Exhibit 24.2
                        
                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE   IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in  his
capacity or capacities  as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors of McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas  Co.,  a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"),  does hereby make, constitute
and appoint RICHARD C. ADKERSON and  C.  HOWARD MURRISH, and
each  of  them  acting  individually,  his true  and  lawful
attorney-in-fact with power to act without  the  others  and
with  full  power  of  substitution, to execute, deliver and
file, for and on behalf  of  him,  in  his  name  and in his
capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report of the
Company  on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,  1996,
and  any amendment  or  amendments  thereto  and  any  other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby  grants  to  said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to  do  and  perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the  foregoing as the undersigned might  or
could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming all acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.

/s/ James R. Moffett
_____________________
    James R. Moffett

<PAGE>

                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE  IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in   his
capacity  or capacities as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors  of  McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas Co., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"), does hereby make,  constitute
and appoint JAMES R. MOFFETT and C. HOWARD MURRISH, and each
of them acting individually,  his  true and lawful attorney-
in-fact with power to act without the  others  and with full
power of substitution, to execute, deliver and file, for and
on  behalf  of  him,  in  his  name  and in his capacity  or
capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report  of the Company on
Form  10-K  for  the year ended December 31, 1996,  and  any
amendment or amendments  thereto  and  any other document in
support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the undersigned
hereby  grants  to said attorneys, and each  of  them,  full
power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing whatsoever  that  said  attorney or attorneys may deem
necessary or advisable to carry  out fully the intent of the
foregoing as the undersigned might or could do personally or
in the capacity or capacities as aforesaid, hereby ratifying
and confirming all acts and things  which  said  attorney or
attorneys may do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power
of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.


/s/ Richard C. Adkerson
________________________
    Richard C. Adkerson


<PAGE>

                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE   IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in  his
capacity or capacities  as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors of McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas  Co.,  a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"),  does hereby make, constitute
and appoint JAMES R. MOFFETT and  RICHARD  C.  ADKERSON  and
each  of  them  acting  individually,  his  true  and lawful
attorney-in-fact  with  power to act without the others  and
with full power of substitution,  to  execute,  deliver  and
file,  for  and  on  behalf  of  him, in his name and in his
capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report of the
Company on Form 10-K for the year  ended  December 31, 1996,
and  any  amendment  or  amendments  thereto and  any  other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby grants to said attorneys,  and  each  of
them, full power  and  authority  to do and perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the foregoing as the undersigned  might  or
could do personally  or  in  the  capacity  or capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and confirming all  acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4TH day of February, 1997.

/s/ C. Howard Murrish
______________________
    C. Howard Murrish

<PAGE>
                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE  IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in   his
capacity  or capacities as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors  of  McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas Co., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"), does hereby make,  constitute
and appoint JAMES R.  MOFFETT,  RICHARD  C.  ADKERSON and C.
HOWARD  MURRISH,  and each of them acting individually,  his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact  with  power to act without
the others and with full power of substitution,  to execute,
deliver and file, for and on behalf of him, in his  name and
in his capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report
of the Company on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31,
1996,  and any amendment or amendments thereto and any other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby  grants  to  said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to  do  and  perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the  foregoing as the undersigned might  or
could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming all acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.


/s/ William J. Blackwell
_________________________
    William J. Blackwell

<PAGE>
                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE  IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in   his
capacity  or capacities as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors  of  McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas Co., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"), does hereby make,  constitute
and appoint JAMES R.  MOFFETT,  RICHARD  C.  ADKERSON and C.
HOWARD  MURRISH,  and each of them acting individually,  his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact  with  power to act without
the others and with full power of substitution,  to execute,
deliver and file, for and on behalf of him, in his  name and
in his capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report
of the Company on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31,
1996,  and any amendment or amendments thereto and any other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby  grants  to  said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to  do  and  perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the  foregoing as the undersigned might  or
could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming all acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.

/s/ Robert W. Bruce III
________________________ 
    Robert W. Bruce III

<PAGE>
                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE  IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in   his
capacity  or capacities as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors  of  McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas Co., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"), does hereby make,  constitute
and appoint JAMES R.  MOFFETT,  RICHARD  C.  ADKERSON and C.
HOWARD  MURRISH,  and each of them acting individually,  his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact  with  power to act without
the others and with full power of substitution,  to execute,
deliver and file, for and on behalf of him, in his  name and
in his capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report
of the Company on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31,
1996,  and any amendment or amendments thereto and any other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby  grants  to  said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to  do  and  perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the  foregoing as the undersigned might  or
could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming all acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.

/s/ Robert A. Day
______________________
    Robert A. Day

<PAGE>
                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE  IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in   his
capacity  or capacities as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors  of  McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas Co., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"), does hereby make,  constitute
and appoint JAMES R.  MOFFETT,  RICHARD  C.  ADKERSON and C.
HOWARD  MURRISH,  and each of them acting individually,  his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact  with  power to act without
the others and with full power of substitution,  to execute,
deliver and file, for and on behalf of him, in his  name and
in his capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report
of the Company on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31,
1996,  and any amendment or amendments thereto and any other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby  grants  to  said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to  do  and  perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the  foregoing as the undersigned might  or
could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming all acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.

/s/ William B. Harrison, Jr.
______________________________
    William B. Harrison, Jr.

<PAGE>
                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE  IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in   his
capacity  or capacities as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors  of  McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas Co., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"), does hereby make,  constitute
and appoint JAMES R.  MOFFETT,  RICHARD  C.  ADKERSON and C.
HOWARD  MURRISH,  and each of them acting individually,  his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact  with  power to act without
the others and with full power of substitution,  to execute,
deliver and file, for and on behalf of him, in his  name and
in his capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report
of the Company on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31,
1996,  and any amendment or amendments thereto and any other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby  grants  to  said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to  do  and  perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the  foregoing as the undersigned might  or
could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming all acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.

/s/ Bobby Lee Lackey
________________________
    Bobby Lee Lackey

<PAGE>

                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE  IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in   her
capacity  or capacities as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors  of  McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas Co., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"), does hereby make,  constitute
and appoint JAMES R.  MOFFETT,  RICHARD  C.  ADKERSON and C.
HOWARD  MURRISH,  and each of them acting individually,  her
true and lawful attorney-in-fact  with  power to act without
the others and with full power of substitution,  to execute,
deliver and file, for and on behalf of her, in her  name and
in her capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report
of the Company on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31,
1996,  and any amendment or amendments thereto and any other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby  grants  to  said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to  do  and  perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the  foregoing as the undersigned might  or
could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming all acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.

/s/ Gabrielle K. McDonald
___________________________
    Gabrielle K. McDonald

<PAGE>
                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE  IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in   his
capacity  or capacities as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors  of  McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas Co., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"), does hereby make,  constitute
and appoint JAMES R.  MOFFETT,  RICHARD  C.  ADKERSON and C.
HOWARD  MURRISH,  and each of them acting individually,  his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact  with  power to act without
the others and with full power of substitution,  to execute,
deliver and file, for and on behalf of him, in his  name and
in his capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report
of the Company on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31,
1996,  and any amendment or amendments thereto and any other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby  grants  to  said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to  do  and  perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the  foregoing as the undersigned might  or
could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming all acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.

/s/ George Putnam
_____________________
    George Putnam

<PAGE>
                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE  IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in   his
capacity  or capacities as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors  of  McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas Co., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"), does hereby make,  constitute
and appoint JAMES R.  MOFFETT,  RICHARD  C.  ADKERSON and C.
HOWARD  MURRISH,  and each of them acting individually,  his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact  with  power to act without
the others and with full power of substitution,  to execute,
deliver and file, for and on behalf of him, in his  name and
in his capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report
of the Company on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31,
1996,  and any amendment or amendments thereto and any other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby  grants  to  said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to  do  and  perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the  foregoing as the undersigned might  or
could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming all acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.

/s/ B.M. Rankin, Jr.
________________________
    B.M. Rankin, Jr.

<PAGE>
                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


          BE  IT  KNOWN:   That  the  undersigned,  in   his
capacity  or capacities as an officer and/or a member of the
Board of Directors  of  McMoRan  Oil  &  Gas Co., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"), does hereby make,  constitute
and appoint JAMES R.  MOFFETT,  RICHARD  C.  ADKERSON and C.
HOWARD  MURRISH,  and each of them acting individually,  his
true and lawful attorney-in-fact  with  power to act without
the others and with full power of substitution,  to execute,
deliver and file, for and on behalf of him, in his  name and
in his capacity or capacities as aforesaid, an Annual Report
of the Company on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31,
1996,  and any amendment or amendments thereto and any other
document in support thereof or supplemental thereto, and the
undersigned  hereby  grants  to  said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to  do  and  perform each and
every  act  and  thing  whatsoever  that  said  attorney  or
attorneys may deem necessary or advisable to carry out fully
the  intent  of  the  foregoing as the undersigned might  or
could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid,  hereby  ratifying  and  confirming all acts  and
things which said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

          EXECUTED this 4th day of February, 1997.

/s/ J. Taylor Wharton
__________________________
    J. Taylor Wharton