<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE FORM 10K FOR SEPTEMBER 1996, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000003146 <NAME> ALABAMA GAS CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1995 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 276,533 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 394 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 90,012 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 7,467 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 374,406 <COMMON> 20 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 34,484 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 95,044 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 129,548 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 125,000 <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> 119,858 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 374,406 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 357,252 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 9,047 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 321,982 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 331,029 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 26,223 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 323 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 26,546 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 9,585 <NET-INCOME> 16,961 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 16,961 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 9,555 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 7,390 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 34,333 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0<F1> <EPS-DILUTED> 0<F1> <FN> <F1>EARNINGS PER SHARE IS CALCULATED FOR ENERGEN CORPORATION (PARENT COMPANY OF ALAGASCO) AND IS NOT CALCULATED FOR ALAGASCO SEPARATELY AS AMOUNT WOULD NOT BE MEANINGFUL. </FN>