Execution Copy


                                 THIRD AMENDMENT

                                       TO

                                CREDIT AGREEMENT

                                   DATED AS OF

                                FEBRUARY 19, 2002

                                      AMONG

                      KINDER MORGAN ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.,
                                 AS THE COMPANY,



                            THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO,



                           FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK,
                            AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT,


                              JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
                              AS SYNDICATION AGENT,

                                       AND

                            THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA,
                                 COMMERZBANK AG,
                       NEW YORK AND GRAND CAYMAN BRANCHES,
                                       AND
                        CREDIT LYONNAIS NEW YORK BRANCH,
                           AS CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENTS

                          FIRST UNION SECURITIES, INC.

                                       AND

                          J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
                 AS JOINT LEAD ARRANGERS AND JOINT BOOK MANAGERS


<PAGE>


                                 THIRD AMENDMENT
                                       TO
                                CREDIT AGREEMENT


           THIS THIRD AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (this  "Amendment") dated as
of February 19, 2002 is among:

           (a)  Kinder  Morgan  Energy   Partners,  L.P., a   Delaware   limited
 partnership (the "Company");

           (b)  the  banks  and  other  financial  institutions  listed  on  the
signature  pages  hereof  under  the  caption   "Lender",   (collectively,   the
"Lenders"); and

           (c) First  Union  National  Bank,  a  national  banking  association,
individually  as a Lender and as  administrative  agent for the Lenders (in such
capacity, the "Administrative Agent").

                              PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
                              ---------------------

           The Company, the Lenders, the Administrative  Agent, Bank of America,
N.A., as the syndication agent, and Bank One, N.A., as the documentation  agent,
have entered into a Credit  Agreement  dated as of October 25, 2000,  as amended
pursuant to a First Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of January 31, 2001,
and a Second  Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of October 24, 2001, (as so
amended and as may be further amended,  modified,  supplemented  and/or restated
from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"). All capitalized terms defined in the
Credit  Agreement and not otherwise  defined herein shall have the same meanings
herein as in the Credit Agreement.


                                       1
<PAGE>


           NOW THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the premises and other good and
valuable  consideration,  the  receipt  and  sufficiency  of  which  are  hereby
acknowledged  by  the  parties  hereto,  the  Company,   the  Lenders,  and  the
Administrative Agent hereby agree as follows:

           SECTION 1.  Amendment to Section 6.07,  Financial  Covenants,  of the
Credit  Agreement.  Section 6.07(a) of the Credit Agreement is hereby deleted in
its entirety and the following substituted therefor:

           "(a) Ratio of Consolidated  Indebtedness to Consolidated  EBITDA. The
      Company will not at any time permit the ratio of Consolidated Indebtedness
      then outstanding to Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four full fiscal
      quarters  most  recently  ended in respect of which  financial  statements
      shall have been delivered  pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), as the case
      may  be,  to  exceed  (a)  4.25  to 1.0  in the  case  of (i)  such  ratio
      (calculated  as of any date on or after February 19, 2002 and prior to the
      date  on  which  the  following  clause  (a)(ii)  shall  first  apply)  of
      Consolidated Indebtedness then outstanding to Consolidated EBITDA for such
      period  ended  December  31,  2001,  and (ii) such  ratio of  Consolidated
      Indebtedness  then  outstanding  to  Consolidated  EBITDA for such periods
      ended March 31 and June 30,  2002,  and (b) 4.0 to 1.0 in the case of such
      ratio of Consolidated Indebtedness then outstanding to Consolidated EBITDA
      for each such  period  ended  thereafter.  For  purposes  of this  Section
      6.07(a),  if during  any period the  Company  acquires  any Person (or any
      interest in any Person) or all or  substantially  all of the assets of any
      Person,  the EBITDA  attributable to such assets or an amount equal to the
      percentage  of ownership of the Company in such Person times the EBITDA of
      such  Person,  for such  period  determined  on a pro forma  basis  (which
      determination,  in each case, shall be subject to approval of the Required
      Lenders, not to

                                       2
<PAGE>


      be unreasonably  withheld) may be included as Consolidated EBITDA for such
      period,  if on the date of such  acquisition no  Indebtedness  (other than
      Indebtedness  permitted pursuant to Section 6.01) is incurred by reason of
      and  giving  effect to such  acquisition  and such  Person,  or the entity
      acquiring such assets,  as the case may be, is a Subsidiary.  For purposes
      of ascertaining whether the Required Lenders have approved a determination
      of the  EBITDA  attributable  to  acquired  assets,  or the  assets  of an
      acquired  Person,  for  inclusion  in  Consolidated  EBITDA for any period
      pursuant to the foregoing sentence, a Lender which has not, within 10 days
      after its receipt of the certificate of a Responsible  Officer required by
      the  last  sentence  of  Section  5.01,   objected  to  the  inclusion  in
      Consolidated   EBITDA  as  set  forth  therein  of  an  amount  of  EBITDA
      attributable  to such  acquired  assets  or the  assets  of such  acquired
      Person,  as the case may be,  shall be  deemed to have  approved  both the
      determination  of such  amount of EBITDA so  included,  and the  inclusion
      thereof in Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to the foregoing sentence.".

           SECTION 2. Conditions of  Effectiveness.  This Amendment shall become
effective  when the  Company  and each of the  Lenders  shall  have  executed  a
counterpart hereof and delivered the same to the Administrative Agent or, in the
case of any Lender as to which an  executed  counterpart  hereof  shall not have
been  so  delivered,  the  Administrative  Agent  shall  have  received  written
confirmation  by telecopy or other similar writing from such Lender of execution
of a counterpart hereof by such Lender.

           SECTION 3. Representations and Warranties True;  No Default  or Event
of Default.  The Company  hereby  represents  and warrants to the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders, that after giving effect to the execution and delivery of
this Amendment: (a) the

                                       3
<PAGE>


representations  and warranties  set forth in the Credit  Agreement are true and
correct on the date  hereof as though  made on and as of such  date;  and (b) no
event has occurred and is  continuing  that  constitutes  either a Default or an
Event of Default.

           SECTION  4.  Reference  to  the  Credit Agreement  and  Effect on the
Notes and Other Documents  Executed  Pursuant to the Credit Agreement.

           (a) Upon the  effectiveness of this Amendment,  each reference in the
Credit Agreement to "this Agreement,"  "hereunder,"  "herein," "hereof" or words
of like import shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement, as amended
hereby.

           (b) Upon the  effectiveness of this Amendment,  each reference in the
Notes  and the other  documents  and  agreements  delivered  or to be  delivered
pursuant to the Credit  Agreement  shall mean and be a  reference  to the Credit
Agreement, as amended hereby.

           (c) The  Credit  Agreement  and the  Notes and  other  documents  and
agreements  delivered  pursuant  to the Credit  Agreement,  as  modified  by the
amendment  referred  to above,  shall  remain in full  force and  effect and are
hereby ratified and confirmed.

           SECTION 5. Execution in Counterparts.  This Amendment may be executed
in any  number of  counterparts  and by  different  parties  hereto in  separate
counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed to be
an original and all of which taken  together  shall  constitute  but one and the
same instrument.

           SECTION  6.  GOVERNING   LAW;  BINDING  EFFECT.  THIS AMENDMENT SHALL
BE GOVERNED BY AND  CONSTRUED  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK  AND  APPLICABLE  FEDERAL  LAW  AND  SHALL BE BINDING UPON THE COMPANY, THE
ADMINISTRATIVE

                                       4
<PAGE>


AGENT, THE SYNDICATION AGENT, THE CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENTS, THE LENDERS AND THEIR
RESPECTIVE SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.

           SECTION   7.   Headings.   Section   headings  in  this Amendment are
included  herein for  convenience  of reference only and shall not constitute  a
part of this  Amendment  for any other purpose.

           SECTION 8. ENTIRE  AGREEMENT.  THIS AMENDMENT,  THE CREDIT  AGREEMENT
(INCLUDING THE EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES THERETO), AS AMENDED HEREBY, AND THE OTHER
LOAN DOCUMENTS EMBODY THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING  AMONG THE COMPANY,
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE SYNDICATION AGENT, THE CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENTS AND
THE LENDERS  RELATING TO THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF AND THEREOF AND SUPERSEDE ALL
PRIOR PROPOSALS, AGREEMENTS AND UNDERSTANDINGS RELATING TO SUCH SUBJECT MATTER.


                                       5
<PAGE>


           IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to
be executed  effective as of the date first stated herein,  by their  respective
officers thereunto duly authorized.


                               KINDER MORGAN ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.,
                               as the Company

                               By:  Kinder Morgan G.P., Inc.,
                                    its General Partner

                                    By:   Kinder Morgan Management, LLC,
                                          its Delegate


                                          By:________________________________
                                          Name:______________________________
                                          Title:_____________________________





<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK, as the
                               Administrative Agent and as a Lender


                               By:_________________________________________
                                  Russell T. Clingman
                                  Vice President




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               ABN AMRO BANK, N.V.



                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________



                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________



<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               MERRILL LYNCH BANK, USA


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________



<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               BANK OF MONTREAL


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________



<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               THE BANK OF TOKYO - MITSUBISHI, LTD.


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               BANK ONE, NA
                               (Main Office - Chicago)


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               FLEET NATIONAL BANK


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               BARCLAYS BANK PLC


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               BNP PARIBAS


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________



<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               JPMORGAN CHASE BANK



                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________





<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               CITIBANK, N.A.


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               COMMERZBANK AG, NEW YORK AND
                               GRAND CAYMAN BRANCHES


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               CREDIT LYONNAIS NEW YORK BRANCH


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               THE DAI-ICHI KANGYO BANK, LTD.


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               THE FUJI BANK, LIMITED


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________



<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               KBC BANK N.V.


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________



<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               SUNTRUST BANK, ATLANTA


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________




<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________



<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________





<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________



<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               ROYAL BANK OF CANADA


                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________



<PAGE>


                          LENDER:

                               UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH



                               By:__________________________________________
                               Name:________________________________________
                               Title:_______________________________________







<PAGE>


                                     ANNEX I
                                     -------


        -------------------------------------------------------------------
             Commitment                      Lender
        ===================================================================
            $50,000,000      First Union National Bank,
                             as the  Administrative  Agent and as a Lender
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $35,000,000      ABN AMRO Bank, N.V.
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $24,000,000      Bank of Montreal
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $50,000,000      The Bank of Nova Scotia
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $24,000,000      The Bank of Tokyo - Mitsubishi, Ltd.
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $35,000,000      Bank One, NA
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $35,000,000      Barclays Bank PLC
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $35,000,000      BNP Paribas
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $50,000,000      The Chase Manhattan Bank
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $24,000,000      Citibank, N.A.
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $50,000,000      Commerzbank AG, New York and
                             Grand Cayman Branches
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $50,000,000      Credit Lyonnais New York Branch
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $24,000,000      Credit Suisse First Boston
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $13,125,000      The Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Ltd.
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $24,000,000      Fleet National Bank
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $21,875,000      The Fuji Bank, Limited
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $19,000,000      KBC Bank N.V.
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $24,000,000      Merrill Lynch Bank, USA
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $20,000,000      The Northern Trust Company
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $35,000,000      Royal Bank of Canada
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $35,000,000      The Royal Bank of Scotland
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $24,000,000      Suntrust Bank, Atlanta
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $24,000,000      UBS AG, Stamford Branch
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
            $24,000,000      U.S. Bank National Association
        -------------------------------------------------------------------