EXHIBIT 99.1


BELDEN & BLAKE CORPORATION
NEWS RELEASE

5200 Stoneham Road o North Canton, Ohio 44720 o (330) 499-1660 o FAX (330)
497-5463

CONTACT: Patricia A. Harcourt                        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
         Vice President, Administration              February 9, 2004
         E-mail: pharcourt@beldenblake.com

          BELDEN & BLAKE REPORTS SIGNIFICANT WILDCAT DISCOVERIES IN THE
   APPALACHIAN TRENTON/BLACK RIVER TREND AND PLANNED 2004 DRILLING IN THE AREA

         NORTH CANTON, OH -- Belden & Blake Corporation announced that it has
successfully drilled a Trenton/Black River well in Chemung County, New York. On
a two-hour test, the Curren #1 well flowed at 20.5 million cubic feet (MMcf) of
natural gas per day with a flowing pressure of 1,375 pounds per square inch
(psi). The 11,500-foot well was drilled to the Trenton/Black River formation.
The Company is currently installing a pipeline and expects to begin producing
the well within the next 30 days. Following a pipeline expansion scheduled for
completion this summer, the Curren #1 well is expected to produce between 6 and
10 MMcf of natural gas per day. Belden & Blake owns a 49.3% working interest in
the well.

         Belden & Blake also announced the earlier successful completion of a
second exploratory well in the Trenton/Black River trend in New York. The
Harndon #1 well is on production and is currently producing at a 3.5 MMcf of
natural gas per day rate with 2,500 psi of flowing pressure. Upon completion of
the summer pipeline expansion, the well is expected to produce between 4 and 5
MMcf of natural gas per day. The Company owns a 44.6% working interest in the
well.

         The Company also announced as part of its 2004 capital investment plan
that it expects to drill 2 additional exploratory and up to 4 additional
development wells in the immediate area during 2004. It is expected that the
gross cost of a typical vertical well bore will be $2.0 million.

         The information in this release includes forward-looking statements
that are made pursuant to Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements, and the business
prospects of Belden & Blake are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties
which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to differ
materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein. These risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the Company's access to capital,
the market demand for and prices of oil and natural gas, the Company's oil and
gas production and costs of operation, results of the Company's future drilling
activities, the uncertainties of reserve estimates and environmental risks.
These and other risks are described in the Company's 10-K and 10-Q reports and
other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

         Belden & Blake Corporation engages in the exploration, development and
production of natural gas and oil, and the gathering of natural gas in the
Appalachian and Michigan Basins (a region which includes Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
York, and Michigan).

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