EXHIBIT 31.1

                                CERTIFICATION OF
                             CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                         OF NEWFIELD EXPLORATION COMPANY
                 PURSUANT TO 15 U.S.C. SECTION 7241, AS ADOPTED
                         PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE
                           SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, David A. Trice, certify that:

     1.  I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Newfield
         Exploration Company ("Registrant");

     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 Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

     4.  Registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
         establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
         defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for 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 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 Registrant's disclosure
                  controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to
                  the filing date of this report (the "Evaluation Date");

              c.  presented in this report our conclusions about the
                  effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based
                  on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

     5.  Registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on
         our most recent evaluation, to Registrant's auditors and the audit
         committee of Registrant's Board of Directors (or persons performing the
         equivalent functions):

              a.  all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
                  internal controls which could adversely affect Registrant's
                  ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
                  data and have identified for Registrant's auditors any
                  material weaknesses in internal controls; and

              b.  any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
                  or other employees who have a significant role in Registrant's
                  internal controls; and

     6.  Registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated in this
         report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
         controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal
         controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation,
         including any corrective actions with regard to significant
         deficiencies and material weaknesses.

Date: August 11, 2003                      /s/ DAVID A. TRICE
                                           ------------------------------------
                                           David A. Trice
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer