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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.8


                               SEVERANCE AGREEMENT


         AGREEMENT between OCEAN ENERGY, INC., a Texas corporation (the
"COMPANY") formerly known as Seagull Energy Corporation, and Richard F. Barnes
("EXECUTIVE"),

                              W I T N E S S E T H :

         WHEREAS, the Company desires to retain certain key employee personnel
and, accordingly, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "BOARD") has
approved the Company entering into a severance agreement with Executive in order
to encourage his continued service to the Company; and

         WHEREAS, Executive is prepared to commit such services in return for
specific arrangements with respect to severance compensation and other benefits;

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good
and valuable consideration, the Company and Executive agree as follows:

         1.       DEFINITIONS.

                  (a) "AVERAGE BONUS" shall mean the average of the bonus
payments, if any, received by Executive for the two immediately preceding fiscal
years of the Company.

                  (b) "CHANGE IN DUTIES" shall mean the occurrence, within two
years after the date upon which a Change of Control occurs, of any one or more
of the following:

                           (i) A significant reduction in the duties of
         Executive from those applicable to him immediately prior to the date on
         which a Change of Control occurs;

                           (ii) A reduction in Executive's annual salary or
         bonus opportunity under any applicable bonus or incentive compensation
         plan from that provided to him immediately prior to the date on which a
         Change of Control occurs;

                           (iii) Receipt of employee benefits (including but not
         limited to medical, dental, life insurance, accidental death and
         dismemberment, and long-term disability plans) and perquisites by
         Executive that are materially inconsistent with the employee benefits
         and perquisites provided by the Company to executives with comparable
         duties; or

                           (iv) A change in the location of Executive's
         principal place of employment by the Company by more than 50 miles from
         the location where he was principally employed immediately prior to the
         date on which a Change of Control occurs;



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provided, however, that with respect to the merger of Ocean Energy, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, with and into the Company, which was consummated on March
30, 1999 (the "OEI Merger"), this Paragraph 1(b) shall be applied with reference
to Executive's duties, annual salary or bonus opportunity, employee benefits,
and location of principal place of employment by the Company as of the effective
date of this Agreement rather than prior to the OEI Merger.

                  (c) "CHANGE OF CONTROL" means the occurrence of one of the
following events:

                           (i) The Company (A) shall not be the surviving entity
         in any merger, consolidation or other reorganization (or survives only
         as a subsidiary of an entity other than a previously wholly-owned
         subsidiary of the Company) or (B) is to be dissolved and liquidated,
         and as a result of or in connection with such transaction, the persons
         who were directors of the Company before such transaction shall cease
         to constitute a majority of the Board;

                           (ii) Any person or entity, including a "GROUP" as
         contemplated by Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of
         1934, as amended, acquires or gains ownership or control (including,
         without limitation, power to vote) of 20% or more of the outstanding
         shares of the Company's voting stock (based upon voting power), and as
         a result of or in connection with such transaction, the persons who
         were directors of the Company before such transaction shall cease to
         constitute a majority of the Board;

                           (iii) The Company sells all or substantially all of
         the assets of the Company to any other person or entity (other than a
         wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) in a transaction that requires
         shareholder approval pursuant to the Texas Business Corporation Act; or

                           (iv) The Company sells all or substantially all of
         the assets of the ENSTAR Natural Gas Company division of the Company to
         any other person or entity (other than a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
         Company);

provided, however, that the OEI Merger shall constitute a "Change of Control"
for purposes of this Agreement.

                  (d) "CODE" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.

                  (e) "COMPENSATION" shall mean the greater of:

                           (i) Executive's annual salary plus his Average Bonus
         immediately prior to the date on which a Change of Control occurs, or

                           (ii) Executive's annual salary plus his Average Bonus
         at the time of his Involuntary Termination.

                  (f) "INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION" shall mean any termination of
Executive's employment with the Company which:


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                           (i) does not result from a resignation by Executive
         (other than a resignation pursuant to clause (ii) of this subparagraph
         (f) or a resignation at the request of the Company); or

                           (ii) results from a resignation by Executive on or
         before the date which is sixty days after the date upon which Executive
         receives notice of a Change in Duties;

provided, however, the term "INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION" shall not include a
Termination for Cause, a termination of Executive's employment occurring as a
result of or in connection with the sale or other divestiture by the Company of
a division, subsidiary, or other business segment (including, without
limitation, a divestiture by sale of shares of stock or of assets) if Executive
is offered continued employment on terms that would not constitute a Change in
Duties by the acquiror of such business segment immediately upon such sale or
divestiture, or any termination as a result of death, disability under
circumstances entitling him to benefits under the Company's long-term disability
plan, or Retirement.

                  (g) "RETIREMENT" shall mean Executive's voluntary resignation
on or after the date he reaches age sixty-five (other than a resignation within
sixty days after the date Executive receives notice of a Change in Duties or a
resignation at the request of the Company).

                  (h) "SEVERANCE AMOUNT" shall mean an amount equal to 2.99
times Executive's Compensation.

                  (i) "TERMINATION FOR CAUSE" shall mean termination of
Executive's employment by the Company (or its subsidiaries) by reason of
Executive's gross negligence, gross neglect or willful misconduct in the
performance of his duties or Executive's final conviction of a felony or of a
misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, excluding misdemeanor convictions
relating to the operation of a motor vehicle.

                  (j) "WELFARE BENEFIT COVERAGES" shall mean the medical,
dental, life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment coverages provided
by the Company to its active employees.

         2. SERVICES. Executive agrees that he will render services to the
Company (as well as any subsidiary thereof or successor thereto) during the
period of his employment to the best of his ability and in a prudent and
businesslike manner and that he will devote substantially the same time, efforts
and dedication to his duties as heretofore devoted.

         3. SEVERANCE BENEFITS. If Executive's employment by the Company or any
subsidiary thereof or successor thereto shall be subject to an Involuntary
Termination which occurs within two years after the date upon which a Change of
Control occurs, then Executive shall be entitled to receive, as additional
compensation for services rendered to the Company (including its subsidiaries),
the following severance benefits:

                  (a) A lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to Executive's
Severance Amount.


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                  (b) Executive shall be entitled to continue the Welfare
Benefit Coverages for himself and, where applicable, his eligible dependents
following his Involuntary Termination for up to thirty-six months (the
"Continuation Period"), as long as Executive continues either to pay the
premiums paid by active employees of the Company for such coverages or to pay
the actual (nonsubsidized) cost of such coverages for which the Company does not
subsidize for active employees. Such benefit rights shall apply only to those
Welfare Benefit Coverages which the Company has in effect from time to time for
active employees, and the applicable payments shall adjust as premiums for
active employees of the Company or actual costs, whichever is applicable,
change. Welfare Benefit Coverage(s) shall immediately end upon Executive's
obtainment of new employment and eligibility for similar Welfare Benefit
Coverage(s) (with Executive being obligated hereunder to promptly report such
eligibility to the Company). Nothing herein shall be deemed to adversely affect
in any way the additional rights, after consideration of the Continuation
Period, of Executive and his eligible dependents to health care continuation
coverage as required pursuant to Part 6 of Title I of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. If, for any reason, Company is unable
to continue any of the Welfare Benefit Coverages during a period in which
Executive would otherwise be entitled to continue such Welfare Benefit
Coverage(s), Company shall pay Executive an amount equal to the economic value
of such Welfare Benefit Coverage(s).

                  (c) Executive shall be entitled to receive out-placement
services in connection with obtaining new employment up to a maximum cost of
$6,000, or an equivalent cash payment, if Executive either has or is not seeking
new employment.

                  (d) The severance benefits payable under this Agreement shall
be paid to Executive on or before the tenth business day after the last day of
Executive's employment with the Company; provided, however, that such severance
benefits shall not be paid earlier than the day after expiration of the
revocation period for the release required by Paragraph 6(i). Any severance
benefits paid pursuant to this Paragraph will be deemed to be a severance
payment and not compensation for purposes of determining benefits under the
Company's qualified plans and shall be subject to any required tax withholding.

         4. INTEREST ON LATE BENEFIT PAYMENTS. If any payment provided for in
Paragraph 3(a) or 3(b) hereof is not made when due, the Company shall pay to
Executive interest on the amount payable from the date that such payment should
have been made under such paragraph until such payment is made, which interest
shall be calculated at a rate equal to two percentage points over the prime or
base rate of interest announced by Chase Bank of Texas, N.A. (or any successor
thereto) at its principal office in Houston, Texas and shall change when and as
any such change in such prime or base rate shall be announced by such bank.

         5. CERTAIN ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS BY THE COMPANY. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that any payment or distribution
by the Company to or for the benefit of Executive, whether paid or payable or
distributed or distributable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or
otherwise (a "Payment"), would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section
4999 of the Code or any interest or penalties with respect to such excise tax
(such excise tax, together with any such interest or penalties, are hereinafter
collectively referred to as the "Excise Tax"), the Company shall pay to
Executive an additional payment (a "Gross-up Payment") in an amount such that
after payment by Executive of all taxes (including any interest or penalties
imposed with respect to such taxes), including any Excise Tax imposed on any


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Gross-up Payment, Executive retains an amount of the Gross-up Payment equal to
the Excise Tax imposed upon the Payment. The Company and Executive shall make an
initial determination as to whether a Gross-up Payment is required and the
amount of any such Gross-up Payment. Executive shall notify the Company in
writing of any claim by the Internal Revenue Service which, if successful, would
require the Company to make a Gross-up Payment (or a Gross-up Payment in excess
of that, if any, initially determined by the Company and Executive) within ten
days of the receipt of such claim. The Company shall notify Executive in writing
at least ten days prior to the due date of any response required with respect to
such claim if it plans to contest the claim. If the Company decides to contest
such claim, Executive shall cooperate fully with the Company in such action;
provided, however, the Company shall bear and pay directly or indirectly all
costs and expenses (including additional interest and penalties) incurred in
connection with such action and shall indemnify and hold Executive harmless, on
an after-tax basis, for any Excise Tax or income tax, including interest and
penalties with respect thereto, imposed as a result of the Company's action. If,
as a result of the Company's action with respect to a claim, Executive receives
a refund of any amount paid by the Company with respect to such claim, Executive
shall promptly pay such refund to the Company. If the Company fails to timely
notify Executive whether it will contest such claim or the Company determines
not to contest such claim, then the Company shall immediately pay to Executive
the portion of such claim, if any, which it has not previously paid to
Executive.

         6.       GENERAL.

                  (a) TERM. The effective date of this Agreement is ___________.
The initial term of this Agreement shall be the period beginning on said
effective date and ending on the three-year anniversary of said effective date.
Within sixty days following the expiration of the initial term of this Agreement
and within sixty days after each successive three-year period of time thereafter
that this Agreement is in effect, the Company shall have the right to review
this Agreement, and in its sole discretion either continue and extend this
Agreement, terminate this Agreement, and/or offer Executive a different
agreement. The Board (excluding any member of the Board who is covered by this
Agreement or by a similar agreement with the Company) will vote on whether to so
extend, terminate, and/or offer Executive a different agreement and will notify
Executive of such action before the end of said sixty-day time period mentioned
above. This Agreement shall remain in effect until so terminated and/or modified
by the Company. Failure of the Board to take any action within said sixty-day
time period shall be considered as an extension of this Agreement for an
additional three-year period of time. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in this "SUNSET PROVISION," it is agreed that if a Change of Control
occurs while this Agreement is in effect, then this Agreement shall not be
subject to termination or modification under this "SUNSET PROVISION," and shall
remain in force for a period of two years after such Change of Control, and if
within said two years the contingency factors occur which would entitle
Executive to the benefits as provided herein, this Agreement shall remain in
effect in accordance with its terms. If, within such two years after a Change of
Control, the contingency factors that would entitle Executive to said benefits
do not occur, thereupon this three-year "SUNSET PROVISION" shall again be
applicable with the sixty-day time period for Board action to thereafter
commence at the expiration of said two years after such Change of Control and on
each three-year anniversary date thereafter.

                  (b) INDEMNIFICATION. If Executive shall obtain any money
judgment or otherwise prevail with respect to any litigation brought by
Executive or the Company to enforce


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or interpret any provision contained herein, the Company, to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law, hereby indemnifies Executive for his reasonable
attorneys' fees and disbursements incurred in such litigation and hereby agrees
(i) to pay in full all such fees and disbursements and (ii) to pay prejudgment
interest on any money judgment obtained by Executive from the earliest date that
payment to him should have been made under this Agreement until such judgment
shall have been paid in full, which interest shall be calculated at a rate equal
to two percentage points over the prime or base rate of interest announced by
Chase Bank of Texas, N.A. (or any successor thereto) at its principal office in
Houston, Texas, and shall change when and as any such change in such prime or
base rate shall be announced by such bank.

                  (c) PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS ABSOLUTE. The Company's obligation to
pay (or cause one of its subsidiaries to pay) Executive the amounts and to make
the arrangements provided herein shall be absolute and unconditional and shall
not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, any
set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which the Company
(including its subsidiaries) may have against him or anyone else. All amounts
payable by the Company (including its subsidiaries hereunder) shall be paid
without notice or demand. Executive shall not be obligated to seek other
employment in mitigation of the amounts payable or arrangements made under any
provision of this Agreement, and, except as provided in Paragraph 3(b) hereof,
the obtaining of any such other employment shall in no event effect any
reduction of the Company's obligations to make (or cause to be made) the
payments and arrangements required to be made under this Agreement.

                  (d) SUCCESSORS. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure
to the benefit of the Company and any successor of the Company, by merger or
otherwise. This Agreement shall also be binding upon and inure to the benefit of
Executive and his estate. If Executive shall die prior to full payment of
amounts due pursuant to this Agreement, such amounts shall be payable pursuant
to the terms of this Agreement to his estate.

                  (e) SEVERABILITY. Any provision in this Agreement which is
prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction by reason of applicable law
shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective only to the extent of such
prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating or affecting the remaining
provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any
jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any
other jurisdiction.

                  (f) NON-ALIENATION. Executive shall not have any right to
pledge, hypothecate, anticipate or assign this Agreement or the rights
hereunder, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

                  (g) NOTICES. Any notices or other communications provided for
in this Agreement shall be sufficient if in writing. In the case of Executive,
such notices or communications shall be effectively delivered if hand delivered
to Executive at his principal place of employment or if sent by registered or
certified mail to Executive at the last address he has filed with the Company.
In the case of the Company, such notices or communications shall be effectively
delivered if sent by registered or certified mail to the Company at its
principal executive offices.


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                  (h) CONTROLLING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Texas. Further, Executive
agrees that any legal proceeding to enforce the provisions of this Agreement
shall be brought in Houston, Harris County, Texas, and hereby waives his right
to any pleas regarding subject matter or personal jurisdiction and venue.

                  (i) RELEASE. As a condition to the receipt of any benefit
under Paragraph 3 hereof, Executive shall first execute a release, in the form
established by the Company, releasing the Company, its affiliates, predecessors,
successors, shareholders, partners, officers, directors, employees and agents
from any and all claims and from any and all causes of action of any kind or
character, including but not limited to all claims or causes of action arising
out of Executive's employment with the Company or the termination of such
employment.

                  (j) FULL SETTLEMENT. If Executive is entitled to and receives
the benefits provided hereunder, performance of the obligations of the Company
hereunder will constitute full settlement of all claims that Executive might
otherwise assert against the Company on account of his termination of
employment.

                  (k) UNFUNDED OBLIGATION. The obligation to pay amounts under
this Agreement is an unfunded obligation of the Company (including its
subsidiaries), and no such obligation shall create a trust or be deemed to be
secured by any pledge or encumbrance on any property of the Company (including
its subsidiaries).

                  (l) NOT A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT. This Agreement shall not be
deemed to constitute a contract of employment, nor shall any provision hereof
affect (i) the right of the Company (or its subsidiaries) to discharge Executive
at will or (ii) the terms and conditions of any signed written agreement
hereafter executed by Company and Executive. This Agreement constitutes the
entire agreement of the parties with regard to the subject matter hereof, and
contains all the covenants, promises, representations, warranties and agreements
between the parties with respect to any termination of Executive's employment
with the Company. Without limiting the scope of the preceding sentence, all
prior understandings and agreements among the parties hereto relating to the
subject matter hereof are hereby null and void and of no further force and
effect. Further, without limiting the scope of this paragraph, this Agreement
supersedes and replaces any Severance Agreement between Company (or its
predecessors) and Executive (a "Prior Agreement") in its entirety and any such
Prior Agreement shall be null and void and of no further force and effect. Any
modification of this Agreement will be effective only if it is in writing and
signed by the party to be charged.

                  (m) NUMBER AND GENDER. Wherever appropriate herein, words used
in the singular shall include the plural and the plural shall include the
singular. The masculine gender where appearing herein shall be deemed to include
the feminine gender.

                  (n) COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or
more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of
which together will constitute one and the same Agreement.


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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on
the _____ day of __________________, 1999.

                                   "EXECUTIVE"



                                   ------------------------------------------

                                   "COMPANY"

                                   OCEAN ENERGY, INC.



                                   By:
                                      ---------------------------------------
                                   Name:
                                        -------------------------------------
                                   Title:
                                         ------------------------------------



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