<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-12-066551
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20121219
<FILING-DATE>20121221
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20121221
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Bates Jesse D
<CIK>0001359766
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-16417
<FILM-NUMBER>121280374
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>P.O. BOX 696000
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78269-6000
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>NuStar Energy L.P.
<CIK>0001110805
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4610
<IRS-NUMBER>742956831
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2330 NORTH LOOP 1604 WEST
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78248
<PHONE>2109182000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2330 NORTH LOOP 1604 WEST
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78248
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>VALERO L P
<DATE-CHANGED>20020110
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>SHAMROCK LOGISTICS LP
<DATE-CHANGED>20000331
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd364623.xml
<DESCRIPTION>GRANT OF RESTRICTED UNITS VESTING OVER THREE YEARS.
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-12-19</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001110805</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NuStar Energy L.P.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001359766</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Bates Jesse D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>19003 IH-10 WEST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN ANTONIO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>78257</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-12-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1525</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6019</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6666</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Award of restricted units. The restricted units vest annually in equal increments over a three-year period beginning December 2013.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Amy L. Perry as Attorney-in-fact for Jesse D. Bates</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-12-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
