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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1


                            WILLIAMS ENERGY PARTNERS
                            LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN


         SECTION 1. Purpose of the Plan.

         The Williams Energy Partners Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "Plan") is
intended to promote the interests of Williams Energy Partners, L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership (the "Partnership"), by providing to employees and directors
of Williams GP LLC (the "Company") and its Affiliates who perform services for
the Partnership incentive compensation awards for superior performance that are
based on Units. The Plan is also contemplated to enhance the ability of the
Company and its Affiliates to attract and retain the services of individuals who
are essential for the growth and profitability of the Partnership and to
encourage them to devote their best efforts to the business of the Partnership,
thereby advancing the interests of the Partnership and its partners.

         SECTION 2. Definitions.

         As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set
forth below:

         "Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that
directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is
controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used
herein, the term "control" means the possession, direct or indirect, of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a
Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.

         "Award" means an Option, Phantom Unit or Performance Award granted
under the Plan, and shall include any tandem DERs granted with respect to a
Phantom Unit.

         "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

         "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred upon the
occurrence of one or more of the following events: (i) any sale, lease, exchange
or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of
all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership or the Company to any
Person or its Affiliates, other than to Williams and/or its Affiliates; (ii) the
consolidation, reorganization, merger or other transaction pursuant to which
more than 50% of the combined voting power of the outstanding equity interests
in the Company cease to be owned by Williams and its Affiliates; or (iii) a
"Change in Control" of Williams as defined in the Williams stock plans from time
to time; or (iv) the general partner (whether the Company or any other Person)
of the Partnership ceases to be an Affiliate of Williams.

         "Committee" means the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other
committee of the Board appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.



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         "DER" means a contingent right, granted in tandem with a specific
Phantom Unit, to receive an amount in cash equal to the cash distributions made
by the Partnership with respect to a Unit during the period such Phantom Unit is
outstanding.

         "Director" means a member of the Board who is not an Employee.

         "Disability" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the
Company's governing long-term disability plan, or if no such plan is applicable
to the Participant, at the discretion of the Board.

         "Employee" means any employee of the Company or an Affiliate who
performs services for the Partnership, as determined by the Committee.

         "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

         "Fair Market Value" means the closing sales price of a Unit on the
applicable date (or if there is no trading in the Units on such date, on the
next preceding date on which there was trading) as reported in The Wall Street
Journal (or other reporting service approved by the Committee). In the event
Units are not publicly traded at the time a determination of fair market value
is required to be made hereunder, the determination of fair market value shall
be made in good faith by the Committee.

         "Option" means an option to purchase Units granted under the Plan.

         "Participant" means any Employee or Director granted an Award under the
Plan.

         "Partnership Agreement" means the Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Williams Energy Partners, L.P.

         "Performance Award" means a right, granted under Section 6(c) hereof,
to receive Awards based upon performance criteria specified by the Committee.

         "Person" means an individual or a corporation, limited liability
company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization,
association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

         "Phantom Unit" means a phantom (notional) Unit granted under the Plan
which upon vesting entitles the Participant to receive a Unit or an amount of
cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a Unit, whichever is determined by the
Committee.

         "Restricted Period" means the period established by the Committee with
respect to an Award during which the Award remains subject to forfeiture and is
not exercisable by or payable to the Participant.

         "Retirement" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the
Company's governing tax-qualified retirement plan applicable to the Participant,
or if no such plan is applicable to the



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Participant, at the discretion of the Board.

         "Rule 16b-3" means Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange
Act, or any successor rule or regulation thereto as in effect from time to time.

         "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor
thereto.

         "Unit" means a Common Unit of the Partnership.

         "Williams" means The Williams Companies, Inc.

         SECTION 3. Administration.

         The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. A majority of the
Committee shall constitute a quorum, and the acts of the members of the
Committee who are present at any meeting thereof at which a quorum is present,
or acts unanimously approved by the members of the Committee in writing, shall
be the acts of the Committee. Subject to the following and any applicable law,
the Committee, in its sole discretion, may delegate any or all of its powers and
duties under the Plan, including the power to grant Awards under the Plan, to
the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, subject to such limitations on such
delegated powers and duties as the Committee may impose, if any. Upon any such
delegation all references in the Plan to the "Committee", other than in Section
7, shall be deemed to include the Chief Executive Officer; provided, however,
that such delegation shall not limit the Chief Executive Officer's right to
receive Awards under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Chief
Executive Officer may not grant Awards to, or take any action with respect to
any Award previously granted to, a person who is an officer subject to Rule
16b-3 or a member of the Board. Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable
law, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the
Committee by the Plan, the Committee shall have full power and authority to: (i)
designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted
to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of Units to be covered by Awards;
(iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to
what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled, exercised,
canceled, or forfeited; (vi) interpret and administer the Plan and any
instrument or agreement relating to an Award made under the Plan; (vii)
establish, amend, suspend, or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such
agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan;
and (viii) make any other determination and take any other action that the
Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.
Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations,
determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to
the Plan or any Award shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may
be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all
Persons, including the Company, the Partnership, any Affiliate, any Participant,
and any beneficiary of any Award.

         SECTION 4. Units

         (a) Units Available. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c),
the number of Units with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan
is 700,000. If any Option or



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Phantom Unit is forfeited or otherwise terminates or is canceled without the
delivery of Units, then the Units covered by such Award, to the extent of such
forfeiture, termination or cancellation, shall again be Units with respect to
which Awards may be granted.

         (b) Sources of Units Deliverable Under Awards. Any Units delivered
pursuant to an Award shall consist, in whole or in part, of Units acquired in
the open market, from any Affiliate, the Partnership or any other Person, or any
combination of the foregoing.

         (c) Adjustments. In the event that the Committee determines that any
distribution (whether in the form of cash, Units, other securities, or other
property), recapitalization, split, reverse split, reorganization, merger,
consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Units
or other securities of the Partnership, issuance of warrants or other rights to
purchase Units or other securities of the Partnership, or other similar
transaction or event affects the Units such that an adjustment is determined by
the Committee to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of
the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan,
then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or
all of (i) the number and type of Units (or other securities or property) with
respect to which Awards may be granted, (ii) the number and type of Units (or
other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, and (iii) the grant
or exercise price with respect to any Award or, if deemed appropriate, make
provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award; provided,
that the number of Units subject to any Award shall always be a whole number.

         SECTION 5. Eligibility.

         Any Employee or Director shall be eligible to be designated a
Participant and receive an Award under the Plan.

         SECTION 6. Awards.

         (a) Options. The Committee shall have the authority to determine the
Employees and Directors to whom Options shall be granted, the number of Units to
be covered by each Option, the purchase price therefor and the conditions and
limitations applicable to the exercise of the Option, including the following
terms and conditions and such additional terms and conditions, as the Committee
shall determine, that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

                  (i) Exercise Price. The purchase price per Unit purchasable
         under an Option shall be determined by the Committee at the time the
         Option is granted and may be more or less than its Fair Market Value as
         of the date of grant.

                  (ii) Time and Method of Exercise. The Committee shall
         determine the Restricted Period, i.e., the time or times at which an
         Option may be exercised in whole or in part, which may include, without
         limitation, accelerated vesting upon the achievement of specified
         performance goals, and the method or methods by which payment of the
         exercise price with respect thereto may be made or deemed to have been
         made, which may include, without limitation, cash, check acceptable to
         the Company, a "cashless-broker" exercise through



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         procedures approved by the Company, other securities or other property,
         or any combination thereof, having a Fair Market Value on the exercise
         date equal to the relevant exercise price.

                  (iii) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise provided in the terms of
         the Option grant, upon termination of a Participant's employment with
         the Company and its Affiliates or membership on the Board, whichever is
         applicable, for any reason during the applicable Restricted Period, all
         Options shall be forfeited by the Participant. The Committee may, in
         its discretion, waive in whole or in part such forfeiture with respect
         to a Participant's Options.

         (b) Phantom Units. The Committee shall have the authority to determine
the Employees and Directors to whom Phantom Units shall be granted, the number
of Phantom Units to be granted to each such Participant, the Restricted Period,
the conditions under which the Phantom Units may become vested or forfeited,
which may include, without limitation, the accelerated vesting upon the
achievement of specified performance goals, and such other terms and conditions
as the Committee may establish with respect to such Awards, including whether
DERs are granted with respect to such Phantom Units.

                  (i) DERs. To the extent provided by the Committee, in its
         discretion, a grant of Phantom Units may include a tandem DER grant,
         which may provide that such DERs shall be paid directly to the
         Participant, be credited to a bookkeeping account (with or without
         interest in the discretion of the Committee) subject to the same
         vesting restrictions as the tandem Award, or be subject to such other
         provisions or restrictions as determined by the Committee in its
         discretion.

                  (ii) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise provided in the terms of
         the Phantom Units grant, upon termination of a Participant's employment
         with the Company and its Affiliates or membership on the Board,
         whichever is applicable, for any reason during the applicable
         Restricted Period, all Phantom Units shall be forfeited by the
         Participant. The Committee may, in its discretion, waive in whole or in
         part such forfeiture with respect to a Participant's Phantom Units.

                  (iii) Lapse of Restrictions. Upon or as soon as reasonably
         practical following the vesting of each Phantom Unit, subject to the
         provisions of Section 8(b), the Participant shall be entitled to
         receive from the Company one Unit or cash equal to the Fair Market
         Value of a Unit, as determined by the Committee in its discretion.

         (c)      Performance Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant
                  Performance Awards to Participants on the following terms and
                  conditions:

                  (i)      Right to Payment. A Performance Award shall confer
                           upon Participant rights, valued as determined by the
                           Committee, and payable to, or exercisable by, the
                           Participant to whom the Performance Award is granted,
                           in whole or in part, as the Committee shall establish
                           at grant or thereafter. The performance criteria and
                           all other terms and conditions of the Performance
                           Award shall be




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                           determined by the Committee upon the grant of each
                           Performance Award or thereafter.

                  (ii)     Other Terms. A Performance Award may be denominated
                           or payable in cash, deferred cash, Units, other
                           Awards or other property, and other terms of
                           Performance Awards shall be, as determined by the
                           Committee.

         (d) General.

                  (i) Awards May Be Granted Separately or Together. Awards may,
         in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in
         addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution for any other Award
         granted under the Plan or any award granted under any other plan of the
         Company or any Affiliate. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem
         with other Awards or awards granted under any other plan of the Company
         or any Affiliate may be granted either at the same time as or at a
         different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.

                  (ii) Limits on Transfer of Awards.

                           (A) Except as provided in (C) below, each Option
                  shall be exercisable only by the Participant during the
                  Participant's lifetime, or by the person to whom the
                  Participant's rights shall pass by will or the laws of descent
                  and distribution.

                           (B) Except as provided in (C) below, no Award and no
                  right under any such Award may be assigned, alienated,
                  pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered
                  by a Participant and any such purported assignment,
                  alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance
                  shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any
                  Affiliate.

                           (C) To the extent specifically provided by the
                  Committee with respect to an Option grant, an Option may be
                  transferred by a Participant without consideration to
                  immediate family members or related family trusts, limited
                  partnerships or similar entities or on such terms and
                  conditions as the Committee may from time to time establish.
                  In addition, Awards may be transferred by will and the laws of
                  descent and distribution.

                  (iii) Term of Awards. The term of each Award shall be for such
         period as may be determined by the Committee.

                  (iv) Unit Certificates. All certificates for Units or other
         securities of the Partnership delivered under the Plan pursuant to any
         Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer
         orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under
         the Plan or the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the SEC,
         any stock exchange upon which such Units or other securities are then
         listed, and any applicable



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         federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends
         to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to
         such restrictions.

                  (v) Consideration for Grants. Awards may be granted for such
         consideration, including services, as the Committee determines.

                  (vi) Delivery of Units or other Securities and Payment by
         Participant of Consideration. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or
         any grant agreement to the contrary, delivery of Units pursuant to the
         exercise or vesting of an Award may be deferred for any period during
         which, in the good faith determination of the Committee, the Company is
         not reasonably able to obtain Units to deliver pursuant to such Award
         without violating the rules or regulations of any applicable law or
         securities exchange. No Units or other securities shall be delivered
         pursuant to any Award until payment in full of any amount required to
         be paid pursuant to the Plan or the applicable Award grant agreement
         (including, without limitation, any exercise price or tax withholding)
         is received by the Company. Such payment may be made by such method or
         methods and in such form or forms as the Committee shall determine,
         including, without limitation, cash, cashless-broker exercises with
         simultaneous sale, or any combination thereof; provided that the
         combined value, as determined by the Committee, of all cash and cash
         equivalents and the Fair Market Value of any such Units or other
         property so tendered to the Company, as of the date of such tender, is
         at least equal to the full amount required to be paid to the Company
         pursuant to the Plan or the applicable Award agreement.

                  (vii) Change in Control. Upon a Change in Control or such
         period prior thereto as may be established by the Committee, all Awards
         shall automatically vest and become payable or exercisable, as the case
         may be, in full. In this regard, all Restricted Periods shall terminate
         and all performance criteria, if any, shall be deemed to have been
         achieved at the maximum level. To the extent an Option is not exercised
         upon a Change in Control, the Committee may, in its discretion, cancel
         such Award without payment or provide for a replacement grant with
         respect to such property and on such terms as it deems appropriate.

         SECTION 7. Amendment and Termination.

         Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law:

                  (a) Amendments to the Plan. Except as required by the rules of
         the principal securities exchange on which the Units are traded and
         subject to Section 7(b) below, the Board or the Committee may amend,
         alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan in any manner,
         including increasing the number of Units available for Awards under the
         Plan, without the consent of any partner, Participant, other holder or
         beneficiary of an Award, or other Person; provided, however, that no
         amendment to the Plan may be made without the approval of a Unit
         Majority (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) that would permit
         DERs to be granted prior to the end of the Subordination Period (as
         defined in the Partnership Agreement).



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                  (b) Amendments to Awards. Subject to Section 7(a), the
         Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of,
         or alter any Award theretofore granted, provided no change, other than
         pursuant to Section 7(c), in any Award shall materially reduce the
         benefit to Participant without the consent of such Participant.

                  (c) Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain
         Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. The Committee is hereby authorized to
         make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria
         included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events
         (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 4(c) of
         the Plan) affecting the Partnership or the financial statements of the
         Partnership, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or
         accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such
         adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement
         of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available
         under the Plan.

         SECTION 8. General Provisions.

         (a) No Rights to Award. No Person shall have any claim to be granted
any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment
of Participants. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with
respect to each recipient.

         (b) Withholding. The Company or any Affiliate is authorized to withhold
from any Award, from any payment due or transfer made under any Award or from
any compensation or other amount owing to a Participant the amount (in cash,
Units, other securities, Units that would otherwise be issued pursuant to such
Award or other property) of any applicable taxes payable in respect of the grant
of an Award, its exercise, the lapse of restrictions thereon, or any payment or
transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may
be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy its withholding
obligations for the payment of such taxes. In no event shall the withholding for
taxes exceed that which is necessary to satisfy the employer's minimum
withholding requirements.

         (c) No Right to Employment. The grant of an Award shall not be
construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ of the
Company or any Affiliate or to remain on the Board, as applicable. Further, the
Company or an Affiliate may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment,
free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly
provided in the Plan or in any Award agreement.

         (d) Governing Law. The validity, construction, and effect of the Plan
and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan shall be determined in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware law without regard to its
conflict of laws principles.

         (e) Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any award is or
becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any
jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any
award under any law deemed applicable by the Compensation Committee, such
provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable
laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the
determination of the Compensation



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Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such
provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or award and the
remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

         (f) Other Laws. The Committee may refuse to issue or transfer any Units
or other consideration under an Award if, in its sole discretion, it determines
that the issuance or transfer or such Units or such other consideration might
violate any applicable law or regulation, the rules of the principal securities
exchange on which the Units are then traded, or entitle the Partnership or an
Affiliate to recover the same under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, and any
payment tendered to the Company by a Participant, other holder or beneficiary in
connection with the exercise of such Award shall be promptly refunded to the
relevant Participant, holder or beneficiary.

         (g) No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any award shall
create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a
fiduciary relationship between the Company or any participating Affiliate and a
Participant or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right
to receive payments from the Company or any participating Affiliate pursuant to
an award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any general unsecured
creditor of the Company or any participating Affiliate.

         (h) No Fractional Units. No fractional Units shall be issued or
delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine
whether cash, other securities, or other property shall be paid or transferred
in lieu of any fractional Units or whether such fractional Units or any rights
thereto shall be canceled, terminated, or otherwise eliminated.

         (i) Headings. Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the
Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be
deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of
the Plan or any provision thereof.

         (j) Facility Payment. Any amounts payable hereunder to any person under
legal disability or who, in the judgment of the Committee, is unable to properly
manage his financial affairs, may be paid to the legal representative of such
person, or may be applied for the benefit of such person in any manner which the
Committee may select, and the Company shall be relieved of any further liability
for payment of such amounts.

         (k) Gender and Number. Words in the masculine gender shall include the
feminine gender, the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall
include the plural.

         SECTION 9. Term of the Plan.

         The Plan shall be effective on the date of its approval by the Board
and shall continue until the date terminated by the Board or Units are no longer
available for the payment of Awards under the Plan, whichever occurs first.
However, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable
Award Agreement, any Award granted prior to such termination, and the authority
of the Board or the Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue, or
terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under such Award,
shall extend beyond such termination date.





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