National Fuel Gas Company Announces Management Changes.

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. -- National Fuel Gas Company ("National Fuel" or the "Company") (NYSE: NFG) today announced that, effective April 1, 2005, and in furtherance of the Company's policy of cross-training its officers, Dennis J. Seeley was elected President of National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation, the utility company that provides natural gas service to approximately 730,000 customers in western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania, and David F. Smith was elected President of National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, an interstate pipeline and storage company, and of Empire State Pipeline, an intrastate pipeline company located in New York. The Company also announced the elections of both Seeley and Smith to the position of Vice President of National Fuel Gas Company, also effective April 1, 2005. Philip C. Ackerman will retain his position as Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of National Fuel Gas Company.

Previously, Seeley had been President of National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, a post he had assumed in 2000. In his new role, his responsibilities will include oversight of the Company's Timber, International and Exploration and Production segments. Smith had served as President of National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation since 1999. Beginning in April, Smith will be responsible for the oversight of the Pipeline and Storage segment and for general and administrative matters for the Parent Company and its regulated subsidiaries.

Seeley joined National Fuel's utility company in 1965 and worked in a variety of positions within its Engineering department before becoming Assistant Vice President for Operations in 1986. He became Senior Vice President of National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation in 1991 and served as Senior Vice President of National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation from 1993 until 1997. In 1997, he was named Senior Vice President of National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation. Seeley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. He is a board member of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America and the Operations Technology Development Company, and an Advisory Board member of the Gas Technology Institute. Seeley's involvement in the community includes serving as a board member for the Canisius College Business Advisory Council to the Richard J. Wehle School of Business and the Niagara Frontier Industry Education Council, Inc.

Smith joined the company in 1978 while he completed law school. He was appointed Assistant Secretary of National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation in 1985 and elected Secretary in 1986. He previously served as President of National Fuel Resources, Inc. He was elected Senior Vice President of National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation in 1993 and President in 1999. Smith is a 1974 graduate of the State University of New York at Fredonia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He also received a Juris Doctor degree in 1978 from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. Smith serves on the boards of directors of the following organizations: Western New York Public Broadcasting Association, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, Buffalo Niagara Partnership, Arts in Education, the Energy Association of Pennsylvania and the Northeast Gas Association. He is also a member of the Leadership Council of the American Gas Association, the Dean's Advisory Council of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, and the New York State and Erie County Bar Associations.

National Fuel is an integrated natural gas company with $3.9 billion in assets comprised of the following six operating segments: Utility, Pipeline and Storage, Exploration and Production, International, Energy Marketing and Timber. Additional information about National Fuel is available on its internet web site: http://www.nationalfuelgas.com or through its investor information service at 1 [phone].