<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000880114 <NAME> BELDEN & BLAKE CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 10,467 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 31,660 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 11,384 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 60,905 <PP&E> 557,167 <DEPRECIATION> 47,206 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 598,419 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 41,056 <BONDS> 361,263 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 1,011 <OTHER-SE> 90,533 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 598,419 <SALES> 39,126 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 39,803 <CGS> 20,748 <TOTAL-COSTS> 20,748 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 20,640 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 8,062 <INCOME-PRETAX> (9,647) <INCOME-TAX> (3,376) <INCOME-CONTINUING> (6,271) <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> (6,271) <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0