Understanding Your Bill

• Rate Information and Tariffs
• Reading Your Meter
• Temperature Adjustment
• The Cost of Natural Gas

The Cost of Natural Gas

The reasons for the steady increase in the price of natural gas are complex and extend far beyond the borders of Oklahoma. And the truth is, Oklahoma Natural Gas has no control over the market price of natural gas.

Natural gas is a commodity and its price is constantly changing, reflecting current market conditions. It's important for us in Oklahoma to understand that the prices we pay are tied to the national demand and economy. That means factors such as weather (in the entire country, not just here) and the amount of natural gas in storage play a role in setting the market price.

Oklahoma Natural Gas calculates what it paid to purchase gas for its customers and expresses this, without markup, on the bill as the cost of gas. The cost of gas fluctuates each month, with market conditions.

Purchasing Strategy
Oklahoma Natural Gas has no control over the market price of natural gas, but a systematic approach to purchasing natural gas ensures that our customers have a reliable, secure supply at the most reasonable prices we can obtain. This includes:

• Securing contracts from diverse sources of supply through a competitive bidding process
  
• Using a combination of different practices, such as bidding and hedging – a financial tool that puts a cap on the price the company pays for its natural gas, helps protect customers from increases that may otherwise occur.

The per-Dekatherm charge for the fuel you use is an average of all of these contract prices, and reflects what Oklahoma Natural Gas actually pays for the gas. Oklahoma Natural Gas makes no profit on the sale of natural gas. We earn our return through charges for service, and delivery and these rates are regulated by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.