<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



THE STATE OF TEXAS
                                                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF DALLAS



     That the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Lynne P. Ciuba, H. R.
Smith and David A. Wadsworth, and each of them, her true and lawful attorney or
attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for her
and in her name, place and stead, to sign on her behalf as a director or
officer, or both, as the case may be, of Maxus Energy Corporation (the
"Corporation"), the Corporation's Form 10-K Annual Report pursuant to Section 13
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and to sign any or all amendments to such Form 10-K, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney or attorneys-in-fact, and to each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as she might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


January     7   , 1997
        --------



                                           /s/ Charles L. Blackburn
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                               Charles L. Blackburn
<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



THE STATE OF TEXAS
                                                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF DALLAS



     That the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Lynne P. Ciuba, H. R.
Smith and David A. Wadsworth, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney or
attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf as a director or
officer, or both, as the case may be, of Maxus Energy Corporation (the
"Corporation"), the Corporation's Form 10-K Annual Report pursuant to Section 13
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and to sign any or all amendments to such Form 10-K, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney or attorneys-in-fact, and to each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


January    13   , 1997
        --------



 
                                              /s/ Cedric Bridger
                                  -----------------------------------------
                                                  Cedric Bridger
<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY


THE STATE OF TEXAS
                                                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF DALLAS



     That the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Lynne P. Ciuba, H. R.
Smith and David A. Wadsworth, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney or
attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf as a director or
officer, or both, as the case may be, of Maxus Energy Corporation (the
"Corporation"), the Corporation's Form 10-K Annual Report pursuant to Section 13
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and to sign any or all amendments to such Form 10-K, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney or attorneys-in-fact, and to each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


January    2   , 1997
        -------      



                                           /s/ Linda R. Engelbrecht
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                               Linda R. Engelbrecht
<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



THE STATE OF TEXAS
                                                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF DALLAS



     That the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Lynne P. Ciuba, H. R.
Smith and David A. Wadsworth, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney or
attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf as a director or
officer, or both, as the case may be, of Maxus Energy Corporation (the
"Corporation"), the Corporation's Form 10-K Annual Report pursuant to Section 13
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and to sign any or all amendments to such Form 10-K, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney or attorneys-in-fact, and to each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


January 1, 1997



                                            /s/ George L. Jackson
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                                George L. Jackson
<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



THE STATE OF TEXAS
                                                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF DALLAS



     That the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Lynne P. Ciuba, H. R.
Smith and David A. Wadsworth, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney or
attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf as a director or
officer, or both, as the case may be, of Maxus Energy Corporation (the
"Corporation"), the Corporation's Form 10-K Annual Report pursuant to Section 13
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and to sign any or all amendments to such Form 10-K, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney or attorneys-in-fact, and to each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


January    13   , 1997
        --------      



                                             /s/ Nells Leon
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                                 Nells Leon
<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



THE STATE OF TEXAS
                                                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF DALLAS



     That each undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Lynne P. Ciuba, H. R.
Smith and David A. Wadsworth, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney or
attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf as a director or
officer, or both, as the case may be, of Maxus Energy Corporation (the
"Corporation"), the Corporation's Form 10-K Annual Report pursuant to Section 13
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and to sign any or all amendments to such Form 10-K, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney or attorneys-in-fact, and to each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


January    15   , 1997
        --------



                                            /s/ James R. Lesch
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                                James R. Lesch
<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



THE STATE OF TEXAS
                                                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF DALLAS



     That the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Lynne P. Ciuba, H. R.
Smith and David A. Wadsworth, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney or
attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf as a director or
officer, or both, as the case may be, of Maxus Energy Corporation (the
"Corporation"), the Corporation's Form 10-K Annual Report pursuant to Section 13
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and to sign any or all amendments to such Form 10-K, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney or attorneys-in-fact, and to each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


January   27  , 1997
        ------      



                                            /s/ W. Mark Miller
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                                W. Mark Miller
<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



THE STATE OF TEXAS
                                                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF DALLAS



     That the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Lynne P. Ciuba, H. R.
Smith and David A. Wadsworth, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney or
attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf as a director or
officer, or both, as the case may be, of Maxus Energy Corporation (the
"Corporation"), the Corporation's Form 10-K Annual Report pursuant to Section 13
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and to sign any or all amendments to such Form 10-K, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney or attorneys-in-fact, and to each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


January    2   , 1997
        -------      



                                               /s/ Roberto Monti
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                                   Roberto Monti
<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



THE STATE OF TEXAS
                                                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF DALLAS



     That the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Lynne P. Ciuba, H. R.
Smith and David A. Wadsworth, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney or
attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf as a director or
officer, or both, as the case may be, of Maxus Energy Corporation (the
"Corporation"), the Corporation's Form 10-K Annual Report pursuant to Section 13
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and to sign any or all amendments to such Form 10-K, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney or attorneys-in-fact, and to each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


January    7   , 1997
        -------      



                                            /s/ P. Dexter Peacock
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                                P. Dexter Peacock
<PAGE>
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



THE STATE OF TEXAS
                                                 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF DALLAS



     That the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Lynne P. Ciuba, H. R.
Smith and David A. Wadsworth, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney or
attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, to sign on his behalf as a director or
officer, or both, as the case may be, of Maxus Energy Corporation (the
"Corporation"), the Corporation's Form 10-K Annual Report pursuant to Section 13
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and to sign any or all amendments to such Form 10-K, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorney or attorneys-in-fact, and to each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done
in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney or
attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


January    11   , 1997
        --------      



                                               /s/ R. A. Walker
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                                   R. A. Walker