<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF ALABAMA GAS CORPORATION FOR THE NINE-MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 1997, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000003146 <NAME> ALABAMA GAS CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1997 <PERIOD-START> OCT-1-1996 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 286,894 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 342 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 88,155 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 7,926 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 383,317 <COMMON> 20 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 34,484 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 111,995 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 146,499 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 125,000 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 8,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 103,818 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 383,317 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 313,603 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 13,300 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 269,003 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 282,303 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 31,300 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 712 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 32,012 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 8,341 <NET-INCOME> 23,671 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 23,671 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 6,720 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 6,632 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 21,498 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0 <FN> <F1>Alabama Gas Corporation (Alagasco) is a subsidiary of Energen Corporation. Earnings per share is not calculated for Alagasco as amount would not be meaningful. </FN>