WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE. <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> 06-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1998 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 2,012,069 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 0 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 351,380 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 6,912 <OTHER-ASSETS> 236,178 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,606,539 <COMMON> 38,298 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 408,703 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 446,565 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 892,391 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 543,410 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 283,235 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 95,000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 153,572 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 638,931 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,606,539 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 833,669 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 13,210 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 784,407 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 797,617 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 36,052 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 26,762 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 62,814 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 43,713 <NET-INCOME> 7,156 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 7,156 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 33,186 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 122,657 <EPS-PRIMARY> .19 <EPS-DILUTED> .18