Table of Contents
Corporate and General 1. Reports to stockholders.2. Organizational documents.3. Contracts including amendments and agreements.4. Accountants' and auditors' reports.
Information Technology Management 5. Automatic data processing records.
General Accounting Records 6. General and subsidiary ledgers.7. Journals: General and subsidiary.8. Journal vouchers and journal entries.9. Cash books.10. Voucher registers.11. Vouchers.
Insurance 12. Insurance records.
Operations and Maintenance 13. Production--Gas.14. Transmission and distribution--Gas.14.1. Underground storage of natural gas.15. Maintenance work orders and job orders.
Plant and Depreciation 16. Plant ledgers.17. Construction work in progress ledgers.18. Retirement work in progress ledgers.19. Summary sheets.20. Appraisals and valuations.21. Engineering records.22. Contracts relating to natural gas.23. Reclassification of natural gas plant account records.24. Accumulated depreciation and depletion of natural gas plant account
records.
Purchase and Stores 25. Procurement.26. Material ledgers.27. Materials and supplies received and issued.28. Records of sales of scrap and materials and supplies.
Revenue Accounting and Collection 29. Customers' service applications and contracts.30. Rate schedules.31. Maximum demand and demand meter record cards.32. Miscellaneous billing data.33. Revenue summaries.
Tax 34. Tax records.
Treasury 35. Statements of funds and deposits.36. Records of deposits with banks and others.37. Records of receipts and disbursements.
Miscellaneous 38. Statistics.39. Budgets and other forecasts.40. Records of predecessors companies.41. Reports to Federal and State regulatory commissions.42. Advertising.
Schedule of Records and Periods of Retention------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item No. and description Retention period------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporate and General
1. Reports to stockholders: Annual 5 years.
reports or statements to stockholders.2. Organizational documents:
(a) Minute books of stockholders', 5 years or termination of the
directors', and directors' corporation's existence,
committee meetings. whichever occurs first.
(b) Titles, franchises, and 6 years after final non-
licenses: Copies of formal orders appealable order.
of regulatory commissions served
upon the natural gas company.3. Contracts including amendments and
agreements (except contracts provided
for elsewhere):
(a) Service contracts, such as for All contracts, related
management, accounting, and memoranda, and revisions
financial services. should be retained for 4 years
after expiration or until the
conclusion of any contract
disputes pertaining to such
contracts, whichever is later.
(b) Contracts with others for All contracts, related
transportation or for the memoranda, and revisions
purchase, sale or interchange of should be retained for 4 years
product. after expiration or until the
conclusion of any contract
disputes or governmental
proceedings pertaining to such
contracts, whichever is later.
(c) Memoranda essential to For the same periods as
clarifying or explaining contracts to which they
provisions of contracts listed relate.
above, including requests for
discounts.
(d) Card or book records of For the same periods as
contracts, leases, and agreements contracts to which they
made that show dates of relate.
expirations, renewals, memoranda
of receipts, and payments under
such contracts.4. Accountants' and auditors' reports:
(a) Reports of examinations and 5 years after the date of the
audits by accountants and auditors report.
not in the regular employ of the
natural gas company (such as
reports of public accounting firms
and Commission accountants).
(b) Internal audit reports and 5 years after the date of the
working papers. report.
Information Technology Management
5. Automatic data processing records Retain as long as it represents
(retain original source data used as an active viable program or
input for data processing and data for periods prescribed for
processing report printouts for the related output data, whichever
applicable periods prescribed is shorter.
elsewhere in the schedule): Software
program documentation and revisions
thereto.
General Accounting Records
6. General and subsidiary ledgers:
(a) Ledgers:
(1) General ledgers............ 10 years.
(2) Ledgers subsidiary or 10 years.
auxiliary to general ledgers
except ledgers provided for
elsewhere.
(b) Indexes:
(1) Indexes to general ledgers. 10 years.
(2) Indexes to subsidiary 10 years.
ledgers except ledgers
provided for elsewhere.
(c) Trial balance sheets of general 2 years.
and subsidiary ledgers.7. Journals: General and subsidiary.... 10 years.8. Journal vouchers and journal entries
including supporting detail:
(a) Journal vouchers and journal 10 years.
entries.
(b) Analyses, summarizations,
distributions, and other
computations which support journal
vouchers and journal entries:
(1) Charging plant accounts.... 25 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
(2) Charging all other accounts 6 years.9. Cash books: General and subsidiary 5 years after close of fiscal
or auxiliary books. year.10. Voucher registers: Voucher 5 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
registers or similar records when used
as a source document.11. Vouchers:
(a) Paid and canceled vouchers (1 5 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
copy-analysis sheets showing
detailed distribution of charges
on individual vouchers and other
supporting papers).
(b) Original bills and invoices for 5 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
materials, services, etc., paid by
vouchers.
(c) Paid checks and receipts for 5 years.
payments of specific vouchers.
(d) Authorization for the payment 5 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
of specific vouchers.
(e) Lists of unaudited bills Destroy at option.
(accounts payable), list of
vouchers transmitted, and
memoranda regarding changes in
audited bills.
(f) Voucher indexes................ Destroy at option.
Insurance
12. Insurance records:
(a) Records of insurance policies Destroy at option after
in force, showing coverage, expiration.
premiums paid, and expiration
dates.
(b) Records of amounts recovered 6 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
from insurance companies in
connection with losses and of
claims against insurance
companies, including reports of
losses, and supporting papers.
Operations and Maintenance
13. Production--Gas:
(a) Recording instrument charts If the measurement data have
such as pressure (static and/or not been disputed or adjusted,
differential), temperature, destroy after 1 year.
specific gravity, heating value,
etc.
(b) Test of heating value at If the measurement data have
stations and outlying points. not been disputed or adjusted,
destroy after 1 year.
(c) Records of gas produced, out, If the measurement data have
and holder stock. not been disputed or adjusted,
destroy after 1 year.
(d) Analysis of (gas produced) If the measurement data have
B.T.U. and sulphur content. not been disputed or adjusted,
destroy after 1 year.
(e) Well records, including 1 year after field or relevant
clearing, bailing, shooting etc., production area abandoned
records; rock pressure; open flow;
production, gas analysts' reports
etc.
(f) Gas measuring records.......... If the measurement data have
not been disputed or adjusted,
destroy after 1 year.14. Transmission and distribution--Gas:
(a) Substation and transmission If the measurement data have
line log. not been disputed or adjusted,
destroy after 1 year.
(b) System operator's daily logs If the measurement data have
and reports of operation. not been disputed or adjusted,
destroy after 1 year.
(c) Gas measuring records.......... If the measurement data have
not been disputed or adjusted,
destroy after 1 year.
(d) Transmission line operating If the measurement data have
reports. not been disputed or adjusted,
destroy after 1 year.
(e) Compression operation and If the measurement data have
reports. not been disputed or adjusted,
destroy after 1 year.
(f) Recording instrument charts If the measurement data have
such as pressure (static and/or not been disputed or adjusted,
differential), temperature, destroy after 1 year.
specific heating value, etc.14.1 Underground storage of natural
gas:
(a) Well records, reports, and logs 1 year after reservoir, field,
which include data relating to or relevant storage area is
pressures, injected volumes, abandoned.
withdrawn volumes, core analysis,
daily volumes of gas injected into
and withdrawn from reservoir,
cushion, and working gas volumes
for each reservoir.
(b) Records containing information 1 year after reservoir, field,
relating to reservoir gas leakage, or relevant storage area is
showing the total gas leakage, and abandoned.
recycled gas.
(c) Records on back pressure tests 1 year or until superseded.
field data.
(d) Records on back pressure test 1 year or until superseded.
results, gas analysis.15. Maintenance work orders and job
orders:
(a) Authorizations for expenditures 5 years.
for maintenance work to be covered
by work orders, including
memoranda showing the estimates of
costs to be incurred.
(b) Work order sheets to which are 5 years.
posted in detail the entries for
labor, material, and other charges
in connection with maintenance,
and other work pertaining to
natural gas company operations.
(c) Summaries of expenditures on 5 years.
maintenance and job orders and
clearances to operating other
accounts (exclusive of plant
accounts).
Plant and Depreciation
16. Plant ledgers:
(a) Ledgers of natural gas 25 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
company's plant accounts including
land and other detailed ledgers
showing the cost of plant by class.
(b) Continuing plant inventory 25 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
ledger, book or card records
showing description, location,
quantities, cost, etc., of
physical units (or items) of
natural gas plant owned.17. Construction work in progress
ledgers:
(a) Construction work in progress 5 years after clearance to the
ledgers. plant account, provided
continuing plant inventory
records are maintained;
otherwise 5 years after plant
is retired.
(b) Work order sheets to which are 5 years after clearance to the
posted in summary form or in plant account, provided
detail the entries for labor, continuing plant inventory
materials, and other charges for records are maintained;
natural gas company's plant otherwise 5 years after plant
additions and the entries closing is retired.
the work orders to plant in
service at completion.
(c) Authorizations for expenditures 5 years after clearance to the
for additions to natural gas plant account, provided
company plant, including memoranda continuing plant inventory
showing the detailed estimates of records are maintained;
cost, and the bases therefor otherwise 5 years after plant
(including original and revised or is retired.
subsequent authorizations).
(d) Requisitions and registers of 5 years after clearance to the
authorizations for natural gas plant account, provided
company plant expenditures. continuing plant inventory
records are maintained;
otherwise 5 years after plant
is retired.
(e) Completion or performance 5 years after clearance to the
reports showing comparison between plant account, provided
authorized estimates and actual continuing plant inventory
expenditures for natural gas records are maintained;
company plant additions. otherwise 5 years after plant
is retired.
(f) Analysis or cost reports 5 years after clearance to the
showing quantities of materials plant account, provided
used, unit costs, number of man- continuing plant inventory
hours etc., in connection with records are maintained;
completed construction project. otherwise 5 years after plant
is retired.
(g) Records and reports pertaining Destroy at option.
to progress of construction work,
the order in which jobs are to be
completed, and similar records
which do not form a basis of
entries to the accounts.
(h) Well-drilling logs and well 1 year after field or well is
construction records. abandoned.18. Retirement work in progress
ledgers, work orders, and supplemental
records:
(a) Work order sheets to which are 5 years after plant is retired.
posted the entries for removal
costs, materials recovered, and
credits to natural gas company
plant accounts for cost of plant
retirement.
(b) Authorizations for retirement 5 years after plant is retired.
of natural gas company plant,
including memoranda showing the
basis for determination of cost of
plant to be retired, and estimates
of salvage and removal costs.
(c) Registers of retirement work... 5 years.19. Summary sheets, distribution 5 years.
sheets, reports, statements, and
papers directly supporting debits and
credits to natural gas company plant
accounts not covered by construction
or retirement work orders and their
supporting records.20. Appraisals and valuations:
(a) Appraisals and valuations made 3 years after appraisal.
by the company of its properties
or investments or of the
properties or investments of any
associated companies. Includes all
records essential thereto.
(b) Determinations of amounts by
which properties or investments of
the company or any of its
associated companies will be
either written up or written down
as a result of:
(1) Mergers or acquisitions.... 10 years after completion of
transaction or as ordered by
the Commission.
(2) Asset impairments.......... 10 years after recognition of
asset impairment.
(3) Other bases................ 10 years after the asset was
written up or down.21. The original or reproduction of Retained until retired or
engineering records, drawings, and abandoned.
other supporting data for proposed or
as-constructed gas facilities: Maps,
diagrams, profiles, photographs, field
survey notes, plot plan, detail
drawings, records of engineering
studies, and similar records showing
the location of proposed or as-
constructed facilities.22. Contracts relating to natural gas
plant:
(a) Contracts relating to 6 years after plant is retired
acquisition or sale of plant. or sold.
(b) The primary records of gas 6 years after plant is retired
acreage owned, leased or optioned or sold.
excluding deeds and leases but
including such records as lease
sheets, leasehold cards, and
option agreements.23. Records pertaining to 6 years.
reclassification of natural gas plant
accounts to conform to prescribed
systems of accounts including
supporting papers showing the bases
for such reclassifications.24. Records of accumulated provisions
for depreciation and depletion of gas
plant and supporting computation of
expense:
(a) Detailed records or analysis 25 years.
sheets segregating the accumulated
depreciation according to
functional classification of plant.
(b) Records reflecting the service 25 years.
life of property and the
percentage of salvage and cost of
removal for property retired from
each account for depreciable
natural gas plant.
Purchases and Stores
25. Procurement:
(a) Agreements entered into for the
acquisition of goods or the
performance of services. Includes
all forms of agreements not
specifically set forth in
Subsection 7 such as but not
limited to: Letters of intent,
exchange of correspondence, master
agreements, term contracts, rental
agreements, and the various types
of purchase orders:
(1) For goods or services 6 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
relating to plant construction.
(2) For other goods or services 6 years.
(b) Supporting documents including 6 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
accepted and unaccepted bids or
proposals (summaries of unaccepted
bids or proposals may be kept in
lieu of originals) evidencing all
relevant elements of the
procurement.26. Material ledgers: Ledger sheets of 6 years after the date records/
materials and supplies received, ledgers were created.
issued, and on hand.27. Materials and supplies received and 6 years. See Sec. 225.2(g).
issued: Records showing the detailed
distribution of materials and supplies
issued during accounting periods.28. Records of sales of scrap and
materials and supplies:
(a) Authorization for sale of scrap 3 years.
and materials and supplies.
(b) Contracts for sale of scrap and 3 years.
materials and supplies.
Revenue Accounting and Collection
29. Customers' service applications and 4 years after expiration.
contracts: Contracts, including
amendments for extensions of service,
for which contributions are made by
customers and others.30. Rate schedules: General files of 6 years after published rate
published rate sheets and schedules of sheets and schedules are
natural gas company service (including superseded or no longer used
schedules suspended or superseded). to charge for services.31. Maximum demand, pressure, If the measurement data have
temperature, and specific gravity not been disputed or adjusted,
charts and demand meter record card. destroy after 1 year.32. Miscellaneous billing data: Billing Destroy at option.
department's copies of contracts with
customers (other than contracts in
general files).33. Revenue summaries: Summaries of 5 years.
monthly operating revenues according
to classes of service. Including
summaries of forfeited discounts and
penalties.
Tax
34. Tax records:
(a) Copies of tax returns and
supporting schedules filed with
taxing authorities, supporting
working papers, records of appeals
of tax bills, and receipts for
payment. See Subsection 11(b) for
vouchers evidencing disbursements:
(1) Income tax returns......... 2 years after final tax
liability is determined.
(2) Property tax returns....... 2 years after final tax
liability is determined.
(3) Sales and other use taxes.. 2 years.
(4) Other taxes................ 2 years after final tax
liability is determined.
(5) Agreements between 2 years after final tax
associate companies as to liability is determined.
allocation of consolidated
income taxes.
(6) Schedule of allocation of 2 years after final tax
consolidated Federal income liability is determined.
taxes among associate
companies.
(b) Filings with taxing authorities 5 years after discontinuance of
to qualify employee benefit plans. plan.
(c) Information returns and 3 years after final tax
reports to taxing authorities. liability is determined.
Treasury
35. Statements of funds and deposits:
(a) Statements of periodic deposits Retain records for the most
with fund administrators or recent 3 years.
trustees.
(b) Statements of periodic Retain records for the most
withdrawals from fund. recent 3 years.
(c) Statements prepared by fund Retain records until the fund
administrator or trustees of fund is dissolved or terminated.
activity including:.
(1) Beginning of the year fund
balance
(2) Deposits with the fund;
(3) Acquisition of investments
held by the fund;
(4) Disposition of investments
held by the fund;
(5) Disbursements from the
fund, including party to whom
disbursement was made; and,
(6) End of year fund balance.36. Records of deposits with banks and
others:
(a) Statements from depositories Destroy at option after
showing the details of funds completion of audit by
received, disbursed, transferred, independent accountants.
and balances on deposit.
(b) Check stubs, registers, or 3 years.
other records of checks issued.37. Records of receipts and
disbursements:
(a) Daily or other periodic Destroy at option after
statements of fund receipts or completion of annual audit by
disbursements. independent accountants.
(b) Records or periodic statements Destroy at option after
of outstanding vouchers, checks, completion of annual audit by
drafts, etc., issued and not independent accountants.
presented.
(c) Reports of associates showing Destroy at option after
working fund transactions and completion of annual audit by
summaries thereof. independent accountants.
(d) Reports of revenue collections Destroy at option after
by field cashiers, pay stations, completion of annual audit by
etc. independent accountants.
Miscellaneous
38. Statistics: Financial, operating, 5 years.
and statistical reports used for
internal administrative or operating
purposes.39. Budgets and other forecasts 3 years.
(prepared for internal administrative
or operating purposes) of estimated
future income, receipts, and
expenditures in connection with
financing, construction and
operations, including acquisitions and
disposals of properties or investments.40. Records of predecessor companies Retain consistent with the
requirements for the same
types of records of the
natural gas company.41. Reports to Federal and State 5 years.
regulatory commissions including
annual financial, operating, and
statistical reports.42. Advertising: Copies of 2 years.
advertisements by or for the company
on behalf of itself or any associate
company in newspapers, magazines, and
other publications, including costs
and other records relevant thereto
(excluding advertising of appliances,
employment opportunities, routine
notices, and invitations for bids all
of which may be destroyed at option).------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Order 617, 65 FR 48161, Aug. 7, 2000; 65 FR 50638, Aug. 21, 2000]
SUBCHAPTER G_APPROVED FORMS, NATURAL GAS ACT