March 9, 2006 - El Paso, Texas - Texas Gas Service customers will see a lower gas bill for the second consecutive month due to decreasing natural gas prices. With spring on the horizon gas prices dropped another 13 percent from January. The cost of gas for March will be $.68698 per Ccf (hundred cubic feet of gas), down from February's $.77396 per Ccf.
Compared to this same time last year, El Pasoans are paying 18 percent more, keeping with the trend of higher gas costs in 2006. Even with the warmer weather, residents should continue to practice conservation throughout this month. The average customer in El Paso can expect to pay $70 for their March bill.
Richard Fleager, vice president for Texas Gas Service's Western Region, encourages El Paso customers to continue to monitor their gas use. "Spring is just around the corner, but mornings can still be cooler during March. If customers have not signed up for our ABC Plan yet, I encourage them to start now; it's never too soon to prepare for next winter's bills."
Texas Gas Service created the ABC Plan to help customers budget for their natural gas payments throughout the year. The initial ABC payment is calculated by averaging the customer's gas bill over the last twelve months. Then twice a year, Texas Gas Service compares the payment to the actual usage, and makes an adjustment upward or downward. Texas Gas Service strongly recommends that its customers join the Average Bill Calculation (ABC) plan because the Plan makes the billing predictable and easy on the customers' budget. Customers should call (915) 562-8411.
Texas Gas Service provides natural gas service to approximately 565,000 customers in the state of Texas, including customers in Austin, El Paso, the Gulf Coast and the Rio Grande Valley. Texas Gas Service is a division of Tulsa-based ONEOK, Inc., (NYSE: OKE), a diversified energy company and a leader in the gathering, processing, storage and transportation of natural gas in the mid-continent region of the U.S. ONEOK owns one of the nation's premier natural gas liquids (NGL) systems, connecting much of the NGL supply in the mid-continent with two key market centers. Its energy services operation focuses primarily on marketing natural gas and related services throughout the U.S. ONEOK is the majority general partner of Northern Border Partners L.P. (NYSE: NBP), one of the largest publicly-traded limited partnerships. ONEOK is a Fortune 500 company.
For information about ONEOK, Inc. visit the Web site: www.oneok.com.