<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> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-2000 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-2000 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 2,662,570 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 0 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 314,092 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 11,341 <OTHER-ASSETS> 221,165 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,209,168 <COMMON> 39,223 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 448,115 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 542,474 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,011,144 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 958,327 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 318,774 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 200,000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 12,646 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 708,277 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 3,209,168 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,175,999 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 73,839 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 910,806 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 984,645 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 191,354 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 7,636 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 198,990 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 71,746 <NET-INCOME> 124,989 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 124,989 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 55,032 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 261,011 <EPS-BASIC> 3.20 <EPS-DILUTED> 3.17