<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF ALABAMA GAS CORPORATION FOR THE THREE-MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 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> 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> 343 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 126,510 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 5,103 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 429,905 <COMMON> 20 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 34,484 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 109,077 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 143,581 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 125,000 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 25,000 <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> 136,324 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 429,905 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 95,755 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 1,104 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 89,853 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 90,957 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 4,798 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 164 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 4,962 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 2,779 <NET-INCOME> 2,183 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 2,183 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 2,210 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> (4,802) <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>