UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BEFORE THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
_______________________________
IN THE MATTER OF
NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY CERTIFICATE
FILE NO. 70-6912 PURSUANT TO RULE
70-7049 24
70-7581
(Public Utility Holding Company
Act of 1935)
_______________________________
This is to certify, pursuant to Rule 24 under the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended, that the transactions
referred to below have been carried out in accordance with the terms
and conditions of and for the purposes represented by the Declarations
of National Fuel Gas Company ("National"), as amended, in the above
files, and pursuant to the Orders dated January 10, 1984 (File No.
70-6912), April 23, 1984 (File No. 70-6967), January 16, 1985 (File
No. 70-7049), May 1, 1987 (File No. 70-7369) December 28, 1988 (File
No. 70-7581), and March 5, 1993 (File No. 70-8111), of the Securities
and Exchange Commission with respect thereto.
The following individuals, during the period October 1, 1996
through December 31, 1996, exercised Incentive Stock Options ("ISO's")
or Non-Qualified Stock Options ("NSO's") as identified below:
Number of
Number of Shares of
Exercise Shares Stock Used
Type Date Price Acquired in Stock-
of of Per Exercise Through for-Stock
Name Grant Grant Share Date Exercise Exercise
Joseph P. Pawlowski NSO 6/14/90 $23.8125 10/21/96 5,801 3,641
Joseph P. Pawlowski NSO 10/21/91 23.875 10/21/96 3,235 2,036
Robert P. Borneman ISO 6/14/90 23.8125 10/23/96 4,199 1,852
Bruce Hale NSO 1/6/87 19.78125 11/4/96 1,780 -0-
Joseph P. Pawlowski NSO 10/21/91 23.875 11/7/96 2,577 1,585
Joseph P. Pawlowski NSO 10/5/92 25.1875 11/7/96 6,030 3,913
Joseph P. Pawlowski ISO 10/21/91 23.875 11/7/96 2,538 1,561
Joseph P. Pawlowski ISO 10/5/92 25.1875 11/7/96 3,970 2,576
William J. Hill NSO 4/20/88 18.75 11/14/96 7,000 -0-
William J. Hill NSO 6/14/90 23.8125 11/14/96 15,000 -0-
William J. Hill NSO 10/21/91 23.875 11/14/96 17,500 -0-
William J. Hill NSO 10/5/92 25.1875 11/14/96 22,500 -0-
Dennis J. Seeley NSO 3/20/88 18.75 11/14/96 3,000 1,335
Bruce Hale NSO 1/6/87 19.78125 11/11/96 1,000 499
Bruce Hale ISO 10/21/91 23.875 11/11/96 1,000 602
Philip A. Turek ISO 10/21/91 23.875 12/11/96 4,188 672
Philip A. Turek ISO 10/5/92 25.1875 12/11/96 3,970 -0-
Ronald J. Tanski ISO 3/27/89 18.00 12/23/96 247 104
David F. Smith ISO 3/27/89 18.00 12/30/96 750 -0-
Gerald T. Wehrlin NSO 6/14/90 23.8125 12/30/96 2,900 1,648
These were the only exercises of options pursuant to the
National Fuel Gas Company 1984 Stock Plan or the National Fuel Gas
Company 1983 Incentive Stock Option Plan during the period October 1,
1996 - December 31, 1996.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, National has caused this Certificate to be
executed this 10th day of January, 1997.
By /s/ Philip C. Ackerman
Philip C. Ackerman
Senior Vice President
