Exhibit 24.1

                              POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, the undersigned, being certain of the 
Officers and all of the Directors of Costilla Energy, Inc., a Delaware 
Corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint Michael J. Grella and Bobby W. 
Page, or either of them, with full power of substitution, our true and lawful 
attorneys and agents, to do any and all acts and things in our names in the 
capacities indicated which Michael J. Grella and Bobby W. Page, or either of 
them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable the Company to comply with 
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, any state securities laws and any 
rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission 
in connection with a Registration Statement or Registration Statements on 
Form S-8 seeking to register shares of Common Stock, $.10 par value, of 
Costilla Energy, Inc., to be issued under the Outside Directors Stock Option 
Plan of  Costilla Energy, Inc., including specifically, but not limited to, 
the power and authority to sign such Registration Statement, any and all 
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to such Registration 
Statement and any other forms or documents related to such Registration 
Statement which are required under federal or state securities laws for us, 
or any of us, in our names in the capacities indicated; and we do hereby 
ratify and confirm all that Michael J. Grella and Bobby W. Page, or either of 
them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  This Power of Attorney 
may be signed in any number of counterparts, and each such counterpart shall 
be considered an original hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of November,
1996. 


                                       /s/ Cadell S. Liedtke
                                      -----------------------------------------
                                      CADELL S. LIEDTKE, Chairman of the Board,
                                      Chief Executive Officer and Director


                                        /s/ Michael J. Grella
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       MICHAEL J. GRELLA, President, Chief
                                       Operating Officer and Director


                                       /s/ Henry G. Musselman
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       HENRY G. MUSSELMAN, Executive Vice
                                       President and Director


                                       /s/ Bobby Page
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       BOBBY W. PAGE, Senior Vice President,
                                       Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer


                                       /s/ Jerry Langdon
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       JERRY LANGDON, Director


                                       /s/ W. D. Kennedy
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       W. D. KENNEDY, Director