As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 22, 2003
                              Registration No. 333-

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                                THE BEARD COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          OKLAHOMA                                        73-0970298
(State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                       Identification No.)

                           Enterprise Plaza, Suite 320
                              5600 North May Avenue
                          Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
             The Beard Company 2003 Deferred Stock Compensation Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                William M. Beard
                             Chief Executive Officer
                                The Beard Company
                           Enterprise Plaza, Suite 320
                              5600 North May Avenue
                          Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
                                 (405) 842-2333
 (Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)


                                   Copies to:

                               Jerry Warren, Esq.
                    McAfee & Taft A Professional Corporation
                       Tenth Floor, Two Leadership Square
                               211 North Robinson
                       Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102-7103
                            Telephone: (405) 552-2244
                            Facsimile: (405) 235-0439


                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

------------------------------- -------------------- --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------
                                                       Proposed maximum       Proposed maximum          Amount of
  Title of securities to be        Amount to be       offering price per     aggregate offering       registration
          registered               registered(1)            share                   price                fee(2)
------------------------------- -------------------- --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------
<S>                                <C>                      <C>                    <C>                     <C>
Common Stock, par value .001333    150,000 Shares           $0.545                 $81,750                 $7.35

------------------------------- -------------------- --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------
<FN>
(1)  In addition pursuant to Rule 416(c) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  this  Registration  Statement also
     covers an  indeterminate  amount of interests to be offered or sold  pursuant to The Beard  Company 2003  Deferred
     Stock Compensation Plan.

(2)  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) solely for the purposes of computing the registration fee based upon the
     average of the bid and asked price of The Beard Company common stock, as reported on the OTC Bulletin  Board(R) on
     September 18, 2003.
</FN>
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
<TABLE>
<S>      <C>
Item 1.  Plan Information (1)

Item 2.  Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information (1)

-------------
<FN>
(1)  Information  required  by  Part  I to be  contained  in the  Section  10(a)
     prospectus is omitted from this  Registration  Statement in accordance with
     the Note to Part I of the Form S-8 and has been or will be sent or given to
     participants in the Plan as specified in Rule 428(b)(1).

</FN>
</TABLE>
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference

         The following  documents  previously  filed by the Registrant  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated herein by reference:

         1.   Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  December 31, 2002,
              as filed on April 15, 2003.

         2.   Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended March 31,
              2003 as filed on May 15, 2003, and for the quarter ended June 30,
              2003 as filed on August 14, 2003,  and the  Registrant's  Current
              Reports on Form 8-K filed  January 10,  2003,  February 25, 2003,
              March 27, 2003,  April 15, 2003,  May 7, 2003,  May 12, 2003, May
              16, 2003, June 16, 2003, July 10, 2003 and August 13, 2003.

         3.   The description of the Registrant's Common Stock set forth in the
              Registrant's  registration  statement  on Form 8-B filed with the
              Commission  on October  5,  1993,  including  any  amendments  or
              reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

         All  documents  filed by the  Registrant  pursuant to  Sections  13(a),
13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment  which  indicates  that all  shares of common  stock  covered  by this
registration  statement  have been  sold or which  deregisters  all such  shares
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference and to be part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.  Any statement  contained in a
document  incorporated  or  deemed  to be  incorporated  by  reference  in  this
Registration  Statement will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes
of this Registration  Statement to the extent that a statement contained in this
Registration Statement or in any other subsequently filed document which also is
or is deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference to this  Registration  Statement
modifies  or  supersedes  such  statement.  Any such  statement  so  modified or
superseded  will  not  be  deemed,  except  as so  modified  or  superseded,  to
constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Not applicable.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Not applicable.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

Exhibit No.       Document
-----------       --------
4.1               Restated  Certificate of  Incorporation of Beard (formerly New
                  Beard) as filed with the  Secretary  of State of  Oklahoma  on
                  September 20, 2000. (This Exhibit has been previously filed as
                  Exhibit  3(i) to  Registrant's  Form 10-Q for the period ended
                  September  30, 2000,  filed on November 20, 2000,  and same is
                  incorporated by reference).

4.2               Registrant's By-laws as currently in effect. (This Exhibit has
                  been previously  filed as Exhibit 3(ii) to  Registrant's  Form
                  10-K for the period ended  December  31, 1997,  filed on March
                  31, 1998 and the same is incorporated herein by reference).

5                 Opinion of McAfee & Taft A Professional Corporation

23.1              Consent of Cole & Reed, P.C.

23.2              Consent of McAfee & Taft A Professional  Corporation (included
                  in Exhibit 5)

99                The Beard Company 2003 Deferred Stock Compensation Plan. (This
                  Exhibit   has  been   previously   filed  as  Exhibit  "A"  to
                  Registrant's  Proxy Statement filed on June 17, 2003, and same
                  is incorporated herein by reference).

Item 9.  Undertakings

         (a)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
          made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                    (i) to include any prospectus  required by Section  10(a)(3)
               of the Securities Act of 1933;

                    (ii) to  reflect  in the  prospectus  any  facts  or  events
               arising after the effective  date of the  Registration  Statement
               (or the most  recent  post-effective  amendment  thereof)  which,
               individually or in the aggregate,  represent a fundamental change
               in the  information  set  forth  in the  Registration  Statement.
               Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
               of  securities  offered (if the total dollar value of  securities
               offered  would not  exceed  that  which was  registered)  and any
               deviation  from  the low or  high  end of the  estimated  maximum
               offering  range may be reflected in the form of prospectus  filed
               with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,
               the  changes  in  volume  and price  represent  no more than a 20
               percent change in the maximum aggregate  offering price set forth
               in the  "Calculation of Registration  Fee" table in the effective
               Registration Statement; and

                    (iii) to include any  material  information  with respect to
               the  plan  of  distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in  this
               Registration Statement or any material change to such information
               in this Registration Statement.

     Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if
the  Registration  Statement  is on Form  S-3,  Form  S-8 or Form  F-3,  and the
information  required  to be  included in a  post-effective  amendment  by those
paragraphs  is  contained  in periodic  reports  filed with or  furnished to the
Commission  by the  Registrant  pursuant to Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement;

               (2) that, for the purposes of determining any liability under the
          Securities Act, each such post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to
          be a new  Registration  Statement  relating to the securities  offered
          herein,  and the  offering  of such  securities  at that time shall be
          deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;

               (3) to  remove  from  registration  by means of a  post-effective
          amendment any of the securities  being  registered which remain unsold
          at the termination of the offering.

          (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
     determining  any  liability  under the  Securities  Act, each filing of the
     Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Sections  13(a) or 15(d) of the
     Exchange Act (and,  where  applicable,  each filing of an employee  benefit
     plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
     incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to
     be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein,
     and the offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c)  Insofar as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under the
     Securities  Act may be permitted  to  directors,  officers and  controlling
     persons  of the  Registrant,  pursuant  to  the  foregoing  provisions,  or
     otherwise,  the  Registrant  has been  advised  that in the  opinion of the
     Securities and Exchange  Commission such  indemnification is against public
     policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
     In the event  that a claim for  indemnification  against  such  liabilities
     (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a
     director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful
     defense  of any  action,  suit  or  proceeding)  is  asserted  by any  such
     director,  officer or controlling  person in connection with the securities
     being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel
     the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,  submit to a court of
     appropriate  jurisdiction  the  question  whether such  indemnification  is
     against  public  policy  as  expressed  in the  Securities  Act and will be
     governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

<PAGE>

                                  SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds  to  believe  that it meets  all the
requirements  for  filing  on Form S-8 and has  duly  caused  this  registration
statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma, on the 19th day of
September, 2003.

(Registrant)                         THE BEARD COMPANY

                                     By:  HERB MEE, JR.
                                          Herb Mee, Jr.
                                          President and Chief Financial Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


     We,  the   undersigned   officers  and   directors  of  The  Beard  Company
(hereinafter the "Company"),  hereby severally constitute and appoint William M.
Beard  and Herb  Mee,  Jr.,  and each of them,  severally,  our true and  lawful
attorneys-in-fact  with full  power to them and each of them to sign for us, and
in our names as officers or directors,  or both, of the Company,  a Registration
Statement  on  Form  S-8  (and  any  and  all  amendments   thereto,   including
post-effective  amendments)  to  be  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  relating  to The Beard  Company  Deferred  Stock  Compensation  Plan
granting unto said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  and each of them, full power
and  authority to do and to perform each and every act and thing  requisite  and
necessary  to be done in and about the  premises,  as fully to all  intents  and
purposes  as he or she  might  or  could  do in  person,  hereby  ratifying  and
confirming  all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of them,  may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
registration  statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the 19th day of September, 2003.

Signature                                Title
---------                                -----

WILLIAM M. BEARD                         Chairman of the Board, Chief
William M. Beard                         Executive Officer and Director

HERB MEE, JR.                            President, Chief Financial Officer
Herb Mee, Jr.                            and Director

JACK A. MARTINE                          Controller and Chief Accounting
Jack A. Martine                          Officer

                                         Director
Allan R. Hallock

HARLON E. MARTIN, JR.                    Director
Harlon E. Martin, Jr.

FORD C. PRICE                            Director
Ford C. Price

<PAGE>
                                Index to Exhibits

Exhibit No.    Document                      Method of Filing
-----------    --------                      ----------------



4.1            Restated   Certificate   of   Incorporated herein by reference
               Incorporation    of   Beard
               (formerly   New  Beard)  as
               filed with the Secretary of
               State   of    Oklahoma   on
               September  20, 2000.

4.2            Registrant's   By-laws   as   Incorporated herein by reference
               currently  in  effect.

5              Opinion  of McAfee & Taft A   Filed herewith electronically
               Professional Corporation

23.1           Consent  of  Cole  &  Reed,   Filed herewith electronically
               P.C.

23.2           Consent  of McAfee & Taft A   Filed herewith electronically
               Professional    Corporation
               (Included in Exhibit 5)

99             The  Beard   Company   2003   Incorporated herein by reference
               Deferred Stock Compensation
               Plan.
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "bcforms8-091903.txt", "secsgml_size_bytes": 16873}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "BEARD CO /OK", "cik": "0000909992", "assigned-sic": "2810", "irs-number": "730970298", "state-of-incorporation": "OK", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-108988", "film-number": "03904147"}, "business-address": {"street1": "5600 N MAY AVE", "street2": "STE 320", "city": "OKLAHOMA CITY", "state": "OK", "zip": "73112", "phone": "4058422333"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5600 N MAY", "street2": "STE 320", "city": "OKLAHOMA CITY", "state": "OK", "zip": "73112"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "BEARD INVESTMENT CO", "date-changed": "19930730"}}
As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 22, 2003
                              Registration No. 333-

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                THE BEARD COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          OKLAHOMA                                        73-0970298
(State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                       Identification No.)

                           Enterprise Plaza, Suite 320
                              5600 North May Avenue
                          Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
             The Beard Company 2003 Deferred Stock Compensation Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                William M. Beard
                             Chief Executive Officer
                                The Beard Company
                           Enterprise Plaza, Suite 320
                              5600 North May Avenue
                          Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
                                 (405) 842-2333
 (Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:

                               Jerry Warren, Esq.
                    McAfee & Taft A Professional Corporation
                       Tenth Floor, Two Leadership Square
                               211 North Robinson
                       Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102-7103
                            Telephone: (405) 552-2244
                            Facsimile: (405) 235-0439

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------- -------------------- --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------
                                                       Proposed maximum       Proposed maximum          Amount of
  Title of securities to be        Amount to be       offering price per     aggregate offering       registration
          registered               registered(1)            share                   price                fee(2)
------------------------------- -------------------- --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------
Common Stock, par value .001333    150,000 Shares           $0.545                 $81,750                 $7.35

------------------------------- -------------------- --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------
(1)  In addition pursuant to Rule 416(c) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  this  Registration  Statement also
     covers an  indeterminate  amount of interests to be offered or sold  pursuant to The Beard  Company 2003  Deferred
     Stock Compensation Plan.

(2)  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) solely for the purposes of computing the registration fee based upon the
     average of the bid and asked price of The Beard Company common stock, as reported on the OTC Bulletin  Board(R) on
     September 18, 2003.
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
Item 1.  Plan Information (1)

Item 2.  Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information (1)

-------------
(1)  Information  required  by  Part  I to be  contained  in the  Section  10(a)
     prospectus is omitted from this  Registration  Statement in accordance with
     the Note to Part I of the Form S-8 and has been or will be sent or given to
     participants in the Plan as specified in Rule 428(b)(1).
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference

         The following  documents  previously  filed by the Registrant  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated herein by reference:

         1.   Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  December 31, 2002,
              as filed on April 15, 2003.

         2.   Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended March 31,
              2003 as filed on May 15, 2003, and for the quarter ended June 30,
              2003 as filed on August 14, 2003,  and the  Registrant's  Current
              Reports on Form 8-K filed  January 10,  2003,  February 25, 2003,
              March 27, 2003,  April 15, 2003,  May 7, 2003,  May 12, 2003, May
              16, 2003, June 16, 2003, July 10, 2003 and August 13, 2003.

         3.   The description of the Registrant's Common Stock set forth in the
              Registrant's  registration  statement  on Form 8-B filed with the
              Commission  on October  5,  1993,  including  any  amendments  or
              reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

         All  documents  filed by the  Registrant  pursuant to  Sections  13(a),
13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment  which  indicates  that all  shares of common  stock  covered  by this
registration  statement  have been  sold or which  deregisters  all such  shares
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference and to be part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.  Any statement  contained in a
document  incorporated  or  deemed  to be  incorporated  by  reference  in  this
Registration  Statement will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes
of this Registration  Statement to the extent that a statement contained in this
Registration Statement or in any other subsequently filed document which also is
or is deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference to this  Registration  Statement
modifies  or  supersedes  such  statement.  Any such  statement  so  modified or
superseded  will  not  be  deemed,  except  as so  modified  or  superseded,  to
constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Not applicable.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Not applicable.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

Exhibit No.       Document
-----------       --------
4.1               Restated  Certificate of  Incorporation of Beard (formerly New
                  Beard) as filed with the  Secretary  of State of  Oklahoma  on
                  September 20, 2000. (This Exhibit has been previously filed as
                  Exhibit  3(i) to  Registrant's  Form 10-Q for the period ended
                  September  30, 2000,  filed on November 20, 2000,  and same is
                  incorporated by reference).

4.2               Registrant's By-laws as currently in effect. (This Exhibit has
                  been previously  filed as Exhibit 3(ii) to  Registrant's  Form
                  10-K for the period ended  December  31, 1997,  filed on March
                  31, 1998 and the same is incorporated herein by reference).

5                 Opinion of McAfee & Taft A Professional Corporation

23.1              Consent of Cole & Reed, P.C.

23.2              Consent of McAfee & Taft A Professional  Corporation (included
                  in Exhibit 5)

99                The Beard Company 2003 Deferred Stock Compensation Plan. (This
                  Exhibit   has  been   previously   filed  as  Exhibit  "A"  to
                  Registrant's  Proxy Statement filed on June 17, 2003, and same
                  is incorporated herein by reference).

Item 9.  Undertakings

         (a)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
          made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                    (i) to include any prospectus  required by Section  10(a)(3)
               of the Securities Act of 1933;

                    (ii) to  reflect  in the  prospectus  any  facts  or  events
               arising after the effective  date of the  Registration  Statement
               (or the most  recent  post-effective  amendment  thereof)  which,
               individually or in the aggregate,  represent a fundamental change
               in the  information  set  forth  in the  Registration  Statement.
               Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
               of  securities  offered (if the total dollar value of  securities
               offered  would not  exceed  that  which was  registered)  and any
               deviation  from  the low or  high  end of the  estimated  maximum
               offering  range may be reflected in the form of prospectus  filed
               with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,
               the  changes  in  volume  and price  represent  no more than a 20
               percent change in the maximum aggregate  offering price set forth
               in the  "Calculation of Registration  Fee" table in the effective
               Registration Statement; and

                    (iii) to include any  material  information  with respect to
               the  plan  of  distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in  this
               Registration Statement or any material change to such information
               in this Registration Statement.

     Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if
the  Registration  Statement  is on Form  S-3,  Form  S-8 or Form  F-3,  and the
information  required  to be  included in a  post-effective  amendment  by those
paragraphs  is  contained  in periodic  reports  filed with or  furnished to the
Commission  by the  Registrant  pursuant to Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement;

               (2) that, for the purposes of determining any liability under the
          Securities Act, each such post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to
          be a new  Registration  Statement  relating to the securities  offered
          herein,  and the  offering  of such  securities  at that time shall be
          deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;

               (3) to  remove  from  registration  by means of a  post-effective
          amendment any of the securities  being  registered which remain unsold
          at the termination of the offering.

          (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
     determining  any  liability  under the  Securities  Act, each filing of the
     Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Sections  13(a) or 15(d) of the
     Exchange Act (and,  where  applicable,  each filing of an employee  benefit
     plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
     incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to
     be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein,
     and the offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c)  Insofar as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under the
     Securities  Act may be permitted  to  directors,  officers and  controlling
     persons  of the  Registrant,  pursuant  to  the  foregoing  provisions,  or
     otherwise,  the  Registrant  has been  advised  that in the  opinion of the
     Securities and Exchange  Commission such  indemnification is against public
     policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
     In the event  that a claim for  indemnification  against  such  liabilities
     (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a
     director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful
     defense  of any  action,  suit  or  proceeding)  is  asserted  by any  such
     director,  officer or controlling  person in connection with the securities
     being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel
     the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,  submit to a court of
     appropriate  jurisdiction  the  question  whether such  indemnification  is
     against  public  policy  as  expressed  in the  Securities  Act and will be
     governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds  to  believe  that it meets  all the
requirements  for  filing  on Form S-8 and has  duly  caused  this  registration
statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma, on the 19th day of
September, 2003.

(Registrant)                         THE BEARD COMPANY

                                     By:  HERB MEE, JR.
                                          Herb Mee, Jr.
                                          President and Chief Financial Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     We,  the   undersigned   officers  and   directors  of  The  Beard  Company
(hereinafter the "Company"),  hereby severally constitute and appoint William M.
Beard  and Herb  Mee,  Jr.,  and each of them,  severally,  our true and  lawful
attorneys-in-fact  with full  power to them and each of them to sign for us, and
in our names as officers or directors,  or both, of the Company,  a Registration
Statement  on  Form  S-8  (and  any  and  all  amendments   thereto,   including
post-effective  amendments)  to  be  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  relating  to The Beard  Company  Deferred  Stock  Compensation  Plan
granting unto said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  and each of them, full power
and  authority to do and to perform each and every act and thing  requisite  and
necessary  to be done in and about the  premises,  as fully to all  intents  and
purposes  as he or she  might  or  could  do in  person,  hereby  ratifying  and
confirming  all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of them,  may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
registration  statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the 19th day of September, 2003.

Signature                                Title
---------                                -----

WILLIAM M. BEARD                         Chairman of the Board, Chief
William M. Beard                         Executive Officer and Director

HERB MEE, JR.                            President, Chief Financial Officer
Herb Mee, Jr.                            and Director

JACK A. MARTINE                          Controller and Chief Accounting
Jack A. Martine                          Officer

                                         Director
Allan R. Hallock

HARLON E. MARTIN, JR.                    Director
Harlon E. Martin, Jr.

FORD C. PRICE                            Director
Ford C. Price
Index to Exhibits

Exhibit No.    Document                      Method of Filing
-----------    --------                      ----------------

4.1            Restated   Certificate   of   Incorporated herein by reference
               Incorporation    of   Beard
               (formerly   New  Beard)  as
               filed with the Secretary of
               State   of    Oklahoma   on
               September  20, 2000.

4.2            Registrant's   By-laws   as   Incorporated herein by reference
               currently  in  effect.

5              Opinion  of McAfee & Taft A   Filed herewith electronically
               Professional Corporation

23.1           Consent  of  Cole  &  Reed,   Filed herewith electronically
               P.C.

23.2           Consent  of McAfee & Taft A   Filed herewith electronically
               Professional    Corporation
               (Included in Exhibit 5)

99             The  Beard   Company   2003   Incorporated herein by reference
               Deferred Stock Compensation
               Plan.