<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY'S CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-2000 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-2000 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 2,377,824 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 0 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 334,150 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 13,523 <OTHER-ASSETS> 222,054 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,947,551 <COMMON> 39,111 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 444,029 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 552,198 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,015,684 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 960,734 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 74,029 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 199,200 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 12,549 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 685,355 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,947,551 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 894,798 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 62,516 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 670,971 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 733,487 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 161,311 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 5,365 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 166,676 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 48,081 <NET-INCOME> 115,919 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 115,919 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 36,238 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 184,970 <EPS-BASIC> 2.97 <EPS-DILUTED> 2.94