Frequently Asked Questions

What states produce the most natural gas?

Why are natural gas prices volatile?

Is the Natural Gas supply adequate?

What should I do about high Natural Gas costs?

What is the most beneficial plan for my business?

How safe is natural gas?

Is it true that natural gas-fired equipment is more efficient than oil-fired equipment?

What is natural gas composed of and is it safe for the environment?

Additional Natural Gas Information >>>

Natural gas meets one-fourth of our country’s energy needs and is the fastest-growing major energy source in the United States.

It is used primarily as a heating source for homes and businesses; however, it is also used to manufacture a wide range of products such as fertilizer, aspirin, automobiles, steel, plastics, processed food and electric power.

Historically natural gas has been a low-cost fuel that burns cleaner, with fewer emissions than other fossil fuels.

(Source: American Gas Association.)

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In 2005, there were 18.2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of dry natural gas produced in the U.S.

The top producing states are :

  • Texas – 5.3 Tcf
  • Oklahoma – 1.7 Tcf
  • New Mexico 1.6 Tcf
  • Wyoming 1.6 Tcf
  • Louisiana 1.3 Tcf
  • Colorado 1.1 Tcf

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In general, the volatility in the wholesale natural gas market is tied to :

Weather. Often the biggest factor in how much residential customers pay for natural gas is the role of weather, an unpredictable and unavoidable element, from winter temperatures to tropical storms and hurricanes off the Gulf Coast where oil and natural gas are produced.

The economy. Higher costs for all fuels drive up natural gas costs.

Electric generation. As more power plants use natural gas to generate electricity, the fuel plays an ever-increasing role in the U.S. economy. As it has become the clean fuel of choice, natural gas becomes more in demand and more expensive, resulting in both higher gas and electric costs.

Demand. Global demand for natural gas is also on the rise, particularly in the United States and China.

Several factors that increase demand for natural gas and contribute to higher natural gas prices are :

  • A tight-supply/high-demand market has become the norm since 2002. The average price for gas has increased more than twofold since then.
  • A higher-than-normal number of tropical storms and major hurricanes have disrupted production off the Gulf Coast.
  • The United States imports some gas supplies from Canada. Production fell for the first time in more than 15 years last season. Gas reserves in Canada are now being depleted faster than new reserves are being found.
  • Interstate pipelines are operating near capacity because the market has been so tight during the past few years.

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Yes, the United States currently has adequate supplies of natural gas. However, gas supplies will continue to get tighter until new sources for exploration and drilling are developed. Almost all the natural gas used in our country comes from the United States and Canada, in sharp contrast to heating oil and other petroleum products-more than half of which must be imported from foreign countries.

Demand for natural gas will likely lead to an increase of imported gas. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipped from overseas currently supplies about 3% of the U.S. natural gas demand. To meet growing demand, LNG supplies will gradually increase as new facilities are built to process deliveries from overseas suppliers.

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  • Continue your normal conservation practices
  • Review equipment upgrades and other proposals
  • Energy savings on new equipment might be more attractive now than in past years.
  • Call your Tiger Natural Gas, Inc. account representative for more information.
  • If you do not know your Tiger account representative, please contact Tracy Phillips at:
    (918) 491-6998 ext. 202.

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Tiger understands the needs of its commercial and industrial customers. We recognize that each customer’s need varies, just as each business differs. Therefore we ask that you please contact Tracy Phillips (ext. 202), so we may review your requirements and provide you with a custom energy plan tailored to meet your needs.

Natural gas is one of the safest forms of energy available. Because natural gas is 40% lighter than air, it will dissipate harmlessly into the air in the unlikely event of leak.

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Yes. Natural gas equipment can be modulated to match the heating requirements at various ambient temperatures. This provides efficiency gains over other equipment and results in savings on fuel costs.

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Natural Gas is composed mostly of methane. The emissions from methane combustion are carbon dioxide and water. Natural gas emits fewer greenhouse gases than any other fossil fuel. It also burns more efficiently, so it requires less fuel to produce an equal amount of energy.

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  • Natural gas supplies nearly one-fourth (23 percent) of all of the energy used in the United States. In 2004, the U.S. consumed 22.4 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas.
  • Due to its efficiency, cleanliness and reliability, natural gas is growing increasingly popular. Consumption of natural gas will increase 20 percent by 2030, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
  • Most of the growth in natural gas demand comes from electricity generators, who have turned to natural gas because it is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel and highly efficient.
  • Natural gas is delivered to customers through a safe, sound, 2.2-million mile underground pipeline system that includes:
    • 1.9 million miles of local utility distribution pipes (1.1 million miles of utility mains, plus 800,000 miles of utility service lines); and
    • 300,000 miles of transmission lines.
  • Most (84 percent) of the natural gas consumed in the United States is produced in the U.S. Canada provides much of the rest (13 percent), with 3 percent imported as liquefied natural gas (LNG).
  • Production from the lower-48 states will remain the largest component of U.S. natural gas supply, but producers will be challenged to keep production between 18 and 19 quadrillion Btu’s per year.
  • Canadian exports are expected to fall from 3.3 quads annually to 2.3 quads by 2020.
  • In Alaska, huge quantities of natural gas found in the North Slope region are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the state’s total natural gas resources, but these supplies will remain stranded there until an Alaskan natural gas pipeline is built.
  • Imports of LNG will continue to rise – growing from 3 percent of U.S. natural gas supply in 2003 to 22 percent in 2020. This because it is the best energy value.
  • 99 percent of the natural gas we use in the United States comes from North America, and supplies are abundant.
  • The 2 million-mile underground natural gas delivery system has an outstanding safety record.
  • Regardless of the weather, you can depend on your natural gas utility to bring you America’s best energy value.
  • Natural gas is today’s environmental energy choice — increased use of natural gas can help address several environmental concerns simultaneously, including smog, acid rain and greenhouse gas emissions.

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