Pioneer

Offshore pioneer Kerr-McGee Corp. said its stockholders and those of Denver-based Westport Resources Corp. on Friday overwhelmingly approved the merger of the companies during special meetings of each company.

Offshore pioneer Kerr-McGee Corp. said its stockholders and those of Denver-based Westport Resources Corp. on Friday overwhelmingly approved the merger of the companies during special meetings of each company.

Offshore pioneer Kerr-McGee Corp. will become the fifth largest independent producer following a $3.4 billion merger with Denver-based Westport Resources Corp., which was announced last Wednesday. The transaction substantially expands Kerr-McGee’s land-based prospects, increasing its proved reserves 30% and also boosting its total daily production more than 34%, which will be weighted 54% to natural gas.

Flush with cash from an IPO early in the summer, aCalifornia-based micro-turbine pioneer yet to record a profit, ishoping to keep up with increasing demand and move into the blackfinancially by the end of next year, spurred along at leastpartially by this summer’s electricity supply and price problems.

Are fuel cells catching on? Plug Power, a pioneer in the fuelcell industry incorporated in 1997 with 25 employees, now has 250.The company broke ground this week for a 50,000 square feetmanufacturing facility that will double its current space.