<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000014525
<NAME> BROOKLYN UNION GAS CO.
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    1,358,243
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    474,920
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         506,794
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       120,230
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               2,460,187
<COMMON>                                        16,678
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      538,229
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            382,430
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 937,337
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                      6,600
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           712,031
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  28,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                        0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                          300
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 775,919
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                2,460,187
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      446,726
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            23,434
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     365,834
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     389,268
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         57,458
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               (953)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  56,505
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        11,704
<NET-INCOME>                                    44,801
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         79
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   44,722
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        18,264
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       10,230
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          33,697
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.90
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.90