-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 E9mR5g7nC4lFV4v8WJiYvIiinFUMCGIPoZQe0Dbu8Jqx5KT6zP4WQyRQlgKEO2D0
 PCMudO2eclGTkSP8PQ8E7A==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209938-03-000002.txt : 20030523
<SEC-HEADER>0001209938-03-000002.hdr.sgml : 20030523
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030523114134
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209938-03-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030521
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030523

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:			RAMSDELL JAMES D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001209938

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-03880
		FILM NUMBER:		03717538

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		NATIONAL FUEL GAS CO
		STREET 2:		10 LAFAYETTE SQUARE
		CITY:			BUFFALO
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			14203
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7168577082

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		NATIONAL FUEL GAS CO
		STREET 2:		10 LAFAYETTE SQUARE
		CITY:			BUFFALO
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			14203
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-21</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000070145</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATIONAL FUEL GAS CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NFG</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001209938</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RAMSDELL JAMES D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6348</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>15.75</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>24494</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnershi
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saction><value>3824</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>ESOP Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>588</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>9088</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>
I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>401k Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.75</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6348</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1994-06-15</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-06-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6348
</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.75</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8652</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>8652</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Routine acquisitions under the NFG ESOP Trust Plan exempt under Rule 16b-3(c), a non-reportable transaction</footnote><footnote id="F2">Routine acquisitions under the NFG 401k Trust Plan exempt under Rule 16b-3(c), a non-reportable transaction</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>James D. Ramsdell</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-21</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownership
Document>

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</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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