<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM NATIONAL FUEL
GAS COMPANY'S  CONSOLIDATED  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES AND IS QUALIFIED
IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.


<MULTIPLIER> 1,000

                                                  
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                             12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                    SEP-30-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                       OCT-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                         SEP-30-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                            PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                              2,361,232
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                    0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                   250,102
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                  14,266
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                           216,986
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                         2,842,586
<COMMON>                                                  38,837
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                431,952
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                      472,517
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                           939,293
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                          0
<PREFERRED>                                                    0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                     822,743
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                       245,995
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                      0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                           147,500
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                             69,608
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                    0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                               0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                           617,447
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                          2,842,586
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                              1,263,274
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                      64,829
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                             1,006,437
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                             1,071,266
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                  192,008
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                        12,343
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                           204,351
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                  87,698
<NET-INCOME>                                             115,037
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                    0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                            115,037
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                  70,632
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                 54,501
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                   267,504
<EPS-BASIC>                                                 2.98
<EPS-DILUTED>                                               2.95