<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000014525
<NAME> BROOKLYN UNION GAS CO.
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    1,365,756
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    532,508
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         474,638
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       120,862
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               2,493,764
<COMMON>                                        16,735
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      542,968
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            444,346
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,004,049
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                      6,300
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           724,551
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  43,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                        0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                          300
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 715,564
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                2,493,764
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,036,008
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            66,564
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     819,131
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     885,695
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        150,313
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             (2,640)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 147,673
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        22,551
<NET-INCOME>                                   125,122
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        157
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  124,965
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        36,591
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       19,489
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         119,590
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.50
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     2.50