Exhibit 31.1



              KINDER MORGAN ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES
   EXHIBIT 31.1 - CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-14(A) OR 15D-14(A) OF THE
   SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE
                           SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002


   I, Richard D. Kinder, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Kinder Morgan Energy
   Partners, L.P.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
   a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
   statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
   were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
   report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
   information included in this report, fairly present in all material
   respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of
   the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
   establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
   in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

   a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
      disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision,
      to ensure that material information relating to the registrant,
      including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
      within those entities, particularly during the period in which this
      report is being prepared;

   b) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
      procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
      effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end
      of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

   c) disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control
      over financial reorting that occurred during the registrant's fourth
      fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
      materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial
      reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on
   our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to
   the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board
   of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

   a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
      operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
      reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
      record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

   b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
      employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
      control over financial information.


   Date:  March 5, 2004

                          /s/ Richard D. Kinder
                          ------------------------------
                          Richard D. Kinder
                          Chairman and Chief Executive Officer