Editing DEA AG (section)

== Merger with Wintershall Holding GmbH ==
A binding agreement to merge DEA and Wintershall was published on 27 September 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wintershall, DEA reach agreement on German oil & gas merger - Xinhua {{!}} English.news.cn|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-09/28/c_137499659.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928155005/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-09/28/c_137499659.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 28, 2018|website=www.xinhuanet.com|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref> The merger was carried out with official approval in May 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wintershall, DEA complete merger|url=https://www.pipelineoilandgasnews.com/regionalinternational-news/international-news/2019/may/wintershall-dea-complete-merger/|website=www.pipelineoilandgasnews.com|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref> It created Europe's leading independent gas and oil company.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chemiebranche: Fusion von BASF-Tochter Wintershall und Dea abgeschlossen|url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/energie/chemiebranche-fusion-von-basf-tochter-wintershall-und-dea-abgeschlossen/24275688.html|website=www.handelsblatt.com|language=de|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref> [[BASF]] holds 67% of Wintershall Dea and LetterOne holds 33% of the [[Common stock|ordinary shares]] in Wintershall Dea.<ref>{{Cite web|title=LetterOne and BASF merge businesses to create Wintershall Dea|url=https://www.hydrocarbons-technology.com/news/letterone-and-basf-merge-oil-and-gas-units-to-create-wintershall-dea/|date=2019-05-01|website=Hydrocarbons Technology|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref> To consider the value of the [[midstream]] business of Wintershall Dea, BASF further received [[Preferred stock|preference shares]] which results in a current overall participation of BASF of 72.7% in the entire share capital of the company.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BASF, LetterOne complete merger of oil and gas operations|url=https://ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/basf-letterone-complete-merger-of-oil-and-gas-operations.html|date=2019-05-13|website=IHS Markit|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref> The preference shares will convert into ordinary shares of the Company on May 1, 2022, or upon an initial public offering, whichever comes earlier.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ANNUAL REPORT 2019|url=https://wintershalldea.com/sites/default/files/media/files/Wintershall%20Dea%20annual%20report%202019.pdf|last=|first=|date=|website=Wintershall|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref>