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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 yN5212U9Hwun0gVH6xFo9g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001024209-03-000005.txt : 20030609
<SEC-HEADER>0001024209-03-000005.hdr.sgml : 20030609
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030609083536
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001024209-03-000005
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030605
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030609

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NATIONAL FUEL GAS CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000070145
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION [4924]
		IRS NUMBER:				131086010
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NJ
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10 LAFAYETTE SQ
		CITY:			BUFFALO
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			14203
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7168576980

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10 LAFAYETTE SQ
		STREET 2:		10 LAFAYETTE SQ
		CITY:			BUFFALO
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			14203

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			KENNEDY BERNARD J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001024209
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-03880
		FILM NUMBER:		03736651

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		AMERICAN PRECISION INDUSTRIES INC
		STREET 2:		2777 WALDEN AVE
		CITY:			BUFFALO
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			14225
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7166849700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O AMERICAN PRECISION INDUSTRIES INC
		STREET 2:		2777 WALDEN AVE
		CITY:			BUFFALO
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			14225
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-05</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000070145</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATIONAL FUEL GAS CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NFG</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001024209</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KENNEDY BERNARD J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>25000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>15.75</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>678907</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><non
DerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>76766</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Spouse</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.75</value></conversionOrE
xercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>25000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1994-06-15</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-06-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>23652</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><nat
ureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The 25,000 options exercised as well as 19,476 of the 23,652 reported in Column 9, were originally issued as Stock Appreciation Rights on June 15, 1993, and were later converted to Non-Qualified Stock Options on November 20, 2001.  This was approved by the Shareholders at the Special Meeting of Stockholders held on October 16, 2001.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Bernard J. Kennedy</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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