also generate reliable cash flows but offer the added benefit of diversification beyond the oil industry. Enbridge has increased its dividend, in Canadian dollars, for 31 years. The dividend yield is currently around 5.2%. ExpandNYSE: ENBEnbridgeToday's Change(1.30%) $0.69Current Price$53.93Key Data PointsMarket Cap$116BDay's Range$53.22 - $54.0652wk Range$39.73 - $54.70Volume59KAvg Vol5MGross Margin32.74%Dividend Yield5.14% Enterprise is focused on the midstream Enterprise Products Partners is a competitor to Enbridge. However, the master limited partnership (MLP) only operates midstream assets. So its cash flows aren't as diverse as Enbridge's. Some might see it as a negative, while others might see it as a positive. Enterprise's yield is currently 5.8%, and the distribution has been increased annually for 27 years. That is basically as long as the MLP has been publicly traded. ExpandNYSE: EPDEnterprise Products PartnersToday's Change(0.68%) $0.25Current Price$37.29Key Data PointsMarket Cap$80BDay's Range$37.12 - $37.4052wk Range$27.77 - $38.22Volume56KAvg Vol4.4MGross Margin12.86%Dividend Yield5.87% That said, there is one key characteristic that Enterprise and Enbridge share. In both cases, their lofty yields are likely to make up the lion's share of an investor's return over time. They are, at their core, slow-growth businesses that are designed to be boring and to provide reliable income streams. Oil prices won't be high forever Wall Street routinely projects current events too far into the future. Oil prices are rising right now, but history suggests they will eventually decline. If you are a buy-and-hold investor looking at the energy sector today, you'll be better off with businesses that sidestep commodity prices, like high-yield Enbridge and Enterprise. That way, you can comfortably generate a lofty income stream for decades to come.Read NextMar 17, 2026 •By David Jagielski, CPAThis Rock-Solid Dividend Stock Yields More Than 5% and Is Known for Its StabilityMar 12, 2026 •By Jack DelaneyShould You Buy Enbridge While It's Below $60?Feb 25, 2026 •By Catie Hogan4 Dividend Stocks to Double Up On Right NowFeb 22, 2026 •By Matt DiLalloThis Elite 5.5%-Yielding Dividend Stock Continues to Fill Up Its Growth EngineFeb 21, 2026 •By Matt DiLallo3 High-Yield Pipeline Stocks to Buy Now and Hold ForeverFeb 19, 2026 •By Keith Speights2 Dividend Stocks to Hold for the Next 5 YearsAbout the AuthorReuben Gregg Brewer is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, utilities, REITs, and consumer staples. He is the former director of research at Value Line Publishing, where he rose from mutual fund analyst to equity analyst before leading all research operations. Reuben holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Purchase, a master’s in social work from Columbia University, and an MBA from Regis University. He has been featured as a financial expert on CNBC and in the Financial Times, Barron’s, and InvestmentNews.TMFReubenGBrewerStocks MentionedEnbridgeNYSE: ENB$53.93(+1.30%)+$0.69Enterprise Products PartnersNYSE: EPD$37.28(+0.65%)+$0.24*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.