**Exhibit31.1**

 

Certification of Chief Executive OfficerRequired by Rule 13a-14(a)(17 CFR 240, 13a-14(a))

 

I, Michael J. Mauceli, ChiefExecutive Officer of Reef Partners LLC, the managing general partner of ReefGlobal Energy III, L.P., certify that:

 

1.     I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Qfor the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2004, of Reef Global Energy III, L.P.;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

a)     Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, orcaused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under oursupervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant,including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others withinthose entities, particularly during the period in which this report is beingprepared;

 

b)    Intentionally omitted*

 

c)     Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’sdisclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusionsabout the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of theend of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

d)    Disclosed in this report any change in theregistrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during theregistrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarterin the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonablylikely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financialreporting; and

 

5.     The registrant’s othercertifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation ofinternal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and theaudit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performingequivalent functions):

 

a)     All significant deficiencies and material weaknessesin the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting whichare 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 involvesmanagement or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’sinternal control over financial reporting.

 

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*  A statement is not required under this paragraph until we fileour first Form 10-K for our fiscal year ending on or after April 15, 2005.

 
| Date:  August 24, 2004 |   | /s/ Michael  J. Mauceli                      |   |
|-----------------------------|--------|----------------------------------------------|--------|
|                        |   | Michael J.  Mauceli, Chief Executive Officer |
|                        |   | Reef  Partners LLC                           |

 

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