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                                                                      Exhibit 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


                  I, the undersigned director of United States Exploration,
Inc., do hereby constitute and appoint Bruce D. Benson and F. Michael Murphy, or
either of them, to be my true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, and in my name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB
for the year ended December 31, 1999 and any and all amendments thereto, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith
and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as I might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

                  Dated this 11th day of April, 2000.



                                                  /s/ Richard L. Robinson
                                                  -----------------------------
                                                  Richard L. Robinson, Director



<PAGE>   2



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


                  I, the undersigned director of United States Exploration,
Inc., do hereby constitute and appoint Bruce D. Benson and F. Michael Murphy, or
either of them, to be my true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, and in my name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB
for the year ended December 31, 1999 and any and all amendments thereto, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith
and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as I might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

                  Dated this 31st day of March, 2000.



                                                /s/ T. W. Gamel
                                                --------------------------
                                                Thomas W. Gamel, Director



<PAGE>   3



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


                  I, the undersigned director of United States Exploration,
Inc., do hereby constitute and appoint Bruce D. Benson and F. Michael Murphy, or
either of them, to be my true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, and in my name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB
for the year ended December 31, 1999 and any and all amendments thereto, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith
and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as I might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

                  Dated this 4th day of April, 2000.



                                                     /s/ Robert J. Malone
                                                     --------------------------
                                                     Robert J. Malone, Director





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                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


                  I, the undersigned officer and director of United States
Exploration, Inc., do hereby constitute and appoint F. Michael Murphy to be my
true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, and in my name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to
sign to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December
31, 1999 and any and all amendments thereto, 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-in-fact and
agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as I might or could do in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or his
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
thereof.

                  Dated this 3rd day of April, 2000.



                                            /s/ Bruce D. Benson
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Bruce D. Benson, President, Chief
                                            Executive Officer, and Chairman of
                                            the Board of Directors