RALPH E. DAVIS ASSOCIATES, INC.

                      Consultants-Petroleum and Natural Gas
                         3555 Timmons Lane - Suite 1105
                              Houston, Texas 77027
                                 (713) 622-8955


                               CONSENT OF ENGINEER


             We hereby  consent to the  reproduction  of our audit  report dated
October 9, 1997,  and to the  reference to our estimate  dated  October 1, 1997,
appearing in this National Fuel Gas Company Annual Report on Form 10-K.

             We  also  consent  to the  incorporation  by  reference  in (i) the
Registration  Statement  (Form S-8, No.  2-95439),  as amended,  relating to the
National Fuel Gas Company 1983 Incentive Stock Option Plan and the National Fuel
Gas  Company  1984  Stock  Plan,  and  in the  related  Prospectuses,  (ii)  the
Registration Statements (Form S-8, No. 33-28037, No. 333-3055, and Nos. 2-97641,
33-17341 and  333-3057),  as amended,  relating to the National Fuel Gas Company
Tax-Deferred Savings Plan and the National Fuel Gas Company Tax-Deferred Savings
Plan for Non-Union  Employees,  respectively,  and in the related  Prospectuses,
(iii) the Registration Statement (Form S-3, No. 333-03803), as amended, relating
to $500,000,000 of National Fuel Gas Company debentures and/or medium term notes
and, in the related Prospectus,  (iv) the Registration  Statement (Form S-3, No.
33-51881),  as amended,  relating  to the  National  Fuel Gas  Company  Dividend
Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan, and in the related  Prospectuses,  (v) the
Registration  Statement (Form S-3, No.  33-36868),  as amended,  relating to the
National  Fuel Gas Company  Customer  Stock  Purchase  Plan,  and in the related
Prospectus,  and (vi) the Registration  Statement (Form S-8, No.  33-49693),  as
amended,  relating to the National  Fuel Gas Company 1993 Award and Option Plan,
and in the related  Prospectus;  of the reproduction of our report dated October
9, 1997, appearing in this National Fuel Gas Company Annual Report on Form 10-K.

                                               RALPH E. DAVIS ASSOCIATES, INC.

                                               /s/ Allen C. Barron
                                               Allen C. Barron, P.E.
                                               Vice President

Houston, Texas
October     , 1997