<ARTICLE>   UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
EXTRACTED
FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF ENERGEN CORPORATION
FOR THE THREEMONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 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>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      328,478
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    563,166
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         166,315
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        18,846
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,076,805
<COMMON>                                           295
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      202,098
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            129,410
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 331,803
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           372,784
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             190,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                    4,984
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 177,234
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                1,076,805
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      113,968
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             (278)
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     101,007
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     100,729
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         12,961
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             (9,397)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  13,717
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         9,875
<NET-INCOME>                                     3,842
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                    3,842
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         4,711
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                        6,820
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          28,913
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.13
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.13