<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000880114 <NAME> BELDEN & BLAKE CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 11,293 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 28,534 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 9,575 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 53,343 <PP&E> 311,766 <DEPRECIATION> 79,526 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 296,400 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 32,929 <BONDS> 99,566 <COMMON> 1,117 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 2,400 <OTHER-SE> 149,346 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 296,400 <SALES> 107,472 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 110,026 <CGS> 58,788 <TOTAL-COSTS> 58,788 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 30,168 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 5,587 <INCOME-PRETAX> 15,483 <INCOME-TAX> 5,031 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 10,452 <DISCONTINUED> (439) <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 10,013 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.88 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.88