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Nature of Business
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Nature of Business
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. 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 in the service areas described below:
Division
  
Service Area
Atmos Energy Colorado-Kansas Division
  
Colorado, Kansas
Atmos Energy Kentucky/Mid-States Division
  
Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia(1)
Atmos Energy Louisiana Division
  
Louisiana
Atmos Energy Mid-Tex Division
  
Texas, including the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area
Atmos Energy Mississippi Division
  
Mississippi
Atmos Energy West Texas Division
  
West Texas

 
(1) 
Denotes location where we have more limited service areas.
In addition, we transport natural gas for others through our distribution system. Our natural gas distribution business is 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 corporate headquarters and shared-services function are located in Dallas, Texas, and our customer support centers are located in Amarillo and Waco, Texas.
Over the last two fiscal years, we have sold our natural gas distribution operations in four states to streamline our regulated operations. On April 1, 2013, we completed the divestiture of our natural gas distribution operations in Georgia, representing approximately 64,000 customers, and in August 2012, we completed the sale of our natural gas distribution operations in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, representing approximately 84,000 customers.
Our regulated transmission and storage business consists of the regulated operations of our Atmos Pipeline–Texas Division, a division of the Company. This division transports natural gas to our Mid-Tex Division, transports natural gas for third parties and manages five underground storage reservoirs in Texas. We also provide ancillary services customary to the pipeline industry including parking arrangements, lending and sales of inventory on hand.
Our nonregulated businesses operate primarily in the Midwest and Southeast through various wholly-owned subsidiaries of Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc., (AEH). AEH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of 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.