FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * CIPRICH PAULA M   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol NATIONAL FUEL GAS CO [NFG] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) General Counsel & Secretary (Last) (First) (Middle) 6363 MAIN STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/24/2012 (Street) BUFFALO, NY 14221 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/24/2012   M   6,418 A $ 24.495 54,544 D   Common Stock 02/24/2012   F   3,130 (1) D $ 50.215 51,414 D   Common Stock 02/24/2012   F   1,185 (1) D $ 50.215 50,229 D   Common Stock 02/24/2012   J V 23 (2) A $ 0 7,163 I 401k Trust

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 24.495

02/24/2012

M

6,418

03/14/2005

03/15/2012

Common Stock

6,418

$ 0

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
CIPRICH PAULA M 6363 MAIN STREET BUFFALO, NY 14221			General Counsel & Secretary

Signatures

James R. Peterson, Attorney in Fact		02/28/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	On February 24, 2012, the reporting person exercised 6,418 stock options, delivered 3,130 shares of Common Stock of the Company for cancellation in payment of the exercise price of such options, and had 1,185 shares of Common Stock of the Company withheld and cancelled to cover minimum required tax withholding. These shares cancellations are shown on Table I as dispositions (Transaction Code "D" in column 4), although none of these cancelled shares were sold into the market, as indicated by Transaction Code "F" in column 3.
(2)	Routine acquisition under the NFG 401(k) Plan Trust, exempt under Rule 16b-3(c), a non-reportable transaction.

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