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Significant Accounting Policies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies

Note 2. Significant Accounting Policies

As permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC, Questar Gas’ accompanying unaudited Financial Statements contain certain condensed financial information and exclude certain footnote disclosures normally included in annual audited financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. These unaudited Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Financial Statements and Notes in Questar Gas’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited Financial Statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly its financial position at September 30, 2018, its results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 and its cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017. Such adjustments are normal and recurring in nature unless otherwise noted.

Questar Gas makes certain estimates and assumptions in preparing its Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues, expenses and cash flows for the periods presented. Actual results may differ from those estimates.

The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year. Information for quarterly periods is affected by seasonal variations in sales, rate changes, purchased gas expenses and other factors.

Certain amounts in Questar Gas’ 2017 Financial Statements and Notes have been reclassified to conform to the 2018 presentation for comparative purposes. The reclassifications did not affect Questar Gas’ net income, total assets, liabilities, equity or cash flows.

 

The effect of the adoption of revised accounting guidance for revenue recognition from contracts with customers is described below. There have been no other significant changes from Note 2 to the Financial Statements in Questar Gas’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Operating Revenue

Operating revenue is recorded on the basis of services rendered, commodities delivered or contracts settled and includes amounts yet to be billed to customers. Questar Gas collects sales taxes; however, these amounts are excluded from revenue. Questar Gas’ customer receivables include accrued unbilled revenue based on estimated amounts of natural gas delivered but not yet billed to its customers.

The primary types of sales and service activities reported as operating revenue for Questar Gas, subsequent to the adoption of revised guidance for revenue recognition from contracts with customers, are as follows:

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

 

Regulated gas sales consist of state-regulated delivery of natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers;

 

Regulated gas transportation sales consist of state-regulated transportation of natural gas for commercial and industrial customers to buy their own natural gas supply;

 

Other regulated revenue consists primarily of miscellaneous product sales, connection fees and forfeited discounts; and

 

Other nonregulated revenue consists primarily of sales of natural gas production at market-based rates and sales of oil and extracted products.

Other Revenue

 

Other revenue consists primarily of royalty revenues.

The primary types of sales and service activities reported as operating revenue for Questar Gas, prior to the adoption of revised guidance for revenue recognition from contracts with customers, were as follows:

 

Regulated gas sales consisted of delivery of natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers;

 

Gas transportation consisted of transportation of gas for commercial and industrial customers who buy their own gas supply; and

 

Other consisted of connection fees, royalties, miscellaneous product sales, etc.

 

Revenues from gas sales are recognized over time, as the customers of Questar Gas consume the gas as it is delivered. Transportation contracts are primarily stand-ready service contracts that include fixed reservation and variable usage fees. Fixed fees are recognized ratably over the life of the contract, which is less than 12 months, as the stand-ready performance obligation is satisfied, while variable usage fees are recognized when Questar Gas has a right to consideration from a customer in an amount that corresponds directly with the value to the customer of the performance obligation completed to date. As a local distribution company, substantially all of Questar Gas’ revenues are derived from performance obligations satisfied over time, rather than recognized at a single point in time, and are month-to-month contracts billed according to the terms of its tariff. Payment for most sales varies by contract type, but is typically due within a month of billing.

New Accounting Standards

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued revised accounting guidance for revenue recognition from contracts with customers. Questar Gas adopted this revised accounting guidance for interim and annual reporting periods beginning January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method. The adoption of the revised standard had no impact on the amount of revenue recognized.