<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the
     combined  financial  statements for the year ended December 31, 1997 and is
     qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                            DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                 DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                             2,110
<SECURITIES>                                           0
<RECEIVABLES>                                     16,100
<ALLOWANCES>                                         191
<INVENTORY>                                            0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                  41,401
<PP&E>                                         1,784,957
<DEPRECIATION>                                   335,742
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,502,024
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                            152,526
<BONDS>                                          872,285
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  0
<PREFERRED>                                            0
<COMMON>                                           8,501
<OTHER-SE>                                       424,025
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   1,502,024
<SALES>                                                0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 502,569
<CGS>                                                  0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                    244,501
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                  60,817
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     464
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                50,148
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                  137,489
<INCOME-TAX>                                      50,185
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                               87,304
<DISCONTINUED>                                         0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      (38)
<CHANGES>                                              0
<NET-INCOME>                                      87,266
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       1.13
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       1.09