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



                               September 20, 2004
               --------------------------------------------------
               (Date of Report - Date of earliest event reported)




                             KERR-McGEE CORPORATION
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


   Delaware                        1-16619                        73-1612389
--------------             ------------------------          -------------------
  (State of                (Commission File Number)             (IRS Employer
Incorporation)                                               Identification No.)


            Kerr-McGee Center
         Oklahoma City, Oklahoma                                        73125
 ----------------------------------------                            ----------
 (Address of principal executive offices)                            (Zip Code)



                                 (405) 270-1313
                         -------------------------------
                         (Registrant's telephone number)



Item 5.02   Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors;
            Appointment of Principal Officers

                 On September 20, 2004,  Kerr-McGee  Corporation  issued a press
            release  announcing  that Tom  Adams,  age 43,  has been  named vice
            president  of  chemicals  for  Kerr-McGee   Corporation,   effective
            September  20,  2004.  Prior to his  appointment  as an  officer  of
            Kerr-McGee  Corporation,  Mr. Adams served in various capacities for
            Kerr-McGee Corporation's affiliates, including as Vice President and
            General Manager of the Pigment  Division from May to September 2004;
            Vice President of Strategic  Planning and Business  Development from
            2003 to 2004;  Vice  President  of  Acquisitions  from March 2003 to
            September  2003;  Vice  President  of  Information   Management  and
            Technology from 2002 to 2003; Director of Knowledge  Management from
            2000 to 2002;  Manager of  Exploration  and  Production  Information
            Technical  Services  from June 2000 to October  2000 and  Manager of
            Planning from 1999 to 2000. The press release is attached  hereto as
            an exhibit and is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01   Financial Statements and Exhibits

            (c) Exhibits

            99.1 Press Release dated September 20, 2004

                                   SIGNATURES

     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.


                                                   KERR-MCGEE CORPORATION


                                              By:  (John M. Rauh)
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                   John M. Rauh
                                                   Vice President and Controller

Dated: September 20, 2004