<ARTICLE> OPUR1 <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS FOR THE 1998 FISCAL YEAR'S SECOND QUARTER ENDED FEBRUARY 28, 1998, AND FOR THE CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AT AUGUST 31, 1997, FOR ONEOK, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> SEP-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> FEB-28-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,335,038 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 156,934 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 539,948 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 302,925 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,334,845 <COMMON> 329,600 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 0 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 292,303 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 621,903 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 564,911 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 324,355 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 152,115 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 18,909 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 1,163 <LEASES-CURRENT> 1,228 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 28,358 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,334,845 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 722,054 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 46,611 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 590,805 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 637,416 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 84,638 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 0 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 84,638 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 10,802 <NET-INCOME> 73,836 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 8,976 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 64,860 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 187,648 <EPS-PRIMARY> 2.06 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.43