EXHIBIT 23.3

                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in Amendment
No. 5 to the Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-21321) and related
Prospectus of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas Corp. for the registration of
$400,000,000 of its securities (as defined in the Registration Statement) and to
the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated February 4, 1999,
except for Note 2, as to which the date is October 4, 1999, with respect to the
consolidated financial statements and schedule of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas
Corp., as amended, included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year
ended December 31, 1998, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                                          ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
October 4, 1999