Oklahoma Natural Gas says steps have been taken to prevent price hikes due to winter weather
As the bitter cold approaches, can Oklahomans expect higher gas bills? Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) has taken steps to prevent price hikes due to winter weather, including new purchasing and placement of compressed gas trailers outside of the state to lessen the impact of potential service disruptions. The company has also positioned compressed natural gas trailers to lessen potential service disruption. The state's Attorney General, Gentner Drummond, recently announced he was preparing legal action against middlemen for excessive rate hikes. Despite these challenges, ONG believes it has made the right moves to prevent future price hikes. As temperatures drop, natural gas usage will likely increase, leading to higher bills for Oklahomans.
Published : 4 months ago by Andy Weber, https://www.facebook.com/ in Weather Environment
AS LOW AS POSSIBLE? WELL, YEAH, GUYS, A LOT OF EYES ON THESE GAS METERS. THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS THOSE COLDER. TEMPS DRAW CLOSER. NOW EVER SINCE 2021, OAG HAS TAKEN NUMEROUS STEPS. THEY SAY TO MAKE SURE THESE PRICES DON’T. SPIKE AS HIGH AS THEY DID THOSE MANY YEARS AGO. WE’RE PREPARED. WE HAVE GAS THAT’S BEEN IN STORAGE. LIKE I SAID EARLIER, OUR PIPELINES HAVE BEEN ENHANCED AS WELL. UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE GAS OUTSIDE. OF OUR RGION HAS HAS HELPED AS WELL. SINCE THE BRUTAL WINTER STORMS, THE SOONER STATE SAW AN EARLY 2021 OKLAHOMA NATURAL GAS BELIEVES IT HAS MADE THE RIGHT MOVES TO MITIGATE PRICE HIKES, IN ADDITION TO NEW PURCHASING STRATEGIES, THEY’VE ALSO POSITIONED COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS TRAILERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO LESSEN THE IMPACT OF POTENTIAL SERVICE DISRUPTIONS. IF THERE’S A PRESSURE SITUATION, UM, THOSE TRAILERS HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THAT, SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, WILL THAT KEEP PRICES LOWER THAN WHAT HAPPENED IN 2021? WE HAVEN’T SEEN ANY ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN 2021, UH, WHICH IS GOOD. UH, AND SO FOR RIGHT NOW, WE’RE JUST FOCUSED ON PROVIDING THAT NATURAL GAS RELIABLY TO, TO OUR CUSTOMERS. LAST WE HEARD FROM THE STATE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID HE WAS PREPARING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST MIDDLEMEN. HE BELIEVES NATURAL GAS MARKETERS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR EXORBITANT RATE HIKES IN 2021, NOT THE NATURAL GAS PROVIDERS IN THIS CASE. WHAT IT APPEARS IS, THOUGH, AS I MENTIONED, THE SHORT SQUEEZE WHERE THOSE WHO SUPPLY THE GAS MANIPULATE. THE SUPPLY TO REDUCE IT IS IN ANTICIPATION OF OUR GREATEST NEED. IN DECEMBER, GARTNER DRUMMOND’S OFFICE, ROLLED OUT AN ONLINE TIP FORM ENCOURAGING THOSE WITH INFORMATION TO REPORT EVIDENCE OF MARKET MANIPULATION OR QUESTIONABLE ACTIVITY DURING THOSE STORMS. IN 2021. NOW, FOR CUSTOMERS, ONG RECOMMENDS THEY CHECK THEIR STRIPPING, THEIR WEATHER STRIPPING ON THEIR DOORS AND WINDOWS, AND ALSO MAKE SURE FURNACES, THEIR FILTERS ARE CLEAN SO HOMES ARE BEING EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY WARMED AS TH
Oklahoma Natural Gas says steps have been taken to prevent price hikes due to winter weather As the bitter cold approaches, can Oklahomans expect higher gas bills? As temperatures drop, natural gas usage will likely go up, which can lead to higher bills for Oklahomans. Oklahoma Natural Gas officials said they have taken multiple steps to prevent prices from spiking since the bitter temperatures back in 2021.>> Check live radar | KOCO weather page | Get KOCO on the Go"We’re prepared. We have gas that’s been in storage," said Chad Previch with ONG. "Our pipelines have been advanced as well, and I think being able to purchase gas outside of our region has helped as well." After the early 2021 winter storm, ONG officials said it has made the right move to mitigate price hikes. In addition to new purchasing strategies, they have also positioned compressed natural gas trailers throughout the state to lessen the impact of potential service disruptions. "If there’s a pressure situation, those trailers help mitigate some of those issues," Previch said. "We haven’t seen anything that happened in 2021, which is good, and so for right now, we’re just focused on providing that natural gas reliably to our customers."| MORE | Oklahoma AG continues to push to hold energy companies accountable for winter storm price surgesAttorney General Gentner Drummond recently said he was preparing legal action against middlemen. He said he believes natural gas marketers were responsible for exorbitant rate hikes in 2021, not the natural gas providers. "In this case, what it appears as though, as I mentioned, a short squeeze, where those who supply the gas manipulated the supply to reduce it in anticipation of our greatest need," Drummond said in July 2023. In December, Drummond's office rolled out an online tip form, encouraging anyone with information to report evidence of market manipulation or questionable activity during those storms in 2021. For customers, ONG recommended they check weather stripping on windows and doors and clean air filters to make sure homes are being heated effectively and efficiently. Top Headlines TIMELINE: Snow expected to move into Oklahoma overnight, causing possible slick spots Chesapeake Energy announces merger with Houston-based company Investigation underway after person shot, killed outside Beckham County oilfield business WATCH: High school robotics team finishes first prototype of wheelchair for a pup named Roo Rossen Reports: Here’s where travel prices are dropping right now As temperatures drop, natural gas usage will likely go up, which can lead to higher bills for Oklahomans. Oklahoma Natural Gas officials said they have taken multiple steps to prevent prices from spiking since the bitter temperatures back in 2021. >> Check live radar | KOCO weather page | Get KOCO on the Go "We’re prepared. We have gas that’s been in storage," said Chad Previch with ONG. "Our pipelines have been advanced as well, and I think being able to purchase gas outside of our region has helped as well." After the early 2021 winter storm, ONG officials said it has made the right move to mitigate price hikes. In addition to new purchasing strategies, they have also positioned compressed natural gas trailers throughout the state to lessen the impact of potential service disruptions. "If there’s a pressure situation, those trailers help mitigate some of those issues," Previch said. "We haven’t seen anything that happened in 2021, which is good, and so for right now, we’re just focused on providing that natural gas reliably to our customers." | MORE | Oklahoma AG continues to push to hold energy companies accountable for winter storm price surges Attorney General Gentner Drummond recently said he was preparing legal action against middlemen. He said he believes natural gas marketers were responsible for exorbitant rate hikes in 2021, not the natural gas providers. "In this case, what it appears as though, as I mentioned, a short squeeze, where those who supply the gas manipulated the supply to reduce it in anticipation of our greatest need," Drummond said in July 2023. In December, Drummond's office rolled out an online tip form, encouraging anyone with information to report evidence of market manipulation or questionable activity during those storms in 2021. For customers, ONG recommended they check weather stripping on windows and doors and clean air filters to make sure homes are being heated effectively and efficiently.
• TIMELINE: Snow expected to move into Oklahoma overnight, causing possible slick spots
• WATCH: High school robotics team finishes first prototype of wheelchair for a pup named Roo
• Rossen Reports: Here’s where travel prices are dropping right now
Topics: ESG