UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BEFORE THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
_________________________________
IN THE MATTER OF
NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY CERTIFICATE
FILE NO. 70-8975 PURSUANT TO
RULE 24
(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 Declaration,
as amended, of National Fuel Gas Company ("National"), in the above
file, and pursuant to the Order dated February 18, 1997 of the
Securities and Exchange Commission with respect thereto.
On December 11, 1997, the Compensation Committee of the Board
of Directors of National awarded stock options pertaining to 650,345
shares of National's common stock pursuant to the National Fuel Gas
Company 1997 Award and Option Plan ("Plan"), to the following 46
individuals:
Name Number of options granted
B. J. Kennedy 150,000 *
P. C. Ackerman 100,000 *
R. Hare 30,000 *
G. T. Wehrlin 25,000
J. P. Pawlowski 25,000
B. H. Hale 25,000
D. F. Smith 25,000
D. J. Seeley 25,000
W. E. DeForest 25,000
J. A. Beck 25,000
R. J. Kreppel 12,500
J. R. Pustulka 12,500
W. A. Ross 12,500
R. J. Tanski 12,500
R. W. Wilcox 12,500
A. M. Cellino 12,500
J. D. Ramsdell 12,500
R. J. Wright 12,500
C. M. Carlotti 10,000
S. Wagner 10,000
P. M. Ciprich 10,000
J. R. Peterson 10,000
J. F. Kronenwetter 7,500
B. D. Heine 3,000
D. L. DeCarolis 3,000
R. J. Grabowski 2,500
R. C. Kraemer 2,500
J. W. Lesch 2,500
G. C. Reming 2,500
D. Wassum 2,500
C. W. Lee 2,345
C. L. Donelson 2,000
M. P. Kasprzak 2,000
T. R. Roseler 2,000
D. P. Rynkowski 2,000
J. S. Smyczynski 2,000
J. Solomon 2,000
R. G. Butterson 2,000
R. C. Fiorella 2,000
D. A. Rowekamp 2,000
R. J. Dauer 1,500
R. G. Leone 1,500
J. J. Loesch 1,500
L. J. Taylor 1,500
L. A. Giermek 1,500
R. W. Sprague 1,500
* Also awarded an equal number of Stock Appreciation Rights
"SAR's".
On December 11, 1997, the Compensation Committee of
the Board of Directors of National awarded restricted stock to
the following two individuals:
Name Number of shares
B. J. Kennedy 5,609
J. A. Beck 2,000
In witness WHEREOF, National has caused this
certificate to be executed this 12th day of January, 1998
By /s/ James R. Peterson
James R. Peterson
Assistant Secretary
