EXECUTION VERSION
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
$650,000,000 3.900% Notes due 2024
$850,000,000 5.050% Notes due 2044
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
November 4, 2014
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
One Bryant Park
New York, NY 10036
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
745 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
60 Wall Street
New York, New York 10005
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Noble Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”), Barclays Capital Inc. (“Barclays”) and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. (“Deutsche Bank”) and each of the other several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”, which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10) for which Merrill Lynch, Barclays and Deutsche Bank are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the purchase, severally and not jointly, by the Underwriters of $650,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.900% Notes due 2024 (the “2024 Notes”) and $850,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.050% Notes due 2044 (the “2044 Notes” and together with the 2024 Notes, the “Notes”). The respective principal amounts of the 2024 Notes and 2044 Notes to be so purchased by the several Underwriters are set forth opposite their names in Schedule A hereto. The Notes will be issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of February 27, 2009 and as amended
and supplemented as of the date hereof (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the Fifth Indenture Supplement, to be dated as of November 7, 2014 (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”).
Notes issued in book-entry form will be issued to Cede & Co. as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) pursuant to a letter agreement between the Company and DTC.
As the Representatives, you have advised the Company (a) that you are authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf of the several Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are willing, acting severally and not jointly, to purchase the principal amount of Notes set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A.
In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
SECTION 1.
Representations and Warranties.
(a)
Representations and Warranties by the Company
. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(a)(i)) and as of the Closing Time (as defined in Section 2(b)), and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:
(i)
Filing of Registration Statement
. An “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), on Form S-3 (File No. 333-186497) in respect of the Notes, including a form of prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), has been prepared and filed by the Company not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof, in conformity with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations (the “1933 Act Regulations”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) thereunder. The Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements of, and comply with the conditions for the use of, Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. Such registration statement, which shall be deemed to include all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rules 430A, 430B or 430C under the 1933 Act, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement” and became effective under the 1933 Act upon filing with the Commission. If the Company has filed a registration statement pursuant to Rules 413(b) and 462(e) under the 1933 Act, then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such registration statement. No post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed as of the date of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “Prospectus” means the form of prospectus relating to the Notes first filed with the Commission pursuant to and within the time limits described in Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act and in accordance with Section 3(a). The Base Prospectus, as supplemented by each preliminary prospectus (including any preliminary prospectus supplement) relating to the Notes filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act, including the documents incorporated by reference in the Base Prospectus is herein referred to as a “Preliminary Prospectus.” Any
reference herein to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or to the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing documents shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any reference to “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include any documents incorporated by reference therein, and any supplements or amendments thereto, filed with the Commission after the date of filing of the Prospectus under Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act, and prior to the termination of the offering of the Notes by the Underwriters.
(ii)
General Disclosure Package and Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus
. As of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Time, neither (i) the General Use Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time and the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below), all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (ii) any individual Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below), when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included or will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided
,
however
, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the
Representatives
, specifically for use therein.
As used in this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means 3:50 p.m. (New York time) on the date of this Agreement.
“Statutory Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus, as amended and supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the 1933 Act, relating to the Notes in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the 1933 Act.
“General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is identified on Schedule D to this Agreement.
“Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not a General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
(iii)
No Stop Order
. The Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the Notes, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act has been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. The Registration Statement contains, and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will contain, all statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will conform to, the requirements of the 1933 Act, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(iv)
Incorporated Documents
. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied or when so filed will comply, as the case may be, in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), and, when read together with the other information in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were or are made, not misleading. The Registration Statement and any amendment thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will not omit, to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and; the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto do not contain and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit and will not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were or are made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representation or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the
Representatives
, specifically for use therein.
(v)
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Notes, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus not superseded or modified or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference and any Prospectus Supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.
(vi)
No Distribution of Other Offering Materials
. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes other than any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Prospectus and other materials, if any, permitted under the 1933 Act and consistent with Section 3(b) below. The Company will file with the Commission all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses in the time and manner required under Rules 163(b)(2) and 433(d) under the 1933 Act.
(vii)
Well-Known Seasoned Issuer
. (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) under the 1933 Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the 1933 Act) made any offer relating to the Notes in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the 1933 Act and (D) at the date hereof, the Company is a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act. The Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the 1933 Act objecting to the use of the automatic shelf registration form.
(viii)
Ineligible Issuer
. (A) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a
bona fide
offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the 1933 Act) of the Notes and (B) as of the date hereof (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause(B)), the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act, without taking into account any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 under the 1933 Act that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer), including, without limitation, for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the 1933 Act with respect to the offering of the Notes as contemplated by the Registration Statement.
(ix)
Independent Accountants
. KPMG LLP, who have certified the financial statements and supporting schedules filed with the Commission as part of, or incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and the subsidiaries within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the applicable 1933 Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).
(x)
Financial Statements
. The financial statements, and the related notes thereto, and any supporting schedules of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the statement of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified. Said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein as of the dates indicated and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(xi)
No Material Adverse Change in Business
. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as may otherwise be stated therein or contemplated thereby, (1) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (2) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise and (3) except for the dividend of $0.18 per share declared on the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01, declared on October 21 and payable on November 4, 2014, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.
(xii)
Good Standing of the Company
. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in the State of Texas and in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify and be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiii)
Good Standing of Subsidiaries
. Each “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X of the 1933 Act Regulations) (each, a “Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify and be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or ownership interests, as applicable, of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non‑assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The Subsidiaries of the Company are as set forth in Schedule C hereto.
(xiv)
Capitalization
. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(xv)
Authorization of Agreement
. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xvi)
Qualification and Authorization of the Indenture
. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.
(xvii)
Authorization of the Notes
. The Notes have been duly authorized and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor as provided in this Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and will be in the form contemplated by, and entitled to the benefits of, the Indenture.
(xviii)
Description of the Notes and the Indenture
. The Notes and the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the respective statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package and will be in substantially the respective forms filed or incorporated by reference, as the case may be, as exhibits to the Registration Statement.
(xix)
Absence of Defaults and Conflicts
. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of them or their properties may be bound (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”) where the consequences of such violation or default would result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Notes and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and under the Indenture and the Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and do not and will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by‑laws of the Company or any subsidiary or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any subsidiary.
(xx)
Absence of Labor Dispute
. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent which would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxi)
Absence of Proceedings
. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any subsidiary, which (1) could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (2) could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or (3) could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by
the Company of its obligations hereunder or under the Indenture and the Notes. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxii)
Possession of Intellectual Property
. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know‑how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii)
Possession of Licenses and Permits
. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any law, ordinance, governmental rule or regulation or court decree to which it may be subject or has failed to obtain any license, permit, franchise or other governmental authorization necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its business, which violation or failure would materially adversely affect the condition, financial or otherwise, or the results of operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise; and the Company and its subsidiaries own or possess or have obtained all governmental licenses, permits, consents, orders, approvals and other authorizations and have properly filed with the appropriate authorities all notices, applications and other documents necessary to lease or own their respective properties and to carry on their respective businesses as presently conducted, except where the failure to possess such licenses or authorizations or make such filings would not materially adversely affect the condition, financial or otherwise, or the results of operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
(xxiv)
Title to Property
. The Company and its subsidiaries have legal, valid and defensible title to all of their interests in oil and gas properties and to all other real and personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, security interests, claims, liens, encumbrances, restrictions and defects of any kind, except (a) such as are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (b) those that do not materially affect or interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such properties taken as a whole. Any property held under lease or sublease by the Company or any of its subsidiaries is held under
valid, subsisting and enforceable leases or subleases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such properties taken as a whole by the Company and its subsidiaries or except such as are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any notice or knowledge of any claim of any sort that has been, or may be, asserted by anyone adverse to the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ rights as lessee or sublessee under any lease or sublease described above, or affecting or questioning the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ rights to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease in conflict with the terms thereof except for such claims that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxv)
Environmental Laws
. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances or petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
(xxvi)
Oil and Gas Reserve Estimates
. The information underlying the estimates of oil and gas reserves as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is complete and accurate in all material respects. Other than production of the reserves in the ordinary course of business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and intervening product price fluctuations, the Company is not aware of any facts or circumstances that would result in a material adverse change in the reserves or the present value of future net cash flows therefrom as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Estimates of such reserves and present values
comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of Regulation S-X and Subpart 1200 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act Regulations.
(xxvii)
Petroleum Engineers
. The petroleum engineers who have consented to being named as having reviewed certain reserve data included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent engineers with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries.
(xxviii)
Investment Company Act
. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Notes as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
(xxix)
Absence of Manipulation
. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale of the Notes.
(xxx)
Absence of Further Requirements
. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Notes hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or for the due authorization, execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement, the Indenture or the Notes by the Company, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under state securities laws.
(xxxi)
Internal Control
. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the 1934 Act) that comply with the requirements of the 1934 Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and
guidelines applicable thereto. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is aware of (A) any material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting or (B) change in internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
(xxxii)
Disclosure Controls
. The Company has established and maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the 1934 Act) that complies with the requirements of the 1934 Act; the Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures” are reasonably designed to ensure that all information (both financial and non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the 1934 Act, and that all such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company required under the 1934 Act with respect to such reports.
(xxxiii)
Sarbanes-Oxley
. Solely to the extent that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) is applicable to the Company, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(xxxiv)
No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments.
Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA, or of the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures
designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(xxxv)
Compliance with Money Laundering Laws.
The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any court, arbitrator, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or other authority or agency that, in each case, are applicable to the business and operations of the Company (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”). No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court, arbitrator, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or other authority or agency involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened.
(xxxvi)
Compliance with OFAC Laws.
Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”). The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds from the sale of the Notes, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds, to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity in any manner that, to the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ knowledge, would result in a violation of any economic sanctions imposed by the United States (including any administered or enforced by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, or the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, or the United Kingdom (including sanctions administered or controlled by Her Majesty’s Treasury) (collectively, “Sanctions” and such persons, “Sanctioned Persons”).
(xxxvii)
Sanctions
. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is a person that is, or is 50% or more owned or otherwise controlled by a person that is: (i) the subject of any Sanctions; or (ii) located, organized or resident in Burma (Myanmar), Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries” and each, a “Sanctioned Country”). Except as has been disclosed to the Underwriters or is not material to the analysis under any Sanctions, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has engaged in any dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country, in the preceding 3 years, nor does the Company or any of its subsidiaries have any plans to initiate any dealings or transactions with Sanctioned Persons, or with or in Sanctioned Countries.
(b)
Officer’s Certificates
. Any certificate signed by any director or officer of the Company and delivered to the
Representatives
or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2.
Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing
.
(a)
Notes
. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the respective prices set forth in Schedule B, the aggregate principal amount of 2024 Notes and 2044 Notes set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional principal amount of 2024 Notes and/or 2044 Notes that such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.
(b)
Payment
. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Notes shall be made at the offices of Sidley Austin LLP at 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the
Representatives
and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the
Representatives
and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to Merrill Lynch for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Notes to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized Merrill Lynch, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Notes that it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Notes to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
(c)
Denominations; Registration
. Certificates for the Notes shall be in such denominations ($2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) and registered in such names as the
Representatives
may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time. The certificates for the Notes will be made available for examination and packaging by the
Representatives
in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time.
SECTION 3.
Covenants of the Company
. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a)
Filings
. The Company will (A) prepare and timely file with the Commission under Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) under the 1933 Act a Prospectus in a
form approved by the
Representatives
containing information previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the 1933 Act, (B) not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or distribute an amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or document incorporated by reference therein of which the
Representatives
shall not previously have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the
Representatives
shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is not in compliance with the 1933 Act Regulations and (C) file on a timely basis all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the Notes by the Underwriters.
(b)
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
. The Company will (i) not make any offer relating to the Notes that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission under Rule 433 under the 1933 Act unless the
Representatives
approve its use in writing prior to first use (each, a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”); provided that the prior written consent of the
Representatives
hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) included in Schedule D hereto, (ii) treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (iii) comply with the requirements of Rules 163, 164 and 433 under the 1933 Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including the requirements relating to timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping and (iv) not take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that such Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.
(c)
Final Term Sheet
. The Company will prepare a final term sheet (the “Final Term Sheet”) reflecting the final terms of the Notes, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives
, and shall file such Final Term Sheet as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to Rule 433 under the 1933 Act prior to the close of business two business days after the date hereof; provided that the Company shall provide the
Representatives
with copies of any such Final Term Sheet a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not use or file any such document to which the
Representatives
or counsel to the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
(d)
Amendments and Stop Order
. The Company will advise the
Representatives
promptly (A) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement relating to the Notes shall have become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (B) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (C) of any request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or the filing of a new registration statement or any amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein or otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or for any additional information, and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or such new registration
statement or any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(e)
Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Ineligibility
. If at any time when Notes remain unsold by the Underwriters the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the 1933 Act or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the
Representatives
, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the
Representatives
, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective as soon as practicable (if such filing is not otherwise effective immediately pursuant to Rule 462 under the 1933 Act), and (iv) promptly notify the
Representatives
of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the Registration Statement that was the subject of the notice under Rule 401(g)(2) under the 1933 Act or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the Registration Statement relating to the Notes shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.
(f)
Renewal Deadline Obligations
. If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Notes remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the
Representatives
. If the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the
Representatives
, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 180 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.
(g)
Filing Fees
. The Company agrees to pay the required filing fees to the Commission relating to the Notes within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the 1933 Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the 1933 Act.
(h)
Delivery of Prospectus and Registration Statements
. The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representatives
, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the
Representatives
may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representatives
during the period when delivery of a Prospectus (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to under
Rule 173(a) under the 1933 Act) is required under the 1933 Act (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), as many copies of the Prospectus in final form, or as there-after amended or supplemented, as the
Representatives
may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the
Representatives
at or before the Closing Time, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and all amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to the
Representatives
such number of copies of the Registration Statement (including such number of copies of the exhibits filed therewith that may reasonably be requested), including documents incorporated by reference therein, and of all amendments thereto, as the
Representatives
may reasonably request.
(i)
Compliance with Securities Laws
. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act, the 1934 Act Regulations and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Notes as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event shall occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the
Representatives
, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company promptly will either (i) prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or (ii) prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate filing under the 1934 Act which shall be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.
(j)
Amendments or Supplements to the General Disclosure Package
. If the General Disclosure Package is being used to solicit offers to buy the Notes at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the
Representatives
, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or to make the statements therein not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package to comply with any law, the Company promptly will either (i) prepare, file with the Commission (if required) and furnish to the Underwriters and any dealers an appropriate amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or (ii) prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate filing under the 1934 Act which shall be incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package so that the General Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances, be misleading or conflict with the Registration Statement then on file, or so that the General Disclosure Package will comply with law.
(k)
Earnings Statement
. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(l)
Blue Sky Qualifications
. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the
Representatives
, to qualify the Notes for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the
Representatives
may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for as long as may be required for the distribution of the Notes; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Notes have been so qualified, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for as long as may be required for the distribution of the Notes.
(m)
Use of Proceeds
. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Notes in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds”.
(n)
Lock-up Period
. During a period of 90 days from the date of this Agreement, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the
Representatives
, directly or indirectly, issue, sell or contract to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise transfer or dispose of any debt securities of the Company.
SECTION 4.
Payment of Expenses
.
(a)
The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including:
(i)
the costs of preparing, printing and delivering to, or as requested by, the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses, Statutory Prospectus, the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and any supplements or amendments thereto;
(ii)
the preparation, filing, reproduction and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, the Indenture and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Notes;
(iii)
the preparation, printing, issuance and delivery of the Notes to the Underwriters;
(iv)
the filing fees and expenses (including legal fees and disbursements) incident to securing any required review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Notes;
(v)
the fees and disbursements of the Company’s accountants, counsel and other advisors;
(vi)
the qualification of the Notes under state and foreign securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(l), including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation and delivery of any Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto to the Underwriters;
(vii)
the fees and disbursements of the Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Notes;
(viii)
the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Notes, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and, with the prior approval of the Company, the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show;
(ix)
any out-of-pocket expenses, excluding any legal expenses of the Underwriters (other than as set forth in subparagraph 4(a)(vi) above) incurred with the approval of the Company;
(x)
any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Notes; and
(xi)
the cost of providing any CUSIP or other identification numbers for the Notes and having the Notes eligible for settlement, clearance and trading through the facilities of DTC.
(b)
If this Agreement is terminated by the
Representatives
in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a) or Section 10, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
SECTION 5.
Conditions of Obligations of the Underwriters
. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the Notes at the Closing Time are subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time or the Closing Time, as the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a)
Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Filing of Prospectus; Payment of Filing Fee
. The Registration Statement has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing information that was omitted from the Registration Statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of and included in the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) (or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and become effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B). The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456(1)(i) under the 1933 Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the 1933 Act and, if applicable, shall have updated the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).
(b)
Opinions of Counsel for Company
. At Closing Time, the
Representatives
shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of each of (1) Mayer Brown LLP, counsel for the Company, and (2) Arnold J. Johnson, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, each in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives
, to the effect set forth in Exhibits A and B, respectively and to such further effect as the
Representatives
may reasonably request.
(c)
Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters
. At Closing Time, the
Representatives
shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Sidley Austin
LLP
, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives
. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters governed by jurisdictions other than the federal law of the United States, the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the
Representatives
. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(d)
Officers’ Certificate
. At Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the
Representatives
shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer, President or a Vice President of the Company and of the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1(a) are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time and (iii) the Company has
performed or complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time.
(e)
Accountants’ Comfort Letters
. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the
Representatives
shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives
, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(f)
Bring-down Comfort Letter
. At Closing Time, the
Representatives
shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the respective letters furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
(g)
Maintenance of Rating
. At Closing Time, the Notes shall be rated at least Baa2 by Moody’s Investors Service and BBB by Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and the Company shall have delivered to the
Representatives
a letter dated the Closing Time, from each such entity, or other evidence satisfactory to the
Representatives
, confirming that the Notes have such ratings; and subsequent to the earlier of (i) the Applicable Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred a downgrading in the rating assigned to the Notes or any of the other debt securities or preferred stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, and no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review its rating of the Notes or any of the other debt securities or preferred stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(h)
Additional Documents
. At Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Notes as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained, and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the
Representatives
and counsel for the Underwriters.
(i)
Termination of Agreement
. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the
Representatives
by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6.
Indemnification
.
(a)
Indemnification of Underwriters
. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each of its officers and directors, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i)
against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
(ii)
against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid, in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; and
(iii)
against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the
Representatives
), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriters through the
Representatives
expressly for use therein.
(b)
Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers
. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriters through the
Representatives
expressly for use therein.
(c)
Actions against Parties; Notification
. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action (including any governmental investigation) commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the
Representatives
, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
SECTION 7.
Contribution
. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of
the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering prices of the 2024 Notes and the 2044 Notes, respectively, as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Notes set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Notes underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each officer and director of an Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
SECTION 8.
Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery
. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of
any Underwriter or its affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company, and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Notes.
SECTION 9.
Termination of Agreement
.
(a)
Termination; General
. The
Representatives
may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (ii), is such as to make it, in the judgment of the
Representatives
, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Notes or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Notes, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or a national securities exchange, or if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Stock Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by either of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority, or (iv) if a banking moratorium shall have been declared by Federal, New York, Delaware or Texas authorities, or (v) there has been a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States.
(b)
Liabilities
. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10.
Default by One or More of the Underwriters
. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time to purchase the 2024 Notes or 2044 Notes that it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Notes”), the
Representatives
shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Notes in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the
Representatives
shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(a)
if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Notes does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in
the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder (as set forth in Schedule A) bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b)
if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Notes exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be purchased on such date, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement, either the
Representatives
or the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for a Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11.
No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility
. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company agrees that it will not claim that any Underwriter has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
SECTION 12.
Notices
. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the
Representatives
c/o
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, NY1-050-12-01, New York, NY 10020, Attention: High Grade Debt Capital Markets Transaction Management/Legal (fax: (212) 901-7881); Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019 (fax: (646) 834-8133), Attention: Syndicate Registration; and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. at 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005, attention: Debt Capital Markets Syndicate (fax: (212) 469-4877), with a copy to General Counsel (fax: (212) 797-4561); and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 1001 Noble Energy Way, Houston, Texas 77070, attention of Gerald M. Stevenson, Vice President – Treasurer.
SECTION 13.
Parties
. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or
corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Notes from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 14.
GOVERNING LAW AND TIME
. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
SECTION 15.
Counterparts
. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
SECTION 16.
Effect of Headings
. The Article and Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
By:
/s/ Kenneth M. Fisher
Name: Kenneth M. Fisher
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Keith Harman
|
|
|
Name: Keith Harman
|
|
|
Title: Managing Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Gregory J. Hall
|
|
|
Name: Gregory J. Hall
|
|
|
Title: Managing Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Ben Smilchensky
|
|
|
Name: Ben Smilchensky
|
|
|
Title: Managing Director
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Christopher Gerry
|
|
|
Name: Christopher Gerry
|
|
|
Title: Director
|
For itself and as Representatives of the
several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto
SCHEDULE A
|
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|
Name of Underwriter
|
Principal Amount
of 2024 Notes
|
Principal Amount
of 2044 Notes
|
|
|
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
|
$91,000,000
|
$119,000,000
|
|
INCORPORATED
|
|
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
|
$84,500,000
|
$110,500,000
|
|
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
|
$84,500,000
|
$110,500,000
|
|
HSBC SECURITIES (USA) Inc.
|
$52,000,000
|
$68,000,000
|
|
BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP.
|
$52,000,000
|
$68,000,000
|
|
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
|
$52,000,000
|
$68,000,000
|
|
BB&T CAPITAL MARKETS, A DIVISION OF BB&T SECURITIES, LLC
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
BBVA SECURITIES INC.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
BMO CAPITAL MARKETS CORP.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
CIBC WORLD MARKETS CORP.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
DNB MARKETS, INC.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, INC.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
LLOYDS SECURITIES INC.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
MITSUBISHI UFJ SECURITIES (USA), INC.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
MIZUHO SECURITIES USA INC.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
PNC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
SCOTIA CAPITAL (USA) INC.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
SG AMERICAS SECURITIES, LLC
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
SMBC NIKKO SECURITIES AMERICA, INC.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
TD SECURITIES (USA) LLC
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
U.S. BANCORP INVESTMENTS, INC.
|
$11,700,000
|
$15,300,000
|
|
Total
|
$650,000,000
|
$850,000,000
|
SCHEDULE B
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
$650,000,000 3.900% Notes due 2024
|
|
|
|
1.
|
The initial public offering price of the 2024 Notes shall be 99.695% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from the Closing Time.
|
|
|
|
|
2.
|
The purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters for the 2024 Notes shall be 99.045% of the principal amount thereof.
|
|
|
|
|
3.
|
The interest rate on the 2024 Notes shall be 3.900% per annum.
|
|
|
|
|
4.
|
The stated maturity date of the 2024 Notes is November 15, 2024 and the 2024 Notes are subject to redemption prior to maturity.
|
$850,000,000 5.050% Notes due 2044
|
|
|
|
1.
|
The initial public offering price of the 2044 Notes shall be 99.265% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from the Closing Time.
|
|
|
|
|
2.
|
The purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters for the 2044 Notes shall be 98.390% of the principal amount thereof.
|
|
|
|
|
3.
|
The interest rate on the 2044 Notes shall be 5.050% per annum.
|
|
|
|
|
4.
|
The stated maturity date of the 2044 Notes is November 15, 2044 and the 2044 Notes are subject to redemption prior to maturity.
|
SCHEDULE C
Samedan of North Africa, LLC
Noble Energy Mediterranean Ltd.
Noble Energy EG Ltd.
SCHEDULE D
Final Term Sheet relating to the 2024 Notes and 2044 Notes filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 under the 1933 Act
Exhibit 4.1
EXECUTION VERSION
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
to
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
Fifth Supplemental Indenture
dated as of November 7, 2014
to
Indenture
dated as of February 27, 2009
$650,000,000
3.900% Notes due 2024
$850,000,000
5.050% Notes due 2044
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I RELATION TO INDENTURE; DEFINITIONS 1
SECTION 1.01 Relation To Indenture. 1
SECTION 1.02 Rules of Interpretation; Definitions. 1
ARTICLE II THE SERIES OF DEBT SECURITIES 2
SECTION 2.01 Title of the Debt Securities. 2
SECTION 2.02 Limitations on Aggregate Principal Amount. 2
SECTION 2.03 Registered Securities; Global Form. 2
SECTION 2.04 Form and Terms of Notes. 2
SECTION 2.05 Registrar and Paying Agent. 3
SECTION 2.06 Applicability of Certain Indenture Provisions. 3
ARTICLE III MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 3
SECTION 3.01 Ratification of Indenture. 3
SECTION 3.02 Governing Law. 3
SECTION 3.03 Counterparts. 3
SECTION 3.04 Recitals. 3
FIFTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of November 7, 2014 (this “
Supplemental Indenture
”), between NOBLE ENERGY, INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “
Company
”), and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as trustee (the “
Trustee
”).
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore delivered to the Trustee an Indenture dated as of February 27, 2009, as amended and supplemented from time to time (the “
Indenture
”), providing for the issuance from time to time of debt securities of the Company (the “
Debt Securities
”).
WHEREAS, Section 3.01 of the Indenture provides that various matters with respect to any series of Debt Securities issued under the Indenture may be established in an indenture supplemental to the Indenture.
WHEREAS, Section 12.01(f) of the Indenture provides for the Company and the Trustee to enter into an indenture supplemental to the Indenture to establish the form or terms of Debt Securities of any series as contemplated by Sections 2.01 and 3.01 of the Indenture.
WHEREAS, all the conditions and requirements necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture, when duly executed and delivered, a valid and legally binding agreement in accordance with its terms and for the purposes herein expressed, have been performed and fulfilled.
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the series of Debt Securities provided for herein by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the series of Debt Securities provided for herein, as follows:
Article I
RELATION TO INDENTURE; DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01
Relation To Indenture
.
This Supplemental Indenture constitutes an integral part of the Indenture.
SECTION 1.02
Rules of Interpretation; Definitions
.
The first paragraph of Section 1.01 of the Indenture is fully incorporated by reference into this Supplemental Indenture. For all purposes of this Supplemental Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires, capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
ARTICLE II
THE SERIES OF DEBT SECURITIES
SECTION 2.01
Title of the Debt Securities
.
There is hereby created under the Indenture a series of Debt Securities designated the “3.900% Notes due 2024” (the “
2024 Notes
”) and a series of Debt Securities designated the “5.050% Notes due 2044” (the “
2044 Notes
” and, together with the 2024 Notes, the “
Notes
”).
SECTION 2.02
Limitations on Aggregate Principal Amount
.
The aggregate principal amount of the 2024 Notes shall be initially limited to $650,000,000 and the aggregate principal amount of the 2044 Notes shall be initially limited to $850,000,000;
provided
that the Company may, without the consent of the Holders of Outstanding Notes of a series, increase the principal amount of the Notes Outstanding of such series by issuing additional Notes (“
Additional Notes
”) of such series in the future on the same terms and conditions (including, without limitation, the right to receive accrued and unpaid interest), except for differences in the issue price and issue date of the Additional Notes, and with the same CUSIP number as the Notes then Outstanding of such series; provided that such Additional Notes of a series are fungible with previously issued Notes of such series for U.S. federal income tax purposes. No Additional Notes of a series may be issued if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Notes of such series. Any Additional Notes of a series shall rank equally and ratably with the Notes of such series then Outstanding and shall be treated as a single series for all purposes hereunder and under the Indenture. From and after the issue date of any Additional Notes of a series, any reference herein to “Notes” shall include such Additional Notes of such series.
Except as provided in this Section, the Company shall not execute and the Trustee shall not authenticate or deliver Notes of a series in excess of the aggregate principal amount specified in the preceding paragraph.
Nothing contained in this Section 2.02 or elsewhere in this Supplemental Indenture, or in the Notes, is intended to or shall limit execution by the Company or authentication or delivery by the Trustee of the Notes under the circumstances contemplated in Section 3.05, 3.06, 4.06 and 12.06 of the Indenture.
SECTION 2.03
Registered Securities; Global Form
.
The Notes shall be issuable and transferable in fully registered form, without coupons. The Notes shall be issued in the form of one or more permanent Global Securities subject to any requirements of the Indenture for the issuance of definitive Notes in exchange therefor. The Depositary for the Notes shall be The Depository Trust Company. Beneficial interests in the Global Securities evidencing the Notes of a series shall not be exchangeable for Notes of such series in definitive form except as provided in Section 2.03 of the Indenture.
SECTION 2.04
Forms and Terms of Notes
.
The 2024 Notes shall be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A and hereto and shall have the terms specified therein. The 2044 Notes shall be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B and hereto and shall have the terms specified therein.
SECTION 2.05
Registrar and Paying Agent
.
The Trustee shall initially serve as Debt Security Registrar and Paying Agent for the Notes.
SECTION 2.06
Applicability of Certain Indenture Provisions
.
The provisions of Article VI of the Indenture, including Section 6.06 thereof, shall be applicable to the Notes.
The provisions of Article XIII of the Indenture relating to defeasance and covenant defeasance shall be applicable to the Notes.
ARTICLE III
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SECTION 3.01
Ratification of Indenture
.
Except as expressly modified or amended hereby, the Indenture continues in full force and effect and is in all respects confirmed and preserved.
SECTION 3.02
Governing Law
.
This Supplemental Indenture and each Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. This Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
SECTION 3.03
Counterparts
.
This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
SECTION 3.04
Recitals
.
The recitals contained herein shall be taken as statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture.
[signature page follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed by their respective officers hereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and year first written above.
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
By:
/s/ Kenneth M. Fisher
Name: Kenneth M. Fisher
Title: Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Attest:
By:
/s/ Arnold J. Johnson
Name: Arnold J. Johnson
Title: Secretary
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:
/s/ Stefan Victory
Authorized Representative
Exhibit A to
Fifth Supplemental Indenture
UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (“
DTC
”), 55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND SUCH SECURITY ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO., OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC, ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL, SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
TRANSFERS OF THIS SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS, IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THIS CERTIFICATE.
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
3.900% Note Due 2024
REGISTERED PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
No. ____ $________________
CUSIP NO. 655044 AH8
NOBLE ENERGY, INC., a Delaware corporation (herein referred to as the “
Company
” which term includes any successor entity under the Indenture herein referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns, upon presentation, the principal sum of $________________ on November 15, 2024 (the “
Stated Maturity Date
”) and to pay interest thereon from November 7, 2014 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year (each, an “
Interest Payment Date
”), commencing May 15, 2015, at the rate of 3.900% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or duly provided for. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Holder in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the May 1 or November 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose;
provided
that such interest may be paid, at the Company’s option, by mailing a check to such Holder at its registered address. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and may be paid to the Holder in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30‑day months. The Company will pay, to the extent lawful, interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law) on overdue principal and interest at the rate per annum borne by this Security.
Payment of the principal of and interest on this Security will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee in the City of Dallas, Texas or the office of the Trustee in The City of New York, New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. The Company, however, may pay principal and interest by check payable in such money. At the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Debt Security Register;
provided
that, notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if this Security is a Global Security and is held in book-entry form through the facilities of the Depositary, payments on this Security will be made to the Depositary or its nominee in accordance with the arrangements then in effect between the Trustee and the Depositary.
In any case where any Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date or the Stated Maturity Date of this Security shall not be a Business Day, then the related payment of interest or principal and premium, if any, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date or on the Stated Maturity Date, and, if such payment is made or duly provided for on such Business Day, no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or the Stated Maturity Date, as the case may be, to such Business Day. For purposes of this Security, the term “
Business Day
” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is not a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are generally authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close in The City of New York.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
Unless the Certificate of Authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be executed by one of its duly authorized officers.
Dated: November 7, 2014
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
By:
Name: Kenneth M. Fisher
Title: Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Attest:
By:
Name: Arnold J. Johnson
Title: Secretary
TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION:
This is one of the Debt Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated: November 7, 2014
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:
Authorized Representative
[Reverse of Note]
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Debt Securities of the Company designated as its “3.900% Notes due 2024” (herein called the “
Securities
”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount of $650,000,000 issued under an Indenture dated as of February 27, 2009, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of February 27, 2009, the Second Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of February 18, 2011, the Third Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of December 8, 2011, the Fourth Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of November 8, 2013 and the Fifth Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of November 7, 2014 (as so amended and supplemented, and as hereafter amended and supplemented from time to time, the “
Indenture
”), between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (herein called the “
Trustee
,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture with respect to the series of which this Debt Security is a part), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. To the extent that any provision of this Security conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of this Security will govern and be controlling (to the extent permitted by law). All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
The Securities will be redeemable prior to the Stated Maturity Date at the Company’s option, in whole or in part at any time. Prior to August 15, 2024 the Securities will be redeemable at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed, or (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal of the Securities to be redeemed and interest thereon (exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360‑day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 25 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed up to but not including the Redemption Date. On or after August 15, 2024, the Securities will be redeemable at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed up to but not including the Redemption Date.
“
Treasury Rate
” means, with respect to any Redemption Date,
(i) the yield, under the heading that represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15 (519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue; or
(ii) if the Treasury Rate cannot be determined pursuant to clause (i) because such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date, the rate per annum equal to the semi‑annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for the Redemption Date.
“
Comparable Treasury Issue
” means the United States Treasury security or securities selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Securities to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of a comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Securities.
“
Independent Investment Banker
” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company.
“
Comparable Treasury Price
” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, (i) the average of three Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest of five Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations obtained, or (ii) if the Company obtains fewer than five Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations obtained.
“
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations
” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 p.m. New York time on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.
“
Reference Treasury Dealer
” means each of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc. and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. or their respective affiliates which are Primary Treasury Dealers (as defined below) and two other nationally recognized investment banking firms that are Primary Treasury Dealers specified from time to time by the Company, except that if any of the foregoing ceases to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer in The City of New York (a “
Primary Treasury Dealer
”), the Company shall be required to designate as a substitute another nationally recognized investment banking firm, or an affiliate thereof, that is a Primary Treasury Dealer.
Notice of redemption will be sent to Holders of Securities, at least 30 but not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, all as provided in the Indenture.
In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities for the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.
In connection with any redemption prior to August 15, 2024, the Company will calculate the Redemption Price on the basis of the Treasury Rate as of the third Business Day preceding the applicable Redemption Date and, prior to such Redemption Date, deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the Redemption Price and showing the calculation thereof in reasonable detail, including the manner in which the Treasury Rate has been determined.
If an Event of Default with respect to the Securities shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as provided therein, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Debt Securities of any series under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series, on behalf of the Holders of all such securities of that series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and to waive certain past defaults under the Indenture with respect to such series and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and other Securities issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
No sinking fund will be established with respect to the Securities and the Securities shall not be subject to any sinking fund payments.
Articles VI and XIII of the Indenture shall be applicable in their entirety to the Securities.
The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance of (i) the entire indebtedness of the Company in respect of this Security and (ii) certain restrictive covenants and the related Events of Default, subject to compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Security at the times, places and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein and herein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Debt Security Register of the Company upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Debt Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or by his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein and herein set forth, this Security is exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of different authorized denominations but otherwise having the same terms and conditions, as requested by the Holder hereof surrendering the same.
The Securities are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
The registered Holder of this Security may be treated as its owner for all purposes.
Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee and any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or the interest on this Security, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto, against any past, present or future stockholder, employee, officer or director, as such, of the Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.
The Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused “CUSIP” numbers to be printed on the Securities as a convenience to the Holders of such Securities. No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of such CUSIP numbers as printed on the Securities, and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed hereon.
ASSIGNMENT FORM
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please Print or Type Name and Address Including Zip Code of Assignee)
the within Debt Security of Noble Energy, Inc. and hereby does irrevocably constitute and
appoint _____________________________________ Attorney to transfer said security on the
books of the within-named Corporation with full power of substitution in the premises.
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please Insert Social Security or Other Identifying Number of Assignee) Dated:
Dated: _______________
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE
Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“
STAMP
”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by Wells Fargo Bank, National Association in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended.
NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as it appears on the first page of the within Security in every particular, without alteration or enlargement of any change whatever.
Exhibit B to
Fifth Supplemental Indenture
UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (“
DTC
”), 55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND SUCH SECURITY ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO., OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC, ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL, SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
TRANSFERS OF THIS SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS, IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THIS CERTIFICATE.
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
5.050% Note Due 2044
REGISTERED PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
No. ____ $________________
CUSIP NO. 655044 AJ4
NOBLE ENERGY, INC., a Delaware corporation (herein referred to as the “
Company
” which term includes any successor entity under the Indenture herein referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns, upon presentation, the principal sum of $________________ on November 15, 2044 (the “
Stated Maturity Date
”) and to pay interest thereon from November 7, 2014 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year (each, an “
Interest Payment Date
”), commencing May 15, 2015, at the rate of 5.050% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or duly provided for. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Holder in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the May 1 or November 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose;
provided
that such interest may be paid, at the Company’s option, by mailing a check to such Holder at its registered address. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and may be paid to the Holder in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30‑day months. The Company will pay, to the extent lawful, interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law) on overdue principal and interest at the rate per annum borne by this Security.
Payment of the principal of and interest on this Security will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee in the City of Dallas, Texas or the office of the Trustee in The City of New York, New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. The Company, however, may pay principal and interest by check payable in such money. At the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Debt Security Register;
provided
that, notwithstanding anything else contained herein, if this Security is a Global Security and is held in book-entry form through the facilities of the Depositary, payments on this Security will be made to the Depositary or its nominee in accordance with the arrangements then in effect between the Trustee and the Depositary.
In any case where any Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date or the Stated Maturity Date of this Security shall not be a Business Day, then the related payment of interest or principal and premium, if any, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date or on the Stated Maturity Date, and, if such payment is made or duly provided for on such Business Day, no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or the Stated Maturity Date, as the case may be, to such Business Day. For purposes of this Security, the term “
Business Day
” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is not a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are generally authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close in The City of New York.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
Unless the Certificate of Authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be executed by one of its duly authorized officers.
Dated: November 7, 2014
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
By:
Name: Kenneth M. Fisher
Title: Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Attest:
By:
Name: Arnold J. Johnson
Title: Secretary
TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION:
This is one of the Debt Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated: November 7, 2014
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:
Authorized Representative
[Reverse of Note]
NOBLE ENERGY, INC.
This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Debt Securities of the Company designated as its “5.050% Notes due 2044” (herein called the “
Securities
”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount of $850,000,000 issued under an Indenture dated as of February 27, 2009, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of February 27, 2009, the Second Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of February 18, 2011, the Third Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of December 8, 2011, the Fourth Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of November 8, 2013 and the Fifth Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of November 7, 2014 (as so amended and supplemented, and as hereafter amended and supplemented from time to time, the “
Indenture
”), between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (herein called the “
Trustee
,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture with respect to the series of which this Debt Security is a part), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. To the extent that any provision of this Security conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of this Security will govern and be controlling (to the extent permitted by law). All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
The Securities will be redeemable prior to the Stated Maturity Date at the Company’s option, in whole or in part at any time. Prior to May 15, 2044 the Securities will be redeemable at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed, or (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal of the Securities to be redeemed and interest thereon (exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360‑day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 30 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed up to but not including the Redemption Date. On or after May 15, 2044, the Securities will be redeemable at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed up to but not including the Redemption Date.
“
Treasury Rate
” means, with respect to any Redemption Date,
(i) the yield, under the heading that represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15 (519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue; or
(ii) if the Treasury Rate cannot be determined pursuant to clause (i) because such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date, the rate per annum equal to the semi‑annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for the Redemption Date.
“
Comparable Treasury Issue
” means the United States Treasury security or securities selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Securities to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of a comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Securities.
“
Independent Investment Banker
” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company.
“
Comparable Treasury Price
” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, (i) the average of three Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest of five Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations obtained, or (ii) if the Company obtains fewer than five Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations obtained.
“
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations
” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 p.m. New York time on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.
“
Reference Treasury Dealer
” means each of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc. and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. or their respective affiliates which are Primary Treasury Dealers (as defined below) and two other nationally recognized investment banking firms that are Primary Treasury Dealers specified from time to time by the Company, except that if any of the foregoing ceases to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer in The City of New York (a “
Primary Treasury Dealer
”), the Company shall be required to designate as a substitute another nationally recognized investment banking firm, or an affiliate thereof, that is a Primary Treasury Dealer.
Notice of redemption will be sent to Holders of Securities, at least 30 but not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, all as provided in the Indenture.
In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities for the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.
In connection with any redemption prior to May 15, 2044, the Company will calculate the Redemption Price on the basis of the Treasury Rate as of the third Business Day preceding the applicable Redemption Date and, prior to such Redemption Date, deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the Redemption Price and showing the calculation thereof in reasonable detail, including the manner in which the Treasury Rate has been determined.
If an Event of Default with respect to the Securities shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as provided therein, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Debt Securities of any series under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series, on behalf of the Holders of all such securities of that series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and to waive certain past defaults under the Indenture with respect to such series and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and other Securities issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
No sinking fund will be established with respect to the Securities and the Securities shall not be subject to any sinking fund payments.
Articles VI and XIII of the Indenture shall be applicable in their entirety to the Securities.
The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance of (i) the entire indebtedness of the Company in respect of this Security and (ii) certain restrictive covenants and the related Events of Default, subject to compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Security at the times, places and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein and herein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Debt Security Register of the Company upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Debt Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or by his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein and herein set forth, this Security is exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of different authorized denominations but otherwise having the same terms and conditions, as requested by the Holder hereof surrendering the same.
The Securities are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
The registered Holder of this Security may be treated as its owner for all purposes.
Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee and any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or the interest on this Security, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto, against any past, present or future stockholder, employee, officer or director, as such, of the Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.
The Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused “CUSIP” numbers to be printed on the Securities as a convenience to the Holders of such Securities. No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of such CUSIP numbers as printed on the Securities, and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed hereon.
ASSIGNMENT FORM
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please Print or Type Name and Address Including Zip Code of Assignee)
the within Debt Security of Noble Energy, Inc. and hereby does irrevocably constitute and
appoint _____________________________________ Attorney to transfer said security on the
books of the within-named Corporation with full power of substitution in the premises.
______________________________________________________________________________
(Please Insert Social Security or Other Identifying Number of Assignee) Dated:
Dated: _______________
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE
Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“
STAMP
”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by Wells Fargo Bank, National Association in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended.
NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as it appears on the first page of the within Security in every particular, without alteration or enlargement of any change whatever.
