Segment Information

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Disclosure Segment Information [Abstract]

Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]

4. Segment Information

We operate in two primary reportable business segments, which we refer to as “utility” and “gas storage.”  We refer to our gas storage and other business segments as “non-utility.” Gas storage segment includes: NWN Gas Storage; Gill Ranch; non-utility portions of our underground storage facility in Oregon (Mist); and revenues from third-party asset management services. Other investments and business activities, which we refer to as “other”, primarily includes NNG Financial and our equity investment in PGH.  For the periods presented, intersegment transactions were insignificant.  For further discussion of our segments, see Note 4 in our 2011 Form 10-K.

The following table presents summary financial information about the reportable segments for the three and nine months endedSeptember 30, 2012 and 2011:

	Three Months Ended Three Months Ended September 30,
				Non-Utility
Thousands	Utility			Gas Storage		Other		Total
2012
Net operating revenues	$	42,331		$	7,544	$	40	$	49,915
Depreciation and amortization	16,661			1,620		—		18,281
Income (loss) from operations	(8,439		)	3,624		19		(4,796		)
Net income (loss)	(11,853		)	1,255		40		(10,558		)
2011
Net operating revenues	$	41,034		$	6,710	$	39	$	47,783
Depreciation and amortization	15,875			1,574		—		17,449
Income (loss) from operations	(8,029		)	2,458		19		(5,552		)
Net income (loss)	(9,518		)	1,160		46		(8,312		)

	Six Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30,
			Non-Utility
Thousands	Utility		Gas Storage		Other			Total
2012
Net operating revenues	$	236,921	$	22,219	$	122		$	259,262
Depreciation and amortization	49,477		4,853		—			54,330
Income from operations	76,072		9,567		70			85,709
Net income	28,250		3,185		23			31,458
Total assets at September 30, 2012	2,386,879		287,687		15,802			2,690,368
2011
Net operating revenues	$	230,244	$	19,211	$	68		$	249,523
Depreciation and amortization	47,735		4,569		—			52,304
Income from operations	77,762		7,191		10			84,963
Net income (loss)	31,702		3,163		(211		)	34,654
Total assets at September 30, 2011	2,291,531		253,478		22,831			2,567,840
Total assets at December 31, 2011	$	2,435,888	$	294,637	$	16,049		$	2,746,574