<ARTICLE>UT <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the Form 10-Q for September 30, 1996, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <CIK>0000945979 <NAME> MOBILE ENERGY SERVICES HOLDINGS, INC. <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-Mos <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 357,342 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 0 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 36,373 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 14,359 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 408,074 <COMMON> 1 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 41,367 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 4,111 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 45,479 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 303,481 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> (7,350) <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 59,114 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 408,074 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 62,728 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 2,857 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 33,217 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 36,074 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 26,654 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 681 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 27,335 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 22,622 <NET-INCOME> 4,713 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 4,713 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 9,344 <EPS-PRIMARY> 4,713 <EPS-DILUTED> 4,713