The American oil and gas group DEVON ENERGY has announced an agreement for the acquisition, via a share swap, of its competitor SANTA FE SNYDER for USD 3.35 billion, which includes assumption of a debt of USD 1 billion. This operation will give rise to the fourth largest independent oil and gas company in the United States in terms of market capitalisation, reserves (1.1 billion barrels of oil equivalent) and combined annual production of USD 1.22 billion with a workforce of 2,835.