8-K

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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K


                 CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

      DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED):  JANUARY 31, 1996




                                K N ENERGY, INC.

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          KANSAS                            1-6446              48-0290000
  (State or other jurisdiction        (Commission File       (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)          Number)          Identification No.)
                                                            
                                                            
                                                            
          370 VAN GORDON STREET                             
          P. O. BOX 281304                                  
          LAKEWOOD, CO                                           80228-8304
 (Address of principal executive offices)                        (Zip code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (303) 989-1740





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Item 5.  Other Events.

         On January 31, 1996 K N Energy, Inc. closed the merger of K N's wholly
         owned oil & gas subsidiary, K N Production Company, into Tom Brown,
         Inc., as well as completed the joint formation of a new gas services
         company, Wild Horse, LLC and reference is hereby made to the press
         release dated February 1, 1996, which is filed herewith as an exhibit
         and incorporated herein by this reference.

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro-Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

         (a)     Financial Statements - None

         (b)     Pro-Forma Financial Statements - None

         (c)     Exhibits

                 1.1      Press release dated February 1, 1996


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit Number
Page                             Exhibit Description                       Page
- -------------------              -------------------                       ----
                                                                       
1.1                     Press release dated February 1, 1996                 5






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                                   SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                        K N ENERGY, INC.
                                        
                                        
                                        
Date:  February 1, 1996                 By:  /s/ WILLIAM S. GARNER, JR.
                                           -----------------------------------
                                             William S. Garner, Jr.
                                             Vice President, General Counsel 
                                             and Secretary





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                                EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT
NUMBER                   EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION                               PAGE
- -------                  -------------------                               ----

  1.1               Press Release Dated February 1, 1996                    5

EX-1.1

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                                                                     EXHIBIT 1.1



       K N ENERGY AND TOM BROWN COMPLETE FORMATION OF NEW ENERGY ALLIANCE

Lakewood, CO - K N Energy, Inc. (NYSE-KNE) and Tom Brown, Inc. (NASDAQ-TMBR)
today reported they have finalized the previously announced strategic alliance
between the companies through the exchange of K N Energy's wholly-owned gas and
oil subsidiary, K N Production Company, to Tom Brown, Inc. and the joint
formation of Wild Horse, LLC, a new gas services company.

K N Energy and Tom Brown, Inc. formed Wild Horse to provide gathering,
processing, marketing, storage and field services to Rocky Mountain gas and oil
producers and others. Wild Horse will also pursue the construction or
acquisition of gathering, processing and storage assets in areas of the Rocky
Mountain region where K N Production Company or Tom Brown, Inc. currently own
reserves.  The recent announcement that K N Energy plans to acquire an 850-mile
crude oil pipeline and convert it to natural gas service provides significant
additional opportunity for Wild Horse.

Wild Horse will be operated by K N Energy under the direction of an operating
team with equal representation from K N Energy and Tom Brown, Inc.  Wild Horse
is jointly owned by K N Energy (55 percent) and Tom Brown, Inc. (45 percent).

"This is a significant strategic alliance for K N Energy in the Rocky Mountain
region with a premier low-cost producer," said Larry D. Hall, President and
Chief Executive Officer of K N Energy.  "This alliance advances K N Energy's
strategy by leveraging our existing reserves into greater opportunity through
additional gathering, processing, marketing, field services and storage."

"It is an exciting opportunity to join with the innovative and exceptional
leadership of K N Energy in a joint venture that will benefit both companies,"
said Donald L. Evans, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tom Brown, Inc.
"Wild Horse will incorporate the knowlege and perspective of both a producer
and a gas services company to provide better services from wellhead to
burnertip."

Tom Brown, Inc. acquired K N Production Company in exchange for approximately
0.9 million shares of Tom Brown common stock and 1.0 million shares of a new 7%
convertible preferred stock.

Tom Brown, Inc. is an independent energy company engaged in the domestic
exploration for, and the acquisition, development, production and sale of,
natural gas and crude oil.  As of December 31, 1994, the Company's natural gas
reserves were approximately 180 billion cubic feet and its oil reserves were
approximately 4.5 million barrels.  Tom Brown, Inc. recently announced it
intends to acquire substantially all the assets of Presidio Oil Co.

K N Energy is a natural gas services company and has operations in eight
states.  The services provided include gas gathering, processing, marketing,
storage, transportation and retail gas distribution services.  K N Energy has
annual sales exceeding $1 billion and assets of approximately $1.2 billion.

Release Date:  Immediate release - February 1, 1996
               Contacts:  K N Energy, Inc. - Karla Kimrey - (303) 763-3489
                          Tom Brown, Inc. - Donald L. Evans - (915) 682-9715




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