Understanding Your Bill

What is the BTU adjustment?

Natural Gas is measured by volume in thousands of cubic feet (Mcf) and by the heat content as measured in British Thermal Units (Btu).

For billing purposes, we adjust the volume to be billed to a normalized 1000 Btu unit.

What are all of the charges on my gas bill?

Oklahoma Natural Gas Company began itemizing the charges on your bill at the request of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission in June 2000. The charges are not new charges but are now listed in a detailed format. This change in the billing format was made in an effort to provide you with more information.

The following descriptions are given to help you better understand the various charges listed on your bill:

Service Charge - This is a basic charge that helps to cover a variety of fixed costs associated with making sure that gas is available to your home. These costs are incurred by Oklahoma Natural Gas Company whether you use the service or not. These costs are for such things as meter reading, billing, availability of staff to answer your questions and to provide services, such as checking for gas leaks, and for the equipment required to provide these services for you.

Delivery Fee - The fee helps cover the transportation of the gas to your home. Included in this expense are such things as maintaining safe gas pressure, monitoring gas quality, and other operations required to ensure that there is enough gas in the pipeline system to meet the needs of customers like you throughout the year and especially during cold winter months. Manpower and equipment are needed to make sure that you may have safe, reliable natural gas service.

Riders and Other Fees - Are designed to cover a variety of expenses related to making sure that you have service when you need it. These charges are not included in the basic rates because they may fluctuate.

Customer Fuel Cost - This is the cost of the commodity. What you pay for the cost of gas is what Oklahoma Natural Gas Company paid to Oklahoma producers and marketers to purchase the gas for you. Oklahoma Natural Gas Company does not make any profit on this part of your bill.

Franchise Fee - The Franchise Fee is a tax which we pay to a municipality in order to operate within the city and use its rights of way for our pipelines. A franchise election is held periodically to determine if we can retain this privilege. Oklahoma Natural Gas Company bears the expense of this election.

Please send us an e-mail us if you still have questions or need additional assistance.

What is a Dekatherm?

A Dekatherm is a unit of heat equal to 1,000,000 British Thermal Units (1 MMBtu); this is the thermal equivalent of 1,000 cubic feet of gas with a heat content of 1,000 BTUs per cubic foot.

Oklahoma Natural Gas Company bills in Dekatherms. The Dekatherm amount is the metered usage combined with the heat content (BTU) of the natural gas. A higher heat content means less gas is used which helps to keep your bill lower.

What is the current cost of gas?