<PAGE>

Exhibit 24.1
Page 1
                                       
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and 
appoints Jeffrey A. Bonney, Mark E. Monroe and Kevin R. White, and each or 
any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power 
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, 
in any and all capacities to sign the Form 10-K for the year ended December 
31, 1997 of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp. and any and all amendments 
thereto and to file the same with exhibits thereto and other documents in 
connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting 
unto each 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, 
as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, 
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or 
any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or 
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

DATED this 9th day of March, 1998

Signature                    Title



/s/ Simon B. Rich, Jr.       Chairman of the Board of Directors
------------------------     -----------------------------------


Simon B. Rich, Jr.
------------------------
(Please print name)

<PAGE>

Page 2

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and 
appoints Jeffrey A. Bonney, Mark E. Monroe and Kevin R. White, and each or 
any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power 
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, 
in any and all capacities to sign the Form 10-K for the year ended December 
31, 1997 of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp. and any and all amendments 
thereto and to file the same with exhibits thereto and other documents in 
connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting 
unto each 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, 
as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, 
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or 
any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or 
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

DATED this 9th day of March, 1998

Signature                    Title



/s/ Mark E. Monroe           Director
------------------------     -----------------------------------


Mark E. Monroe
------------------------
(Please print name)

<PAGE>

Page 3

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and 
appoints Jeffrey A. Bonney, Mark E. Monroe and Kevin R. White, and each or 
any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power 
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, 
in any and all capacities to sign the Form 10-K for the year ended December 
31, 1997 of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp. and any and all amendments 
thereto and to file the same with exhibits thereto and other documents in 
connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting 
unto each 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, 
as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, 
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or 
any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or 
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

DATED this 9th day of March, 1998

Signature                    Title



/s/ Richard E. Bross         Director
------------------------     -----------------------------------


Richard E. Bross
------------------------
(Please print name)

<PAGE>

Page 4

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and 
appoints Jeffrey A. Bonney, Mark E. Monroe and Kevin R. White, and each or 
any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power 
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, 
in any and all capacities to sign the Form 10-K for the year ended December 
31, 1997 of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp. and any and all amendments 
thereto and to file the same with exhibits thereto and other documents in 
connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting 
unto each 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, 
as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, 
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or 
any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or 
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

DATED this 9th day of March, 1998

Signature                    Title



/s/ Gerard Louis-Dreyfus     Director
------------------------     -----------------------------------


Gerard Louis-Dreyfus
------------------------
(Please print name)

<PAGE>

Page 5

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and 
appoints Jeffrey A. Bonney, Mark E. Monroe and Kevin R. White, and each or 
any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power 
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, 
in any and all capacities to sign the Form 10-K for the year ended December 
31, 1997 of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp. and any and all amendments 
thereto and to file the same with exhibits thereto and other documents in 
connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting 
unto each 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, 
as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, 
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or 
any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or 
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

DATED this 9th day of March, 1998

Signature                    Title



/s/ Daniel R. Finn, Jr.      Director
------------------------     -----------------------------------


Daniel R. Finn, Jr.
------------------------
(Please print name)


<PAGE>

Page 6


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and 
appoints Jeffrey A. Bonney, Mark E. Monroe and Kevin R. White, and each or 
any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power 
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, 
in any and all capacities to sign the Form 10-K for the year ended December 
31, 1997 of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp. and any and all amendments 
thereto and to file the same with exhibits thereto and other documents in 
connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting 
unto each 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, as 
fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby 
ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or any of 
them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to 
be done by virtue hereof.


DATED this 9th day of March, 1998.

Signature                                   Title

/s/ Peter G. Gerry                          Director
-------------------------------             -----------------------------

Peter G. Gerry
-------------------------------
(Please print name)




<PAGE>

Page 7


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and 
appoints Jeffrey A. Bonney, Mark E. Monroe and Kevin R. White, and each or 
any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power 
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, 
in any and all capacities to sign the Form 10-K for the year ended December 
31, 1997 of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp. and any and all amendments 
thereto and to file the same with exhibits thereto and other documents in 
connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting 
unto each 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, as 
fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby 
ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or any of 
them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to 
be done by virtue hereof.


DATED this 9th day of March, 1998.

Signature                                   Title

/s/ John H. Moore                           Director
-------------------------------             -----------------------------

John H. Moore
-------------------------------
(Please print name)




<PAGE>

Page 8


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and 
appoints Jeffrey A. Bonney, Mark E. Monroe and Kevin R. White, and each or 
any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power 
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, 
in any and all capacities to sign the Form 10-K for the year ended December 
31, 1997 of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp. and any and all amendments 
thereto and to file the same with exhibits thereto and other documents in 
connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting 
unto each 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, as 
fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby 
ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or any of 
them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to 
be done by virtue hereof.


DATED this 9th day of March, 1998.

Signature                                   Title

/s/ James R. Paul                           Director
-------------------------------             -----------------------------

James R. Paul
-------------------------------
(Please print name)




<PAGE>

Page 9


                              POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and 
appoints Jeffrey A. Bonney, Mark E. Monroe and Kevin R. White, and each or 
any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power 
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, 
in any and all capacities to sign the Form 10-K for the year ended December 
31, 1997 of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp. and any and all amendments 
thereto and to file the same with exhibits thereto and other documents in 
connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting 
unto each 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, as 
fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby 
ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or any of 
them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to 
be done by virtue hereof.


DATED this 9th day of March, 1998.

Signature                              Title

/s/ Mark Andrews                       Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
-------------------------------        ---------------------------------------

Mark Andrews
-------------------------------
(Please print name)