<ARTICLE>        UT  
<LEGEND>               
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF ALABAMA GAS CORPORATION FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED  
MARCH 31, 1999, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.      
</LEGEND>   
<CIK>            0000003146  
<NAME>           ALABAMA GAS CORPORATION  
<MULTIPLIER>     1,000
             
                                
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS            
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               SEP-30-1999 
<PERIOD-END>                    MAR-31-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                       PER-BOOK  
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>           304,170 
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>             309 
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>              117,695  
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>              4,275  
<OTHER-ASSETS>                            0  
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                      426,449  
<COMMON>                                 20  
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>            34,484 
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                 148,257  
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>      182,761  
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                     0  
<PREFERRED>                               0  
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                119,650 
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                        0  
<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>      124,038  
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>       426,449 
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>           216,249 
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                 16,198  
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          166,314 
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>          182,512 
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>              33,737 
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                    (315) 
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>       33,422 
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>              5,369 
<NET-INCOME>                         28,053 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>               0  
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>        28,053  
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                  0 
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>             4,342 
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>               38,241     
<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>