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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * SMITH DAVID F   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol NATIONAL FUEL GAS CO [NFG] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Executive Chairman (Last) (First) (Middle) 6363 MAIN STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/15/2013 (Street) WILLIAMSVILLE, 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 12/27/2012   G V 495 D $ 0 156,965 D   Common Stock 03/15/2013   M   50,000 A $ 59.78 206,965 D   Common Stock 03/15/2013   F   23,548 (1) D $ 59.78 183,417 D   Common Stock 03/15/2013   F   13,640 (1) D $ 59.78 169,777 D   Common Stock               51,902 I Held by Spouse Common Stock 03/15/2013   J V 154 (2) A $ 0 15,956 I 401k Trust Common Stock 03/15/2013   J V 3 (3) A $ 0 1,822 I ESOP 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)

$ 28.155

03/15/2013

M

50,000

06/29/2005

03/29/2015

Common Stock

50,000

$ 0

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SMITH DAVID F 6363 MAIN STREET WILLIAMSVILLE, NY 14221	X		Executive Chairman

Signatures

Paula M. Ciprich, Attorney in Fact		03/19/2013
**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 March 15, 2013, the reporting person exercised 50,000 stock options, delivered 23,548 shares of Common Stock of the Company for cancellation in payment of the exercise price of such options, and had 13,640 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.
(3)	Routine acquisition under the NFG ESOP Plan Trust, exempt under Rule 16b-3(c), a non-reportable transaction.

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