<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF ENERGEN CORPORATION FOR THE THREE-MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000277595 <NAME> ENERGEN CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1998 <PERIOD-START> OCT-1-1997 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 297,949 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 419,842 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 167,369 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 8,603 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 895,901 <COMMON> 145 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 191,624 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 114,003 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 305,772 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 279,602 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 168,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 1,855 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 140,672 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 895,901 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 125,888 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 598 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 112,746 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 113,344 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 13,142 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (6,417) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 13,362 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 7,235 <NET-INCOME> 6,127 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 6,127 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 4,480 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 5,045 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 8,789 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.42 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.42