SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 11-K


                                  ANNUAL REPORT



        Pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                      For the Year Ended December 31, 2003

                         Commission File Number 1-16619




              Kerr-McGee Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan

                            (full title of the Plan)






                             Kerr-McGee Corporation
                                Kerr-McGee Center
                          Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102





             (Name of the issuer of the securities held pursuant to
             the Plan and address of its principal executive office)







              KERR-McGEE CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

                 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES

                           DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002



             Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm


                              Financial Statements


Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits as of December 31, 2003 and 2002

Statement  of Changes in Net Assets  Available  for  Benefits for the year ended
December 31, 2003

Notes to Financial Statements


                             Supplemental Schedules



Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)

Schedule H, Line 4j - Schedule of Reportable Transactions


All other schedules  required by the Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of
1974 and the  regulations  promulgated  by the  Department  of Labor  have  been
omitted since they are inapplicable.












             REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM


Kerr-McGee Corporation Benefits Committee
Kerr-McGee Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan


     We have audited the  accompanying  statements  of net assets  available for
benefits of Kerr-McGee  Corporation  Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the Plan) as
of December  31,  2003 and 2002,  and the  related  statement  of changes in net
assets  available  for  benefits for the year ended  December  31,  2003.  These
financial  statements  are the  responsibility  of the  Plan's  management.  Our
responsibility  is to express an opinion on these financial  statements based on
our audits.

     We  conducted  our audits in  accordance  with the  standards of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that
we plan and perform the audit to obtain  reasonable  assurance about whether the
financial  statements  are free of  material  misstatement.  An  audit  includes
examining,  on a test basis,  evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in
the  financial  statements.  An audit also  includes  assessing  the  accounting
principles  used  and  significant  estimates  made  by  management,  as well as
evaluating the overall  financial  statement  presentation.  We believe that our
audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

     In our opinion,  the financial statements referred to above present fairly,
in all material  respects,  the net assets available for benefits of the Plan at
December  31,  2003 and 2002,  and the changes in its net assets  available  for
benefits for the year ended December 31, 2003, in conformity with U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles.

     Our  audits  were  performed  for the  purpose of forming an opinion on the
financial statements taken as a whole. The accompanying  supplemental  schedules
of  assets  (held  at end of year)  as of  December  31,  2003,  and  reportable
transactions  for the  year  then  ended,  are  presented  for the  purposes  of
additional analysis and are not a required part of the financial  statements but
are  supplementary  information  required by the Department of Labor's Rules and
Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure  under the Employee  Retirement  Income
Security Act of 1974. These supplemental schedules are the responsibility of the
Plan's  management.  The  supplemental  schedules  have  been  subjected  to the
auditing procedures applied in our audit of the financial statements and, in our
opinion, are fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the financial
statements taken as a whole.





                                                               ERNST & YOUNG LLP


Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
May 28, 2004








              KERR-McGEE CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

                 STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS


                                December 31, 2003
                             (Thousands of dollars)



               ASSETS                        Unallocated    Allocated     Total
               ------                        -----------    ---------    -------

Common stock of Kerr-McGee Corporation         $ 14,663      $68,766     $83,429
                                               --------      -------     -------

         Total investments                       14,663       68,766      83,429

Dividends receivable                                142            -         142
Interfund contributions receivable (payable)       (784)         784           -
Interfund dividends receivable (payable)           (678)         678           -
                                               --------      -------     -------

         Total assets                            13,343       70,228      83,571
                                               --------      -------     -------

             LIABILITIES

Notes payable                                    38,288            -      38,288
Interest payable                                    241            -         241
                                               --------      -------     -------

         Total liabilities                       38,529            -      38,529
                                               --------      -------     -------

Net assets (liabilities) available
 for benefits                                  $(25,186)     $70,228     $45,042
                                               ========      =======     =======


The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.




              KERR-McGEE CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

                 STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS


                                December 31, 2002
                             (Thousands of dollars)



               ASSETS                        Unallocated    Allocated     Total
               ------                        -----------    ---------    -------

Common stock of Kerr-McGee Corporation         $ 27,897      $63,076     $90,973
                                               --------      -------     -------

         Total investments                       27,897       63,076      90,973

Dividends receivable                                285            -         285
Interfund contributions receivable (payable)     (1,083)       1,083           -
Interfund dividends receivable (payable)           (651)         651           -
                                               --------      -------     -------

         Total assets                            26,448       64,810      91,258
                                               --------      -------     -------

             LIABILITIES

Notes payable                                    78,376            -      78,376
Interest payable                                    624            -         624
                                               --------      -------     -------

         Total liabilities                       79,000            -      79,000
                                               --------      -------     -------

Net assets (liabilities) available
  for benefits                                 $(52,552)     $64,810     $12,258
                                               ========      =======     =======


The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.





              KERR-McGEE CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

            STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS


                      For the Year Ended December 31, 2003
                             (Thousands of dollars)


                                             Unallocated    Allocated     Total
                                             -----------    ---------    -------

Company contributions                          $ 41,850      $     -     $41,850
Dividend income                                     773        2,690       3,463
Interest income                                       2            -           2
Appreciation of common stock                        619        3,014       3,633
                                               --------      -------     -------

         Total additions                         43,244        5,704      48,948
                                               --------      -------     -------

Interest expense                                  4,959            -       4,959
Distributions to participants                         -        6,771       6,771
Transfers to (from) other fund                   10,919      (10,919)          -
Transfer to SIP                                       -        4,434       4,434
                                               --------      -------     -------

         Total deductions                        15,878          286      16,164
                                               --------      -------     -------

              Net increase                       27,366        5,418      32,784


Net assets (liabilities) available
  for benefits -
     Beginning of year                          (52,552)      64,810      12,258
                                               --------      -------     -------

     End of year                               $(25,186)     $70,228     $45,042
                                               ========      =======     =======


The accompanying notes are an integral part of this statement.





              KERR-McGEE CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                           DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002


(1)  PLAN DESCRIPTION

     The Kerr-McGee  Corporation  Employee  Stock  Ownership Plan (the Plan) was
     established in September  1989, and is designed to comply with the Internal
     Revenue Code (the Code)  Section  4975(e) and is subject to the  applicable
     provisions  of the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security  Act of 1974,  as
     amended  (ERISA).  The Plan was amended and restated  effective  January 1,
     2001. The Plan, a leveraged  employee stock ownership plan, invests only in
     the common stock of Kerr-McGee  Corporation (the Company).  The Plan covers
     all employees of the Company and its subsidiaries who make salary deferrals
     to the Kerr-McGee Savings  Investment Plan (the SIP).  Effective January 1,
     1990,  participant   contributions  to  the  SIP  are  matched  by  Company
     contributions  to the Plan.  These  participant  contributions  are matched
     dollar-for-dollar   by  the  Company,   up  to  6%  of  the   participants'
     compensation as defined under the Plan. In addition, effective September 1,
     2001,  participant  contributions by bargaining employees to the Kerr-McGee
     Pigments  (Savannah)  Inc.,  Employees  Savings  Plan  (Savannah  plan) are
     matched at a rate of $.50 for every dollar  contributed by the  participant
     up to 6% of the participant's compensation.  Although the Plan, SIP and the
     Savannah plan are separate plans,  matching  contributions  to the Plan are
     contingent upon  participants'  contributions  to the SIP or Savannah plan.
     Participants are not permitted to make contributions under the terms of the
     Plan.

     Effective January 1, 2000, eligible  participants in the SIP have an annual
     option to diversify up to 25% of their year-end Kerr-McGee stock balance in
     the Plan into investment  options available in the SIP. This option must be
     exercised by March 31 of each year. The amount  diversified  during 2003 is
     shown  as  Transfers  to SIP on the  Statement  of  Changes  in Net  Assets
     Available for  Benefits.  Generally,  participants  who are at least age 55
     with 10 years of  participation  in the Plan may withdraw their 25% instead
     of  diversifying  within the SIP.  They have this  option for the first six
     years after meeting the eligibility requirements.

     The Company may direct State Street Bank and Trust Company (the Trustee) to
     enter into acquisition loans for the purpose of acquiring Company stock for
     the benefit of  participants.  Pursuant to that authority,  the Trustee and
     the Company  entered into a Stock  Purchase  Agreement as of September  12,
     1989.  Under this  agreement,  the Plan purchased  2,680,965  shares of the
     Company's  common  stock at $46.625 per share on  November  29,  1989,  the
     market  value on that date.  To finance  the  purchase,  the Plan  incurred
     indebtedness  to a  group  of  institutional  investors  in  the  aggregate
     principal amount of $125,000,000 (see Note 4).

     Company  stock  acquired with the proceeds of the initial loan is held in a
     suspense account.  The Company's matching  contributions and dividends paid
     on the common stock held in the loan suspense account are used to repay the
     loan. Stock is released from the loan suspense account as the principal and
     interest are paid. The stock is then allocated to participants' accounts at
     market  value  as the  Company  matches  contributions  made to the SIP and
     Savannah plan by  participants.  A total of 315,397 shares of stock pledged
     to secure the debt remained in the suspense account at December 31, 2003.

     Dividends paid on the common stock held in participants'  accounts are also
     used to repay the loan.  Stock with a market  value  equal to the amount of
     the dividend is allocated to the  participants'  accounts.  If the value of
     shares of Company  stock  released  from the loan  suspense  account is not
     sufficient  to make the  required  matching  and  dividend  allocations  to
     participants'  accounts,  the Company will contribute  additional shares of
     common  stock  or cash  which  may be used to  purchase  shares  or to make
     additional  payments on the loan. All stock released from the loan suspense
     account within the year must be allocated to participants' accounts by year
     end. If the number of shares  released is more than the  required  matching
     and dividend allocation, the excess is allocated to participants.

     Employees who are or become  participants  on or after January 1, 2000, are
     100% vested in all  Company  matching  contributions.  A  participant  will
     receive a  distribution  of his vested  interest in his  account  only upon
     termination of employment,  retirement,  death or permanent disability.  No
     other withdrawals are permitted, except for diversification after age 55 as
     described above.

     Distributions to participants are paid in a single sum consisting of shares
     of stock or cash,  at the election of the  participant.  Distributions  are
     recorded at the  approximate  market value as of the date of  distribution.
     Terminating  participants  with  more  than  $5,000  in the Plan may  defer
     distribution until age 70 1/2.  Investments  relating to these participants
     remain in the Trust until the terminated participant requests distribution.
     Participants  who defer  distribution  continue  to share in  earnings  and
     losses of the Plan.

     The Plan is administered by the Kerr-McGee  Corporation  Benefits Committee
     (the  Committee),  which is  appointed  by the  Board of  Directors  of the
     Company.  Accounting  and  administration  for the Plan are provided by the
     Company at no cost to the Plan. In addition,  all expenses of the Trust are
     borne  by  the  Company.   During   2003,   the  Company  paid  $70,000  of
     administrative and trust expenses on behalf of the Plan.

     The Company  intends to continue  the Plan  indefinitely,  but reserves the
     right to alter,  amend,  modify,  revoke or terminate  the Plan at any time
     upon the  direction of the  Company's  Board of  Directors.  If the Plan is
     terminated for any reason, the Committee will direct that the participants'
     account balances be distributed as soon as practical. Any unallocated funds
     remaining in the Plan after all  participants  have received  their account
     balances may be disposed of as directed by the Company.  The Company has no
     continuing  liability  under the Plan  after the final  disposition  of the
     assets of the Plan.

(2)  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

     Basis of  Accounting - The  financial  statements  of the Plan are prepared
     under the accrual  method of accounting in accordance  with U.S.  generally
     accepted accounting principles.

     Use of Estimates - The  preparation  of financial  statements in conformity
     with U.S. generally accepted  accounting  principles requires management to
     make  estimates  and  assumptions  that affect the reported  amounts of net
     assets  available for benefits and changes  therein.  Actual  results could
     differ from those estimates.

     Investment   Risk  -  The  Plan  provides  for   investment  in  Kerr-McGee
     Corporation  common stock,  which is exposed to various  market  volatility
     risks.  Further,  due to the level of risk associated  with  investments in
     common stock,  it is possible that changes in the values of the  investment
     will occur in the near term and that such changes could  materially  effect
     the  amounts  reported  in the  statements  of  net  assets  available  for
     benefits.

     Investment  Valuations and Income  Recognition - The Plan's investments are
     stated at fair  value,  with the Company  stock being  valued at its quoted
     market  price.  Purchases  and  sales  of  securities  are  recorded  on  a
     trade-date  basis.  Interest  income  is  recorded  on the  accrual  basis.
     Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

     Payment  of  Benefits  -  Distributions   to  terminating  and  withdrawing
     participants are recorded when paid.

(3)  INVESTMENTS

     The Plan's  investment in the  Company's  common stock at December 31, 2003
     and 2002, was as follows:

     (Dollars in thousands)         Unallocated       Allocated          Total
                                    -----------       ---------        ---------

     2003
     ----
     Number of Shares                 315,397         1,477,339        1,792,736
     Cost                             $23,887           $68,107          $91,994
     Market                           $14,663           $68,766          $83,429

     2002
     ----
     Number of Shares                 629,723         1,425,281        2,055,004
     Cost                             $47,692           $71,679         $119,371
     Market                           $27,897           $63,076          $90,973

(4)  NOTES PAYABLE

     On  November  29,  1989,  the Plan  borrowed  $125,000,000  from a group of
     institutional  investors for the purpose of acquiring the Company's  common
     stock.  This  borrowing  consisted  of  Series  A notes  in the  amount  of
     $74,000,000  and Series B notes in the amount of  $51,000,000.  The Company
     has  guaranteed  the Plan's  indebtedness.  In June 1996, the Plan issued a
     $24,500,000  note,  which bears  interest at a fixed rate of 6.85%,  to the
     Company  (the  Sponsor  note) and used the funds to prepay a portion of the
     9.47%  fixed-rate  Series A notes.  The  remaining  balance of the Series A
     notes was paid on July 1, 1996, as scheduled.  Scheduled principal payments
     on the Sponsor note began in January  1997 and  continued  through  January
     2003.  Principal  payments on the 9.61% fixed-rate  Series B notes began in
     July 1998 and continue through January 2005.

     Following  the merger of  Kerr-McGee  Corporation  and Oryx Energy  Company
     (Oryx),  the Oryx Capital  Accumulation Plan (CAP plan) was merged into the
     Plan and the SIP during 1999. On August 1, 1989, the CAP plan borrowed $110
     million by privately placing ESOP notes with Oryx. The borrowing  consisted
     of Series  A,  Series B and  Series C sponsor  notes  with  interest  rates
     ranging from 8.35% to 8.70%.  Scheduled  principal payments on the Series A
     notes continue through July 2006.  Principal payments on the Series B notes
     begin in August 2005 and continue through July 2008.  Principal payments on
     the Series C notes begin in August  2008 and  continue  through  July 2011.
     During 2003, prepayments of $26,977,000 were made on the Oryx notes.

     Notes payable consisted of the following at year end:

     (Thousands of dollars)                      2003             2002
                                               -------          -------

     Sponsor note                              $     -          $ 3,130
     Series B notes                              5,000           10,750
     Oryx Series A sponsor notes                 7,760           19,248
     Oryx Series B sponsor notes                 9,856           17,470
     Oryx Series C sponsor notes                15,672           27,778
                                               -------          -------
                                               $38,288          $78,376
                                               =======          =======


     Maturities of notes payable due after  December 31, 2003, are $6,739,000 in
     2004,   $5,087,000  in  2005,  $3,940,000  in  2006,  $4,263,000  in  2007,
     $4,579,000 in 2008 and $13,680,000 thereafter.


(5)  TAX STATUS

     The plan obtained its latest determination letter dated September 18, 2003,
     in which the Internal  Revenue  Service stated that the Plan is a qualified
     plan under  provisions of Section  401(a) and is exempt from Federal Income
     taxes under  provisions of Section  501(a) of the Code.  Subsequent to this
     determination  by the  Internal  Revenue  Service,  the Plan was amended to
     incorporate  the  final  IRS   regulations   governing   minimum   required
     distributions  under  Internal  Revenue  Code  section  401 (a)  (9).  Once
     qualified,  the Plan is required to operate in conformity  with the Code to
     maintain its  qualification.  The Plan sponsor has  indicated  that it will
     take the  necessary  steps,  if any,  to bring the  Plan's  operation  into
     compliance with the Code.


(6)  CONTRIBUTIONS

     The Company's 2003 cash contributions to the Plan totaled  $41,850,000.  In
     addition,  the Company  declared  $3,463,000  in dividends on the Company's
     stock held in the Plan. Of the total contributions,  $10,712,000 represents
     the Company's matching  contributions for employees' savings in the SIP and
     $200,000  represents the Company's  matching  contributions  for employees'
     savings in the Savannah plan.


(7)  SUBSEQUENT EVENT

     On April 7, 2004, the Company and Westport Resources Corporation (Westport)
     announced  that  their  Boards of  Directors  had  unanimously  approved  a
     strategic  merger.  In connection  with the merger,  the Company expects to
     issue  approximately  49  million  shares  of  common  stock to  Westport's
     stockholders. The transaction is subject to approval by the stockholders of
     both companies,  as well as customary closing conditions.  If approved, the
     transaction  is expected to be  consummated  in the second quarter of 2004,
     shortly after the companies' respective  shareholders meetings,  which will
     be held on June 25, 2004.  The effect of the merger on the Plan and its net
     assets,  including  the  effect on the fair value of the  Company's  common
     stock, if any, is not currently known.





              KERR-McGEE CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

         SCHEDULE H, LINE 4i - SCHEDULE OF ASSETS (HELD AT END OF YEAR)

                   (Employer Identification Number 73-1612389)
                                (Plan Number 014)

                                DECEMBER 31, 2003
                             (Thousands of dollars)




                        (b)                                             (c)                                                (e)
           Identity of issue, borrower, lessor      Description of investment including maturity date,        (d)        Current
(a)*       or similar party                         rate of interest, collateral, par or maturity value      Cost         Value
----       -----------------------------------      ---------------------------------------------------     -------      -------
                                                                                                             

 *         Kerr-McGee Corporation                   Common stock (1,792,736 shares)                         $91,994      $83,429







 *Party-in-interest






              KERR-McGEE CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN

            SCHEDULE H, LINE 4j- SCHEDULE OF REPORTABLE TRANSACTIONS

                   (Employer Identification Number 73-1612389)
                                (Plan Number 014)

                      FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003
                             (Thousands of dollars)



                                                                                                              (h)
                                                                                                            Current
                                                                                                             value
                                                                  (c)           (d)            (g)        of asset on       (i)
          (a)                              (b)                 Purchase       Selling        Cost of      transaction    Net gain
Identity of party involved       Description of asset            price         price          asset          date        or (loss)
--------------------------       --------------------          --------       -------        -------      -----------    ---------

Category (iii) - Series of Transactions in excess of 5% of the Plan Assets:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                        

Kerr-McGee Corporation           Common Stock                   $37,347       $     -        $37,347        $37,347       $     -

Kerr-McGee Corporation           Common Stock                   $     -       $58,775        $64,724        $58,775       $(5,949)




There were no category (i), (ii) or (iv) reportable transactions during the year
ended December 31, 2003.

Columns (e) and (f) are not applicable.








                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Kerr-McGee  Corporation Benefits Committee has duly caused this annual report to
be signed by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

              KERR-McGEE CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN






                                     By            (Robert M. Wohleber)
                                          --------------------------------------
                                                    Robert M. Wohleber
                                          Chairman of the Kerr-McGee Corporation
                                                    Benefits Committee




Date:  June 18, 2004