National Fuel Gas Company Announces Sale of Its Landfill Gas Business

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Fuel Gas Company (“National Fuel” or the “Company”) (NYSE: NFG) announces the closing of the sale of its landfill gas business to Toro Energy GP II, LLC, Toro Energy Holdings II, LP and another undisclosed buyer.

The sale is expected to result in a non-recurring gain in the Company’s fourth quarter, which closes on September 30, 2010. Because of this transaction, the Company is today updating its GAAP earnings guidance for fiscal 2010 to a range of $2.65 to $2.75 per share (from the most recent guidance of $2.60 to $2.70 per share).

“With the sale of our landfill gas business, we continue to make progress on the strategy of divesting our smaller, non-core assets. This transaction, coupled with the previously announced agreement to sell our sawmill operations, demonstrates our commitment to National Fuel’s core businesses, including the development of the Marcellus Shale and the construction of key pipeline infrastructure projects throughout the Appalachian region,” said David F. Smith, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

The Company’s landfill gas operation was maintained under National Fuel’s wholly owned subsidiary Horizon LFG, Inc., which owned and operated seven short-distance landfill gas pipeline companies that purchase, process, transport and resell landfill gas to customers in six states. Ewing Bemiss & Co. was the Company’s exclusive adviser on the transaction.

National Fuel is an integrated energy company with $4.9 billion in assets distributed among the following four operating segments: Exploration and Production, Pipeline and Storage, Utility and Energy Marketing. Additional information about National Fuel is available on its website at investor.nationalfuelgas.com or through its investor information service at 1-800-334-2188.

Certain statements contained herein, including those that are identified by the use of the words “anticipates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “believes,” “seeks,” “will,” “may” and similar expressions, are “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. The Company’s expectations, beliefs and projections contained herein are expressed in good faith and are believed to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that such expectations, beliefs or projections will result or be achieved or accomplished. In addition to other factors, the following are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements: financial and economic conditions, including the availability of credit, and their effect on the Company’s ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms for working capital, capital expenditures and other investments; occurrences affecting the Company’s ability to obtain financing under credit lines or other credit facilities or through the issuance of commercial paper, other short-term notes or debt or equity securities, including any downgrades in the Company’s credit ratings and changes in interest rates and other capital market conditions; changes in economic conditions, including global, national or regional recessions, and their effect on the demand for, and customers’ ability to pay for, the Company’s products and services; the creditworthiness or performance of the Company’s key suppliers, customers and counterparties; economic disruptions or uninsured losses resulting from terrorist activities, acts of war, major accidents, fires, hurricanes, other severe weather, pest infestation or other natural disasters; changes in demographic patterns and weather conditions; changes in the availability and/or price of natural gas or oil and the effect of such changes on the accounting treatment of derivative financial instruments or the valuation of the Company’s natural gas and oil reserves; impairments under the SEC’s full cost ceiling test for natural gas and oil reserves; uncertainty of oil and gas reserve estimates; factors affecting the Company’s ability to successfully identify, drill for and produce economically viable natural gas and oil reserves, including among others geology, lease availability, weather conditions, shortages, delays or unavailability of equipment and services required in drilling operations, insufficient gathering, processing and transportation capacity, and the need to obtain governmental approvals and permits and comply with environmental laws and regulations; significant differences between the Company’s projected and actual production levels for natural gas or oil; changes in the availability and/or price of derivative financial instruments; changes in the price differentials between oil having different quality and/or different geographic locations, or changes in the price differentials between natural gas having different heating values and/or different geographic locations; changes in laws and regulations to which the Company is subject, including those involving derivatives, taxes, safety, employment, climate change, other environmental matters, and exploration and production activities such as hydraulic fracturing; the nature and projected profitability of pending and potential projects and other investments, and the ability to obtain necessary governmental approvals and permits; significant differences between the Company’s projected and actual capital expenditures and operating expenses, and unanticipated project delays or changes in project costs or plans; inability to obtain new customers or retain existing ones; significant changes in competitive factors affecting the Company; governmental/regulatory actions, initiatives and proceedings, including those involving derivatives, acquisitions, financings, rate cases (which address, among other things, allowed rates of return, rate design and retained natural gas), affiliate relationships, industry structure, franchise renewal, and environmental/safety requirements; unanticipated impacts of restructuring initiatives in the natural gas and electric industries; ability to successfully identify and finance acquisitions or other investments and ability to operate and integrate existing and any subsequently acquired business or properties; changes in actuarial assumptions, the interest rate environment and the return on plan/trust assets related to the Company’s pension and other post-retirement benefits, which can affect future funding obligations and costs and plan liabilities; significant changes in tax rates or policies or in rates of inflation or interest; significant changes in the Company’s relationship with its employees or contractors and the potential adverse effects if labor disputes, grievances or shortages were to occur; changes in accounting principles or the application of such principles to the Company; the cost and effects of legal and administrative claims against the Company or activist shareholder campaigns to effect changes at the Company; increasing health care costs and the resulting effect on health insurance premiums and on the obligation to provide other post-retirement benefits; or increasing costs of insurance, changes in coverage and the ability to obtain insurance. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.