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REVENUE (Notes)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]
2.
REVENUE
 
The following table sets forth our revenues disaggregated by source for the periods indicated:
 
 
Three Months Ended
 
Six Months Ended
 
 
June 30,
 
June 30,
 
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
 
 
(Thousands of dollars)
Natural gas sales to customers
 
$
261,347

 
$
247,494

 
$
856,273

 
$
747,663

Transportation revenues
 
24,062

 
21,343

 
57,605

 
51,549

Miscellaneous revenues
 
5,759

 
5,196

 
12,527

 
10,981

Total revenues from contracts with customers
 
291,168

 
274,033

 
926,405

 
810,193

Other revenues - natural gas sales related
 
(1,108
)
 
3,377

 
(78
)
 
15,540

Other revenues
 
2,461

 
2,279

 
4,658

 
4,364

Total other revenues
 
1,353

 
5,656

 
4,580

 
19,904

Total revenues
 
$
292,521

 
$
279,689

 
$
930,985

 
$
830,097



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 and includes residential, commercial, industrial, wholesale and public authority customers. 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.

Our miscellaneous revenues from contracts with customers represent implied contracts established by our tariff rates approved by the regulatory authorities and includes miscellaneous service charges 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 under ASC 606 as revenue from contracts with customers, but authorize us to accrue revenues earned based on tariffs approved by the regulatory authorities. Total other revenues primarily reflect our natural gas sales related 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 have elected to use the invoice method practical expedient, where we recognize revenue for volumes delivered for which we have a right to invoice for our natural gas sales, transportation revenues and other utility revenues. For regulated deliveries of natural gas, we read meters and bill customers on a monthly cycle. We recognize revenue upon the delivery of the 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. Revenue is accrued for natural gas delivered and services rendered to customers, but not yet billed. 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 June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, were $52.0 million and $138.5 million, respectively.

We collect and remit other taxes on behalf of government authorities, and we record these amounts in accrued taxes other than income in our Consolidated Balance Sheets on a net basis.

Cost of natural gas includes commodity purchases, fuel, storage, transportation and other gas purchase costs recovered through our cost of natural gas regulatory mechanisms and does not include an allocation of general operating costs or depreciation and amortization. In addition, our cost of natural gas regulatory mechanisms provide a method of recovering natural gas costs on an ongoing basis without a profit. Our revenues will fluctuate with the cost of gas that we purchase.