Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies Except as set forth below and in Note 16, the circumstances set forth in Notes 14 and 15 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's 2010 Form 10-K appropriately represent, in all material respects, the current status of the Company's material commitments and contingent liabilities. Operating Lease Obligations Enogex currently occupies 116,184 square feet of office space at its executive offices under a lease that expires March 31, 2012. On June 30, 2011, Enogex executed a five-year lease agreement for its executive offices that expires March 31, 2017. The lease payments are $9.9 million over the lease term which begins April 1, 2012. OG&E Railcar Lease Agreement OG&E has a noncancellable operating lease with purchase options, covering 1,392 coal hopper railcars to transport coal from Wyoming to OG&E's coal-fired generation units. Rental payments are charged to Fuel Expense and are recovered through OG&E's tariffs and fuel adjustment clauses. On December 15, 2010, OG&E renewed the lease agreement effective February 1, 2011. At the end of the new lease term, which is February 1, 2016, OG&E has the option to either purchase the railcars at a stipulated fair market value or renew the lease. If OG&E chooses not to purchase the railcars or renew the lease agreement and the actual fair value of the railcars is less than the stipulated fair market value, OG&E would be responsible for the difference in those values up to a maximum of $22.8 million. On February 10, 2009, OG&E executed a short-term lease agreement for 270 railcars in accordance with new coal transportation contracts with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific. These railcars were needed to replace railcars that have been taken out of service or destroyed. The lease agreement expired with respect to 135 railcars on November 2, 2009 and was not replaced. The lease agreement with respect to the remaining 135 railcars expired on March 5, 2010 and was subsequently terminated. OG&E is also required to maintain all of the railcars it has under lease to transport coal from Wyoming and has entered into agreements with Progress Rail Services and WATCO, both of which are non-affiliated companies, to furnish this maintenance. OG&E Wind Power Purchase Commitment As previously disclosed, OG&E received approval on January 5, 2010 from the OCC for a wind power purchase agreement with a wind developer who was to build a new 130 megawatt wind farm in Dewey County near Taloga in northwestern Oklahoma. This wind farm went in service during July 2011. The agreement is a 20-year power purchase agreement, under which the developer will own and operate the wind generating facility and OG&E will purchase its electric output. Farris Buser Litigation On July 22, 2005, Enogex, along with certain other unaffiliated co-defendants, was served with a purported class action which had been filed on February 7, 2005 by Farris Buser and other named plaintiffs in the District Court of Canadian County, Oklahoma. The plaintiffs own royalty interests in certain oil and gas producing properties and allege they have been under-compensated by the named defendants, including Enogex and its subsidiaries, relating to the sale of liquid hydrocarbons recovered during the transportation of natural gas from the plaintiffs' wells. The plaintiffs assert breach of contract, implied covenants, obligation, fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, conspiracy and fraud causes of action and claim actual damages, plus attorneys' fees and costs, and punitive damages. Enogex and its subsidiaries filed a motion to dismiss which was granted on November 18, 2005, subject to the plaintiffs' right to conduct discovery and the possible re-filing of their allegations in the petition against the Enogex companies. On September 19, 2005, the co-defendants, BP America, Inc. and BP America Production Company filed a cross claim against Products seeking indemnification and/or contribution from Products based upon the 1997 sale of a third-party interest in one of Products natural gas processing plants. On May 17, 2006, the plaintiffs filed an amended petition against Enogex and its subsidiaries. Enogex and its subsidiaries filed a motion to dismiss the amended petition on August 2, 2006. The hearing on the dismissal motion was held on November 20, 2006 and the court denied Enogex's motion. Enogex filed an answer to the amended petition and BP America, Inc. and BP America Production Company's cross claim on January 16, 2007. On October 14, 2011, this case was dismissed without prejudice. While this lawsuit could be re-filed, Enogex considers the claims and cross claim associated with this lawsuit to be without merit, based upon Enogex's investigation to date. Enogex now considers this case closed. Other In the normal course of business, the Company is confronted with issues or events that may result in a contingent liability. These generally relate to lawsuits, claims made by third parties, environmental actions or the action of various regulatory agencies. When appropriate, management consults with legal counsel and other appropriate experts to assess the claim. If in management's opinion, the Company has incurred a probable loss as set forth by GAAP, an estimate is made of the loss and the appropriate accounting entries are reflected in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Except as otherwise stated above, in Note 16 below, in Item 1 of Part II of this Form 10-Q, in Notes 14 and 15 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and Item 3 of Part I of the Company's 2010 Form 10-K, management, after consultation with legal counsel, does not currently anticipate that liabilities arising out of these pending or threatened lawsuits, claims and contingencies will have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows

Commitments and Contingencies

Except as set forth below and in Note 16, the circumstances set forth in Notes 14 and 15 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's 2010 Form 10-K appropriately represent, in all material respects, the current status of the Company's material commitments and contingent liabilities.

Operating Lease Obligations

Enogex currently occupies 116,184 square feet of office space at its executive offices under a lease that expires March 31, 2012. On June 30, 2011, Enogex executed a five-year lease agreement for its executive offices that expires March 31, 2017. The lease payments are $9.9 million over the lease term which begins April 1, 2012.

OG&E Railcar Lease Agreement

OG&E has a noncancellable operating lease with purchase options, covering 1,392 coal hopper railcars to transport coal from Wyoming to OG&E's coal-fired generation units. Rental payments are charged to Fuel Expense and are recovered through OG&E's tariffs and fuel adjustment clauses. On December 15, 2010, OG&E renewed the lease agreement effective February 1, 2011. At the end of the new lease term, which is February 1, 2016, OG&E has the option to either purchase the railcars at a stipulated fair market value or renew the lease. If OG&E chooses not to purchase the railcars or renew the lease agreement and the actual fair value of the railcars is less than the stipulated fair market value, OG&E would be responsible for the difference in those values up to a maximum of $22.8 million.

On February 10, 2009, OG&E executed a short-term lease agreement for 270 railcars in accordance with new coal transportation contracts with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific. These railcars were needed to replace railcars that have been taken out of service or destroyed. The lease agreement expired with respect to 135 railcars on November 2, 2009 and was not replaced. The lease agreement with respect to the remaining 135 railcars expired on March 5, 2010 and was subsequently terminated.

OG&E is also required to maintain all of the railcars it has under lease to transport coal from Wyoming and has entered into agreements with Progress Rail Services and WATCO, both of which are non-affiliated companies, to furnish this maintenance.

OG&E Wind Power Purchase Commitment

As previously disclosed, OG&E received approval on January 5, 2010 from the OCC for a wind power purchase agreement with a wind developer who was to build a new 130 megawatt wind farm in Dewey County near Taloga in northwestern Oklahoma. This wind farm went in service during July 2011. The agreement is a 20-year power purchase agreement, under which the developer will own and operate the wind generating facility and OG&E will purchase its electric output.

Farris Buser Litigation

On July 22, 2005, Enogex, along with certain other unaffiliated co-defendants, was served with a purported class action which had been filed on February 7, 2005 by Farris Buser and other named plaintiffs in the District Court of Canadian County, Oklahoma. The plaintiffs own royalty interests in certain oil and gas producing properties and allege they have been under-compensated by the named defendants, including Enogex and its subsidiaries, relating to the sale of liquid hydrocarbons recovered during the transportation of natural gas from the plaintiffs' wells. The plaintiffs assert breach of contract, implied covenants, obligation, fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, conspiracy and fraud causes of action and claim actual damages, plus attorneys' fees and costs, and punitive damages. Enogex and its subsidiaries filed a motion to dismiss which was granted on November 18, 2005, subject to the plaintiffs' right to conduct discovery and the possible re-filing of their allegations in the petition against the Enogex companies. On September 19, 2005, the co-defendants, BP America, Inc. and BP America Production Company filed a cross claim against Products seeking indemnification and/or contribution from Products based upon the 1997 sale of a third-party interest in one of Products natural gas processing plants. On May 17, 2006, the plaintiffs filed an amended petition against Enogex and its subsidiaries. Enogex and its subsidiaries filed a motion to dismiss the amended petition on August 2, 2006. The hearing on the dismissal motion was held on November 20, 2006 and the court denied Enogex's motion. Enogex filed an answer to the amended petition and BP America, Inc. and BP America Production Company's cross claim on January 16, 2007. On October 14, 2011, this case was dismissed without prejudice. While this lawsuit could be re-filed, Enogex considers the claims and cross claim associated with this lawsuit to be without merit, based upon Enogex's investigation to date. Enogex now considers this case closed.

Other

In the normal course of business, the Company is confronted with issues or events that may result in a contingent liability. These generally relate to lawsuits, claims made by third parties, environmental actions or the action of various regulatory agencies. When appropriate, management consults with legal counsel and other appropriate experts to assess the claim. If in management's opinion, the Company has incurred a probable loss as set forth by GAAP, an estimate is made of the loss and the appropriate accounting entries are reflected in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Except as otherwise stated above, in Note 16 below, in Item 1 of Part II of this Form 10-Q, in Notes 14 and 15 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and Item 3 of Part I of the Company's 2010 Form 10-K, management, after consultation with legal counsel, does not currently anticipate that liabilities arising out of these pending or threatened lawsuits, claims and contingencies will have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows