<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF ENERGEN CORPORATION FOR THE SIX-MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 1998, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000277595 <NAME> ENERGEN CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1998 <PERIOD-START> OCT-1-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 306,772 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 428,171 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 159,525 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 20,097 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 914,565 <COMMON> 291 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 191,325 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 152,447 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 344,063 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 378,144 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 46,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 1,859 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 144,499 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 914,565 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 323,861 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> (2,427) <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 266,293 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 263,866 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 57,568 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (13,576) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 61,320 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 14,901 <NET-INCOME> 46,419 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 46,419 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> (8,980) <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 10,738 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 75,827 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.60 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.59