Atmos Energy
Encyclopedia
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, is the largest distributor of natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, serving 3.2 million customers nationwide. Atmos acquired TXU
TXU
Energy Future Holdings Corporation is an electric utility company headquartered in Energy Plaza in Downtown Dallas, Texas, United States. The company was known as TXU until its $45 billion leveraged buyout by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Texas Pacific Group and Goldman Sachs...
's natural gas and pipeline holdings in 2004. The company began as Energas in 1983, a spinoff of the natural gas distribution division of Pioneer Corporation. In 1988, the company changed its name to Atmos and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
. Atmos Energy is incorporated in Virginia and Texas.
Origins
The origins of Atmos Energy comes from Amarillo Gas Company which was founded by brothers Frank and J.C. Storm in 1906 http://www.atmosenergy.com/about/timeline.html. It was founded in order to manufacture coal gasCoal gas
Coal gas is a flammable gaseous fuel made by the destructive distillation of coal containing a variety of calorific gases including hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane and volatile hydrocarbons together with small quantities of non-calorific gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen...
on the Texas frontier. In 1918, it discovered the largest natural gas field in the world, and hence subsequently Amarillo changed its focus to the production of natural gas. Two years later it delivered its first locally produced natural gas.
In 1924, Amarillo Gas, Amarillo Oil and other businesses became part of a new public utility holding company, Southwestern Development Company. Over the years, through various business combinations and mergers, the company became known as Pioneer Corporation, a large diversified West Texas energy company. In 1983, Energas, the natural gas distribution division of Pioneer, was spun off and became an independent, publicly held natural gas distribution company. In October 1988, Energas changed its corporate name to Atmos Energy Corporation and its stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
under the ticker symbol ATO.
Background
Atmos Energy, the largest pure natural gas distributor in the United States, delivers natural gas to 3.2 million residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and public-authority customers. Its regulated utility services are provided to more than 1,600 communities in 12 states.Atmos Energy has grown from 279,000 customers in 1983 mainly by acquiring utility assets. Its most recent acquisition was the distribution and pipeline operations of TXU Gas Company in October 2004. Atmos Energy is the largest natural gas utility in Texas. Atmos Energy is also the largest natural gas distributor in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Atmos Energy is known as one of the most efficient natural gas utilities in the industry. In 2006, the company served 723 utility customers per utility employee, as compared with an average of 532 customers per employee served by its peer group. The company’s utility operation and maintenance expense of $112 per customer in fiscal 2006 was also lower than its peer group average of $218 per customer.
Atmos Energy's nonutility operations are ranked as one of the leading domestic mid-tier gas marketers. The company markets natural gas supplies to industrial customers and municipalities in 22 states, arranges for gas transportation and management services and manages company-owned gas storage and pipeline assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipelines in Texas.
Environmental Record
Atmos Energy was awarded the "2005 Environmental Excellence New Technology Award" for their use of an air monitoring device that measured compounds in the air over a month-long remediation of a former manufacturing site. An invisible infrared beam was used to constantly monitor the compounds found in the air to help preserve safe air quality while the site was rehabbed.The Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
awarded Atmos Energy a Continuing Excellence award for their improvement over a five year span for continual improvement in reducing emissions under the STAR program. The program is a "voluntary partnership between the EPA and the natural gas industry to encourage voluntary reductions in the emissions of methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
." Atmos Energy reported the highest overall reduction in 2005 and currently "has the third highest cumulative reductions of all distribution partners." Their total reductions are equal to that of planting 347000 acres (1,404.3 km²) of trees in one year, enough natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
to heat 45,000 homes for one year or removing 231,000 cars from the road for one year. These awards were, in part, due to the continuing devotion of Atmos Energy to replacing aging natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
pipelines. By doing this they reduce the risk of methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
leaks into the atmosphere.