1. Nature of Business	9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Nature Of Operations Abstract
1. Nature Of Business	1. Nature of Business Atmos Energy Corporation (“Atmos Energy” or the “Company”) and our subsidiaries are engaged primarily in the regulated natural gas distribution and transmission and storage businesses as well as certain other nonregulated businesses. Our corporate headquarters and shared-services function are located in Dallas, Texas and our customer support centers are located in Amarillo and Waco, Texas. Through our natural gas distribution business, we deliver natural gas through sales and transportation arrangements to over three million residential, commercial, public authority and industrial customers through our six regulated natural gas distribution divisions which currently cover service areas located in 12 states. In addition, we transport natural gas for others through our distribution system. In May 2011, we announced that we had entered into a definitive agreement to sell our natural gas distribution operations in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, representing approximately 84,000 customers. After the closing of this transaction, we will operate in nine states. Our regulated activities also include our regulated pipeline and storage operations, which include the transportation of natural gas to our distribution system and the management of our underground storage facilities. Our regulated businesses are subject to federal and state regulation and/or regulation by local authorities in each of the states in which our natural gas distribution divisions operate. Our nonregulated businesses operate primarily in the Midwest and Southeast through various wholly-owned subsidiaries of Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc, (AEH). AEH is wholly owned by the Company and based in Houston, Texas. Through AEH, we provide natural gas management and transportation services to municipalities, natural gas distribution companies, including certain divisions of Atmos Energy and third parties. AEH also seeks to maximize, through asset optimization activities, the economic value associated with storage and transportation capacity it owns or controls. Certain of these arrangements are with regulated affiliates of the Company, which have been approved by applicable state regulatory commissions. As discussed in Note 11, we operate the Company through the following three segments: the natural gas distribution segment, which includes our regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations, the regulated transmission and storage segment, which includes the regulated pipeline and storage operations of our Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division and the nonregulated segment, which includes our nonregulated natural gas management, nonregulated natural gas transmission, storage and other services.

1. Nature of Business

9 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

1. Nature of Business

Atmos Energy Corporation (“Atmos Energy” or the “Company”) and our subsidiaries are engaged primarily in the regulated natural gas distribution and transmission and storage businesses as well as certain other nonregulated businesses. Our corporate headquarters and shared-services function are located in Dallas, Texas and our customer support centers are located in Amarillo and Waco, Texas.

Through our natural gas distribution business, we deliver natural gas through sales and transportation arrangements to over three million residential, commercial, public authority and industrial customers through our six regulated natural gas distribution divisions which currently cover service areas located in 12 states. In addition, we transport natural gas for others through our distribution system. In May 2011, we announced that we had entered into a definitive agreement to sell our natural gas distribution operations in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, representing approximately 84,000 customers. After the closing of this transaction, we will operate in nine states. Our regulated activities also include our regulated pipeline and storage operations, which include the transportation of natural gas to our distribution system and the management of our underground storage facilities. Our regulated businesses are subject to federal and state regulation and/or regulation by local authorities in each of the states in which our natural gas distribution divisions operate.

Our nonregulated businesses operate primarily in the Midwest and Southeast through various wholly-owned subsidiaries of Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc, (AEH). AEH is wholly owned by the Company and based in Houston, Texas. Through AEH, we provide natural gas management and transportation services to municipalities, natural gas distribution companies, including certain divisions of Atmos Energy and third parties. AEH also seeks to maximize, through asset optimization activities, the economic value associated with storage and transportation capacity it owns or controls. Certain of these arrangements are with regulated affiliates of the Company, which have been approved by applicable state regulatory commissions.

As discussed in Note 11, we operate the Company through the following three segments:

the natural gas distribution segment, which includes our regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations,
the regulated transmission and storage segment, which includes the regulated pipeline and storage operations of our Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division and
the nonregulated segment, which includes our nonregulated natural gas management, nonregulated natural gas transmission, storage and other services.