<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000880114 <NAME> BELDEN & BLAKE CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-2000 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-2000 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 5,396 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 22,676 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 2,172 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 34,417 <PP&E> 447,261 <DEPRECIATION> 204,449 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 291,863 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 33,284 <BONDS> 285,458 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 1,030 <OTHER-SE> (46,929) <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 291,863 <SALES> 79,777 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 82,312 <CGS> 38,246 <TOTAL-COSTS> 38,246 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 15,597 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 22,114 <INCOME-PRETAX> 6,355 <INCOME-TAX> 1,484 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 4,871 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 1,360 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 3,511 <EPS-BASIC> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0