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REVENUE (Notes)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]
2.REVENUE

We recognize revenue from contracts with customers to depict the transfers of goods and services to customers at an amount that we expect to be entitled to receive in exchange for these goods and services. Our sources of revenue are disaggregated by natural gas sales, transportation revenues, and miscellaneous revenues, which are primarily one-time service fees, that meet the requirements of FASB’s ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASC 606”). Certain revenues that do not meet the requirements of ASC 606 are classified as other revenues in our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in this Quarterly Report.

Our natural gas sales to customers represent revenue from contracts with customers through implied contracts established by our tariff rates approved by the regulatory authorities. For natural gas sales, the customer receives the benefits of our performance when the commodity is received and simultaneously consumed by the customer. The performance obligation is satisfied over time as the customer consumes the natural gas.

Our transportation revenues represent revenue from contracts with customers through implied contracts established by our tariff rates approved by the regulatory authorities and tariff-based negotiated contracts. The customer receives the benefits of our performance when the commodity is delivered to the customer and the performance obligation is satisfied over time as the customer receives the natural gas.

For regulated deliveries of natural gas, we read meters and bill customers on a monthly cycle. We recognize revenues upon the delivery of natural gas commodity or services rendered to customers. The billing cycles for customers do not necessarily coincide with the accounting periods used for financial reporting purposes. We accrue unbilled revenues for natural gas that has been delivered but not yet billed at the end of an accounting period. We use the invoice method practical expedient, where we recognize revenue for volumes delivered for which we have a right to invoice. As a result, we estimate unbilled revenues at the end of each accounting period consistent with past practice. Accrued unbilled revenue is based on a percentage estimate of amounts unbilled each month, which is dependent upon a number of factors, some of which require management’s judgment. These factors include customer consumption patterns and the impact of weather on usage. The accrued unbilled natural gas sales revenue at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, were $88.7 million and $127.6 million, respectively, and are included in accounts receivable in our consolidated balance sheets.

Our miscellaneous revenues from contracts with customers represent implied contracts established by our tariff rates approved
by the regulatory authorities and includes miscellaneous utility services with the performance obligation satisfied at a point in time when services are rendered to the customer.

Total other revenues consist of revenues associated with regulatory mechanisms that do not meet the requirements of ASC 606 as revenue from contracts with customers, but authorize us to accrue revenues earned based on tariffs approved by the regulatory authorities. Other revenues - natural gas sales related primarily reflect our weather normalization mechanism in Kansas. This mechanism adjusts our revenues earned for the variance between actual and normal HDDs. This mechanism can have either positive (warmer than normal) or negative (colder than normal) effects on revenues.

We collect and remit other taxes on behalf of governmental authorities, and we record these amounts in accrued taxes other than income in our consolidated balance sheets on a net basis.

The following table sets forth our revenues disaggregated by source for the periods indicated:
 
 
Three Months Ended
 
 
March 31,
 
 
2019
 
2018
 
 
(Thousands of dollars)
Natural gas sales to customers
 
$
621,492

 
$
594,926

Transportation revenues
 
35,028

 
33,543

Miscellaneous revenues
 
5,428

 
6,768

Total revenues from contracts with customers
 
661,948

 
635,237

Other revenues - natural gas sales related
 
(2,944
)
 
1,030

Other revenues
 
1,996

 
2,197

Total other revenues
 
(948
)
 
3,227

Total revenues
 
$
661,000

 
$
638,464