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 quarterly report on Form 10-Q 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;

        c)     disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
               control over financial reporting that occurred during the
               registrant's most recent 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:  May 6, 2004

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