EXHIBIT 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer or director
of Texas Petrochemicals Corporation, a Texas corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Stephen R. Wright and Claude E. Manning, and each of
them (with full power to each of them to act alone), the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, for the undersigned and on the undersigned's
behalf and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign, execute and file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or other
appropriate form), together with all amendments thereto, with all exhibits and
any and all documents required to be filed with respect thereto with any
regulatory authority, granting unto said attorneys, and 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 in order to effectuate the same
as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue thereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereto signed this power of
attorney this 27th day of March, 1997.

                                            /s/ WILLIAM A. MCMINN
                                                William A. McMinn

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer or director
of Texas Petrochemicals Corporation, a Texas corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Stephen R. Wright and Claude E. Manning, and each of
them (with full power to each of them to act alone), the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, for the undersigned and on the undersigned's
behalf and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign, execute and file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or other
appropriate form), together with all amendments thereto, with all exhibits and
any and all documents required to be filed with respect thereto with any
regulatory authority, granting unto said attorneys, and 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 in order to effectuate the same
as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue thereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereto signed this power of
attorney this 31st day of March, 1997.

                                    /s/ GORDON A. CAIN
                                        Gordon A. Cain

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer or director
of Texas Petrochemicals Corporation, a Texas corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Stephen R. Wright and Claude E. Manning, and each of
them (with full power to each of them to act alone), the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, for the undersigned and on the undersigned's
behalf and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign, execute and file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or other
appropriate form), together with all amendments thereto, with all exhibits and
any and all documents required to be filed with respect thereto with any
regulatory authority, granting unto said attorneys, and 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 in order to effectuate the same
as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue thereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereto signed this power of
attorney this 31st day of March, 1997.

                                    /s/ JAMES J. COLLIS
                                        James J. Collis

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer or director
of Texas Petrochemicals Corporation, a Texas corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Stephen R. Wright and Claude E. Manning, and each of
them (with full power to each of them to act alone), the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, for the undersigned and on the undersigned's
behalf and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign, execute and file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or other
appropriate form), together with all amendments thereto, with all exhibits and
any and all documents required to be filed with respect thereto with any
regulatory authority, granting unto said attorneys, and 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 in order to effectuate the same
as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue thereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereto signed this power of
attorney this 31st day of March, 1997.

                                    /s/ WILLIAM R. HUFF
                                        William R. Huff

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer or director
of Texas Petrochemicals Corporation, a Texas corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Stephen R. Wright and Claude E. Manning, and each of
them (with full power to each of them to act alone), the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, for the undersigned and on the undersigned's
behalf and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign, execute and file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or other
appropriate form), together with all amendments thereto, with all exhibits and
any and all documents required to be filed with respect thereto with any
regulatory authority, granting unto said attorneys, and 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 in order to effectuate the same
as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue thereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereto signed this power of
attorney this 31st day of March, 1997.

                                    /s/ JOHN T. SHELTON
                                        John T. Shelton

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer or director
of Texas Petrochemicals Corporation, a Texas corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Stephen R. Wright and Claude E. Manning, and each of
them (with full power to each of them to act alone), the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, for the undersigned and on the undersigned's
behalf and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign, execute and file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or other
appropriate form), together with all amendments thereto, with all exhibits and
any and all documents required to be filed with respect thereto with any
regulatory authority, granting unto said attorneys, and 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 in order to effectuate the same
as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue thereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereto signed this power of
attorney this 26th day of March, 1997.

                                    /s/ SUSAN O. RHENEY
                                        Susan O. Rheney