CONSOLIDATED NATURAL GAS ANNOUNCES AMENDED MERGER AGREEMENT WITH
                          DOMINION RESOURCES

                  CNG SHAREHOLDERS TO RECEIVE $66.60 PER CNG SHARE
                     IN A COMBINATION OF STOCK AND CASH
 
PITTSBURGH - MAY 11, 1999 - Consolidated Natural Gas Company ("CNG")
[NYSE: CNG] today announced that its Board of Directors unanimously approved
a revised merger agreement with Dominion Resources, Inc. [NYSE: D] under which
CNG shareholders would receive a combination of Dominion common stock and cash
with a firm value of $66.60 per CNG share.  Up to 60 percent of the
consideration to CNG shareholders will be in the form of Dominion common stock
and the balance will be in cash.  The common stock portion of the transaction
is expected to be tax-free to CNG shareholders.

The CNG Board today also announced that after careful consideration it has
rejected the unsolicited proposal from Columbia Energy Group [NYSE: CG].  The
CNG board concluded that the revised Dominion transaction is better for CNG
shareholders due to its certainty and timing, the strategic benefits of a gas
and electric combination, and the upside potential to shareholders of an
investment in the combined CNG/Dominion.

The Board, in reaching its decision, relied in part on the advice of its
financial and regulatory advisors.  In studying a possible combination with
Columbia Energy, a thorough review of the regulatory situation in each of the
principal states in which the combined company would operate was conducted.
This review included the analyses and advice of several regulatory experts,
including former public utility commissioners.

CNG shareholders will receive the Dominion dividend in effect at the time of
the closing of the transaction.  Dominion has said that it intends to maintain
its current dividend of $2.58 per share.

George A. Davidson, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of CNG, said, 
"We believe that a combination of CNG and Dominion best serves our shareholders
because it makes strategic sense and has a straightforward roadmap to
completion.  Together, we will have the scale, scope and skills to be
successful in the competitive energy marketplace."




<PAGE>

                                       -2-


CNG noted that its regulatory filings for the CNG/Dominion combination are
largely completed.  On April 5, 1999, filings were made with the Securities
and Exchange Commission and in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and
West Virginia.  The Hart-Scott-Rodino filing was made on May 10, 1999 and CNG
anticipates filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shortly.  It
is anticipated that the CNG/Dominion transaction would close, at the latest,
in early 2000.

Mr. Davidson continued, "The combined company will be able to offer a complete
line of energy products as the $300 billion gas and electric industries
converge.  The combined company will be able to offer energy, gas and/or
electricity, to both retail and wholesale customers, through the combined
company's generation and pipeline assets.  We expect to cross-market gas to
electric customers and electricity to gas customers.  In addition, the combined
company will benefit from the arbitrage available among fuel sources."

A CNG/Dominion combination will have an energy portfolio of more than 20,000
megawatts of power generation, and nearly 3 trillion cubic feet equivalent in
natural gas and oil reserves producing more than 300 billion cubic feet
equivalent annually.  It will operate a major interstate gas pipeline system
and the largest natural gas storage system in North America.  The combined
company will rank as one of the largest independent oil and gas producers in
North America measured by reserves.

 The combined CNG/Dominion will form one of the nation's largest integrated
 energy companies, serving nearly 4 million retail customers in five states.
 Market capitalization of the combined entity will be approximately $25 
 billion - consisting of approximately $14.4 billion in equity, $9.5 billion
 in debt and minority interests, and $1.1 billion in preferred stock.
 
CNG shareholders will have the right to make an election, subject to
pro-ration, as to whether they would prefer to receive cash or stock.  Under
the terms of the agreement, approximately 40 percent of the CNG shares will be
converted into $66.60 in cash.  Each of the remaining CNG shares will be
converted into a number of shares of Dominion common stock, not to exceed 1.52,
with a value equal to $66.60.  If the value of 1.52 Dominion shares is less
than $66.60, a cash "top-up" will be added to bring the total per share value
to $66.60.  The amount of cash to be paid to CNG shareholders will be reduced,
and replaced by Dominion stock with an equivalent value, if necessary, to
ensure that legal opinions can be delivered that the stock consideration
received by CNG shareholders will not result in the recognition of gain for
tax purposes.




<PAGE>

                                       -3-


The transaction is conditioned, among other things, upon the approvals of
shareholders of both companies, opinions of counsel on the tax-free nature of
the stock portion of the transaction, approvals of various federal regulatory
agencies, and the completion of regulatory processes in the states where the
combined company will operate.  The transaction is not conditioned upon
obtaining financing. 

Merrill Lynch & Co. acted as financial advisor to CNG.  Cahill Gordon & Reindel
and Buchanan, Ingersoll P.C. acted as legal counsel to CNG.

Consolidated Natural Gas Company (CNG) is one of the nation's largest
producers, transporters, distributors and retail marketers of natural gas.
The company's natural gas transmission and distribution operations serve
customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, New York and other
states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.  CNG explores for and
produces oil and natural gas in the United States and Canada, and makes
selective investments abroad.

THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF
SECTION 21E OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.  THE FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO VARIOUS RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES.  DISCUSSION OF
FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM MANAGEMENT'S
PROJECTIONS, FORECASTS, ESTIMATES AND EXPECTATIONS MAY INCLUDE FACTORS THAT ARE
BEYOND THE COMPANY'S ABILITY TO CONTROL OR ESTIMATE PRECISELY, SUCH AS
ESTIMATES OF FUTURE MARKET CONDITIONS AND THE BEHAVIOR OF OTHER MARKET
PARTICIPANTS.  OTHER FACTORS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, WEATHER
CONDITIONS, ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE COMPANY'S SERVICE TERRITORY,
FLUCTUATIONS IN ENERGY-RELATED COMMODITY PRICES, CONVERSION ACTIVITY, OTHER
MARKETING EFFORTS AND OTHER UNCERTAINTIES.  OTHER RISK FACTORS ARE DETAILED
FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE COMPANY'S SEC REPORTS.

                                       #  #  #