UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 21, 2014

 

Cypress Energy Partners, L.P.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware 001-36260 61-1721523
(State or other jurisdiction (Commission (IRS Employer
of incorporation or organization) File Number) Identification No.)

 

5727 S. Lewis Avenue, Suite 500

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105
(Address of principal executive office) (Zip Code)

 

(918) 748-3900
(Registrants’ telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
   
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
   
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
   
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

  


 
 

 

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

     

On January 21, 2014, Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. (the “Partnership”) completed its initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 4,312,500 common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (“Common Units”), which included 562,500 Common Units pursuant to the underwriters’ option to purchase additional Common Units, at $20.00 per Common Unit pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-192328), initially filed by the Partnership with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), on November 13, 2013. The material provisions of the Offering are described in the prospectus, dated January 14, 2014, filed with the Commission on January 15, 2014, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (the “Prospectus”).

 

Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement

 

The description of the Contribution Agreement (as defined below) provided below under Item 2.01 is incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference. A copy of the Contribution Agreement is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Omnibus Agreement

 

On January 21, 2014, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Partnership entered into an Omnibus Agreement (the “Omnibus Agreement”) with Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, the general partner of the Partnership (the “General Partner”), Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC (“Cypress Holdings”), Cypress Energy Management, LLC (“CEM”), Cypress Energy Partners, LLC (“Cypress LLC”), Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC (“CEP TIR”), Foley Inspection Services ULC (“TIR Foley”), Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC (“TIR”), Tulsa Inspection Resources – Canada ULC (“TIR Canada”), Tulsa Inspection Resources Holdings, LLC (“TIR Holdings”), Tulsa Inspection Resources – Nondestructive Examination, LLC (“TIR NDE,” together with TIR Foley, TIR, TIR Canada and TIR Holdings, the “TIR entities”), Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. and Ms. Cynthia Field. As more fully described in the Prospectus, the Omnibus Agreement addresses the following matters:

 

· the Partnership’s payment of an annual administrative fee initially in the amount of $4.0 million to be paid in quarterly installments to Cypress Holdings for providing the Partnership with certain partnership overhead services, including for certain executive management services by certain officers of the General Partner, and compensation expense for all employees required to manage and operate the Partnership’s business. This fee also includes the incremental general and administrative expenses the Partnership will incur as a result of being a publicly traded partnership;
· limitations on the amount of indebtedness CEP TIR may incur under the Partnership’s $120 million secured credit agreement with Deutsche Bank AG, New York Branch and BMO Harris Bank and the allocation of certain interest expenses to the TIR entities;
· the Partnership’s right of first offer on Cypress Holdings’ and its subsidiaries’ assets used in, and entities primarily engaged in, providing saltwater disposal and other water and environmental services and pipeline inspection and integrity services, including the remaining interest in the TIR entities; and

 

 
 

 

· indemnification of the Partnership by Cypress Holdings for certain environmental and other liabilities, including events and conditions associated with the Partnership’s operation of assets that occur prior to the closing of the Offering and the Partnership’s obligation to indemnify Cypress Holdings for events and conditions associated with the operation of the Partnership’s assets that occur after the closing of the Offering and for environmental liabilities related to the Partnership’s assets to the extent Cypress Holdings is not required to indemnify the Partnership.

 

So long as Cypress Holdings controls the General Partner, the Omnibus Agreement will remain in full force and effect, unless the Partnership and Cypress Holdings agree to terminate it sooner. If Cypress Holdings ceases to control the General Partner, either party may terminate the Omnibus Agreement, provided that the indemnification obligations will remain in full force and effect in accordance with their terms. The Partnership and Cypress Holdings may agree to amend the Omnibus Agreement; however, amendments that the General Partner determines are adverse to the Partnership’s unitholders will also require the approval of the conflicts committee.

 

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Omnibus Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Long-Term Incentive Plan

 

In connection with the closing of the Offering, the board of directors of the General Partner (the “Board”) adopted the Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “LTIP”). The LTIP provides for the grant, from time to time at the discretion of the Board or any delegate thereof, subject to applicable law, of unit awards, restricted units, phantom units, unit options, unit appreciation rights, distribution equivalent rights, profits interest units and other unit-based awards. The purpose of awards under the LTIP is to provide additional incentive compensation to employees providing services to the Partnership, and to align the economic interests of such employees with the interests of the Partnership’s unitholders. The LTIP limits the number of units that may be delivered pursuant to vested awards to 1,182,600 Common Units, subject to proportionate adjustment in the event of unit splits and similar events. Common Units subject to awards that are cancelled, forfeited, withheld to satisfy exercise prices or tax withholding obligations or otherwise terminated without delivery of the Common Units will be available for delivery pursuant to other awards.

 

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the LTIP, which is filed as Exhibit 10.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 2.01 Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

 

On January 21, 2014, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Partnership entered into a Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement (the “Contribution Agreement”) with Cypress Holdings, Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC, Cypress LLC, the General Partner, Cypress Energy Partners – SBG, LLC, CEP TIR, TIR, Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr., Ms. Cynthia Field, Mr. G. Les Austin and Mr. Richard Carson. Immediately prior to the closing of the Offering, the following transactions, among others, occurred pursuant to the Contribution Agreement:

 

 
 

 

· CEP TIR, Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. and Cynthia Field contributed, as a capital contribution, an aggregate 50.1% interest in each of the TIR entities to the Partnership in exchange for an aggregate of 929,250 Common Units and 929,250 subordinated units representing limited partner interests (the “Subordinated Units”) representing an aggregate 15.8% limited partner interest in the Partnership;
· Cypress Holdings indirectly contributed, as a capital contribution, to the Partnership its interests in Cypress LLC, except that Cypress Holdings retained the assets and liabilities associated with Cypress LLC’s SWD facility in Sheridan County, Montana, and a permit associated with the construction of a potential new SWD facility, in exchange for (a) an aggregate of 671,250 Common Units and 4,939,299 Subordinated Units (excluding 44,451 Subordinated Units being issued to certain members of the Partnership’s management) representing an aggregate 47.4% limited partner interest in the Partnership and (b) the right to receive all of the net proceeds from this offering;
· the General Partner maintained its 0.0% non-economic general partner interest in the Partnership and received the Partnership’s incentive distribution rights;
· the public, through the underwriters, contributed $86,250,000 in cash (or $80,643,750, net of the underwriters’ discounts and commissions of $5,606,250) to the Partnership in exchange for the issuance of 4,312,500 Common Units by the Partnership.

 

These transfers and distributions were made in a series of steps outlined in the Contribution Agreement.

 

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Contribution Agreement, which is attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

 

The description in Item 2.01 above of the issuance of equity interests by the Partnership on January 21, 2014 in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement is incorporated in this Item 3.02 by reference. The foregoing transactions were undertaken in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act afforded by Section 4(2) thereof. The Partnership believes that exemptions other than the foregoing exemption may exist for these transactions.

 

Each of the Subordinated Units granted under the Contribution Agreement will convert into one Common Unit at the end of the subordination period and then will participate pro rata with the other Common Units in distributions of available cash. Unless earlier terminated pursuant to the terms of the Partnership’s Partnership Agreement (as defined below), the subordination period will extend until the first business day of any quarter beginning after December 31, 2016, that the Partnership meets the financial tests set forth in the Partnership Agreement, but may end sooner if the Partnership meets additional financial tests.

 

 
 

 

The description of the subordination period contained in the section entitled “Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions — Subordinated Units and Subordination Period” of the Prospectus is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

The description of the LTIP provided above under Item 1.01 is incorporated in this Item 5.02 by reference.

 

Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

 

First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P.

 

On January 21, 2014, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership was amended and restated by the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. (as amended and restated, the “Partnership Agreement”). A description of the Partnership Agreement is contained in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Our Partnership Agreement” and incorporated herein by reference.

 

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Partnership Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P.

 

On January 21, 2014, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the General Partner amended and restated its limited liability company agreement (as amended and restated, the “LLC Agreement”). The amendments to the LLC Agreement include provisions regarding, among other things, the rights of the members of the General Partner, distributions and allocations and management by the Board.

 

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the LLC Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 
 

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
Number
  Description
3.1   First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. dated as of January 21, 2014.
3.2   Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC dated as of January 21, 2014.
10.1   Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement dated as of January 21, 2014, by and among Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC, Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners – SBG, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC, Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr., Ms. Cynthia Field, Mr. G. Les Austin and Mr. Richard Carson.
10.2   Omnibus Agreement dated as of January 21, 2014, by and among Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC, Cypress Energy Management, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, Foley Inspection Services ULC, Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources – Canada ULC, Tulsa Inspection Resources Holdings, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources – Nondestructive Examination, LLC, Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. and Cynthia Field.
10.3   Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

 

 
 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

  Cypress Energy Partners, L.P.
         
  By:   Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC,  
    its general partner 
         
Dated: January 27, 2014    By:   /s/ G. Les Austin
      Name:    G. Les Austin 
      Title:    Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 

 

 
 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number   
  Description
3.1   First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. dated as of January 21, 2014.
3.2   Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC dated as of January 21, 2014.
10.1   Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement dated as of January 21, 2014, by and among Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC, Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners – SBG, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC, Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr., Ms. Cynthia Field, Mr. G. Les Austin and Mr. Richard Carson.
10.2   Omnibus Agreement dated as of January 21, 2014, by and among Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC, Cypress Energy Management, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, Foley Inspection Services ULC, Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources – Canada ULC, Tulsa Inspection Resources Holdings, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources – Nondestructive Examination, LLC, Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. and Cynthia Field.
10.3   Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

 

OF

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.

 

A Delaware Limited Partnership

 

Dated as of

 

January 21, 2014

 

 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

Article I DEFINITIONS 1
   
Section 1.1 Definitions 1
     
Section 1.2 Construction 25
     
Article II ORGANIZATION 26
   
Section 2.1 Formation 26
     
Section 2.2 Name 26
     
Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices 26
     
Section 2.4 Purpose and Business 26
     
Section 2.5 Powers 27
     
Section 2.6 Term 27
     
Section 2.7 Title to Partnership Assets 27
     
Article III RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS 28
   
Section 3.1 Limitation of Liability 28
     
Section 3.2 Management of Business 28
     
Section 3.3 Rights of Limited Partners 28
     
Article IV CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS 29
   
Section 4.1 Certificates 29
     
Section 4.2 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates 30
     
Section 4.3 Record Holders 31
     
Section 4.4 Transfer Generally 31
     
Section 4.5 Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests 32
     
Section 4.6 Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest 33

 

i
 

  

Section 4.7 Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights 33
     
Section 4.8 Restrictions on Transfers 33
     
Section 4.9 Eligibility Certificates; Ineligible Holders 35
     
Section 4.10 Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible Holders 36
     
Article V CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS 37
   
Section 5.1 Organizational Contributions 37
     
Section 5.2 Contributions by Limited Partners 38
     
Section 5.3 Interest and Withdrawal 39
     
Section 5.4 Capital Accounts 39
     
Section 5.5 Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests 42
     
Section 5.6 Conversion of Subordinated Units 43
     
Section 5.7 Limited Preemptive Right 44
     
Section 5.8 Splits and Combinations 44
     
Section 5.9 Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests 45
     
Section 5.10 Issuance of Common Units in Connection with Reset of Incentive Distribution Rights 45
     
Article VI ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS 47
   
Section 6.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes 47
     
Section 6.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes 57
     
Section 6.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders 58
     
Section 6.4 Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus 59
     
Section 6.5 Distributions of Available Cash from Capital Surplus 60

 

ii
 

 

     
Section 6.6 Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels 61
     
Section 6.7 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units 61
     
Section 6.8 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution Rights 62
     
Section 6.9 Entity-Level Taxation 63
     
Article VII MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS 63
   
Section 7.1 Management 63
     
Section 7.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership 65
     
Section 7.3 Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority to Sell Assets of the Partnership Group 66
     
Section 7.4 Reimbursement of and Other Payments to the General Partner 66
     
Section 7.5 Outside Activities 68
     
Section 7.6 Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members 69
     
Section 7.7 Indemnification 70
     
Section 7.8 Liability of Indemnitees 71
     
Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties 72
     
Section 7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner and Other Indemnitees 75
     
Section 7.11 Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests 75
     
Section 7.12 Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates 76
     
Section 7.13 Reliance by Third Parties 80
     
Article VIII BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS 80
   
Section 8.1 Records and Accounting 80

 

 

iii
 

 

     
Section 8.2 Fiscal Year 80
     
Section 8.3 Reports 81
     
Article IX TAX MATTERS 81
   
Section 9.1 Tax Returns and Information 81
     
Section 9.2 Tax Elections 81
     
Section 9.3 Tax Controversies 82
     
Section 9.4 Withholding 82
     
Article X ADMISSION OF PARTNERS 82
   
Section 10.1 Admission of Limited Partners 82
     
Section 10.2 Admission of Successor General Partner 83
     
Section 10.3 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership 84
     
Article XI WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS 84
   
Section 11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner 84
     
Section 11.2 Removal of the General Partner 86
     
Section 11.3 Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner 86
     
Section 11.4 Termination of Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated Units and Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages 88
     
Section 11.5 Withdrawal of Limited Partners 88
     
Article XII DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION 88
   
Section 12.1 Dissolution 88
     
Section 12.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution 89
     
Section 12.3 Liquidator 89
     
Section 12.4 Liquidation 90

 

iv
 

 

     
Section 12.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership 90
     
Section 12.6 Return of Contributions 91
     
Section 12.7 Waiver of Partition 91
     
Section 12.8 Capital Account Restoration 91
     
Article XIII AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE 91
   
Section 13.1 Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner 91
     
Section 13.2 Amendment Procedures 92
     
Section 13.3 Amendment Requirements 93
     
Section 13.4 Special Meetings 94
     
Section 13.5 Notice of a Meeting 94
     
Section 13.6 Record Date 94
     
Section 13.7 Postponement and Adjournment 95
     
Section 13.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting 95
     
Section 13.9 Quorum and Voting 95
     
Section 13.10 Conduct of a Meeting 96
     
Section 13.11 Action Without a Meeting 96
     
Section 13.12 Right to Vote and Related Matters 96
     
Article XIV MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION 97
   
Section 14.1 Authority 97
     
Section 14.2 Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion 97
     
Section 14.3 Approval by Limited Partners 99
     
Section 14.4 Certificate of Merger or Certificate of Conversion 100
     
Section 14.5 Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion 101

 

v
 

 

     
Article XV RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS 102
   
Section 15.1 Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests 102
     
Article XVI GENERAL PROVISIONS 103
   
Section 16.1 Addresses and Notices; Written Communications 103
     
Section 16.2 Further Action 104
     
Section 16.3 Binding Effect 104
     
Section 16.4 Integration 104
     
Section 16.5 Creditors 104
     
Section 16.6 Waiver 104
     
Section 16.7 Third-Party Beneficiaries 104
     
Section 16.8 Counterparts 105
     
Section 16.9 Applicable Law; Forum; Venue and Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury 105
     
Section 16.10 Invalidity of Provisions 106
     
Section 16.11 Consent of Partners 106
     
Section 16.12 Facsimile and Email Signatures 106
     
Section 16.13 Interpretation 106

 

vi
 

FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.

 

This First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., dated as of January 21, 2014, is entered into by and between Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the General Partner, and Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the Organizational Limited Partner, together with any other Persons who become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein. In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

Article I
DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1 Definitions . The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.

 

Acquisition ” means any transaction in which any Group Member acquires (through an asset acquisition, stock acquisition, merger or other form of investment) control over all or a portion of the assets, properties or business of another Person for the purpose of increasing, over the long-term, the operating capacity or operating income of the Partnership Group from the operating capacity or operating income of the Partnership Group existing immediately prior to such transaction. For purposes of this definition, “long-term” generally refers to a period of not less than twelve months.

 

Additional Book Basis ” means, with respect to any Adjusted Property, the portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to positive adjustments made to such Carrying Value as determined in accordance with the provisions set forth below in this definition of Additional Book Basis. For purposes of determining the extent to which Carrying Value constitutes Additional Book Basis:

 

(a) Any negative adjustment made to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property as a result of either a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall first be deemed to offset or decrease that portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to any prior positive adjustments made thereto pursuant to a Book-Up Event or Book-Down Event; and

 

(b) If Carrying Value that constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced as a result of a Book-Down Event and the Carrying Value of other property is increased as a result of such Book-Down Event, an allocable portion of any such increase in Carrying Value shall be treated as Additional Book Basis; provided, that the amount treated as Additional Book Basis pursuant hereto as a result of such Book-Down Event shall not exceed the amount by which the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments after such Book-Down Event exceeds the remaining Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property after such Book-Down Event (determined without regard to the application of this clause (b) to such Book-Down Event).

 

 
 

 

Additional Book Basis Derivative Items ” means any Book Basis Derivative Items that are computed with reference to Additional Book Basis. To the extent that the Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property as of the beginning of any taxable period exceeds the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the beginning of such period (the “Excess Additional Book Basis”), the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for such period shall be reduced by the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items determined without regard to this sentence as the Excess Additional Book Basis bears to the Additional Book Basis as of the beginning of such period. With respect to a Disposed of Adjusted Property, the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items shall be the amount of Additional Book Basis taken into account in computing gain or loss from the disposition of such Disposed of Adjusted Property; provided that the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to the determination of the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items attributable to Disposed of Adjusted Property .

 

Adjusted Capital Account ” means, with respect to any Partner, the balance in such Partner’s Capital Account at the end of each taxable period of the Partnership after giving effect to the following adjustments: (a) credit to such Capital Account any amount which such Partner is (i) obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) or (ii) deemed obligated to restore pursuant to the penultimate sentences of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5)) and (b) debit to such Capital Account the items described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6). The foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith. The “Adjusted Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Adjusted Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.

 

Adjusted Operating Surplus ” means, with respect to any period, (a) Operating Surplus generated with respect to such period less (b) (i) the amount of any net increase in Working Capital Borrowings (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net increase in Working Capital Borrowings in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) with respect to such period and (ii) the amount of any net decrease in cash reserves (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net decrease in cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for Operating Expenditures with respect to such period not relating to an Operating Expenditure made with respect to such period, and plus (c) (i) the amount of any net decrease in Working Capital Borrowings (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net decrease in Working Capital Borrowings in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) with respect to such period, (ii) the amount of any net decrease made in subsequent periods in cash reserves for Operating Expenditures initially established with respect to such period to the extent such decrease results in a reduction in Adjusted Operating Surplus in subsequent periods pursuant to clause (b)(ii) above and (iii) the amount of any net increase in cash reserves (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net increase in cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for Operating Expenditures with respect to such period required by any debt instrument for the repayment of principal, interest or premium. Adjusted Operating Surplus does not include that portion of Operating Surplus included in clause (a)(i) of the definition of “Operating Surplus.”

 

2
 

 

Adjusted Property ” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(d) .

 

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.10(a) .

 

Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments ” means, as of the end of any taxable period, the sum of the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of all the Partners.

 

Agreed Allocation ” means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1 , including a Curative Allocation (if appropriate in the context in which the term “Agreed Allocation” is used).

 

Agreed Value ” of (a) a Contributed Property means the fair market value of such property or asset at the time of contribution and (b) an Adjusted Property means the fair market value of such Adjusted Property on the date of the Revaluation Event, in each case as determined by the General Partner. The General Partner shall use such method as it determines to be appropriate to allocate the aggregate Agreed Value of Contributed Properties contributed to the Partnership in a single or integrated transaction among each separate property on a basis proportional to the fair market value of each Contributed Property.

 

Agreement ” means this First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

Associate ” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a) any corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer, manager, general partner or managing member or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest, (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity, and (c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such Person.

 

Available Cash ” means, with respect to any Quarter ending prior to the Liquidation Date:

 

(a) the sum of:

 

(i) all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) on hand at the end of such Quarter; and

 

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(ii) if the General Partner so determines, all or any portion of additional cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) on hand on the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter resulting from Working Capital Borrowings made subsequent to the end of such Quarter; less

 

(b) the amount of any cash reserves established by the General Partner (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) to:

 

(i) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Partnership Group (including cash reserves for future capital expenditures and for anticipated future credit needs of the Partnership Group) subsequent to such Quarter;

 

(ii) comply with applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which any Group Member is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject; or

 

(iii) provide funds for distributions under Section 6.4 or Section 6.5 in respect of any one or more of the next four Quarters;

 

provided, however, that the General Partner may not establish cash reserves pursuant to subclause (iii) above if the effect of such reserves would be that the Partnership is unable to distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all Common Units, plus any Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage on all Common Units, with respect to such Quarter; provided further, that disbursements made by a Group Member or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such Quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash within such Quarter if the General Partner so determines.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, “ Available Cash ” with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.

 

Board of Directors ” means, with respect to the General Partner, its board of directors or board of managers, if the General Partner is a corporation or limited liability company, or the board of directors or board of managers of the general partner of the General Partner, if the General Partner is a limited partnership, as applicable.

 

Book Basis Derivative Items ” means any item of income, deduction, gain or loss that is computed with reference to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property (e.g., depreciation, depletion, or gain or loss with respect to an Adjusted Property).

 

Book-Down Event ” means a Revaluation Event that gives rise to a Net Termination Loss.

 

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Book-Tax Disparity ” means with respect to any item of Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, as of the date of any determination, the difference between the Carrying Value of such Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for federal income tax purposes as of such date. A Partner’s share of the Partnership’s Book-Tax Disparities in all of its Contributed Property and Adjusted Property will be reflected by the difference between such Partner’s Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to Section 5.4 and the hypothetical balance of such Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had been maintained strictly in accordance with federal income tax accounting principles.

 

Book-Up Event” means a Revaluation Event that gives rise to a Net Termination Gain.

 

Business Day ” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the State of Oklahoma shall not be regarded as a Business Day.

 

Capital Account ” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to Section 5.4 . The “Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.

 

Capital Contribution ” means (a) any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership or that is contributed or deemed contributed to the Partnership on behalf of a Partner (including, in the case of an underwritten offering of Units, the amount of any underwriting discounts or commissions) or (b) current distributions that a Partner is entitled to receive but otherwise waives.

 

Capital Improvement ” means (a) the construction of new capital assets by a Group Member, (b) the replacement, improvement or expansion of existing capital assets by a Group Member or (c) a capital contribution by a Group Member to a Person that is not a Subsidiary in which a Group Member has, or after such capital contribution will have, directly or indirectly, an equity interest, to fund such Group Member’s pro rata share of the cost of the construction of new, or the replacement, improvement or expansion of existing, capital assets by such Person, in each case if and to the extent such construction, replacement, improvement or expansion is made to increase, over the long-term, the operating capacity or operating income of the Partnership Group, in the case of clauses (a) and (b) , or such Person, in the case of clause (c) , from the operating capacity or operating income of the Partnership Group or such Person, as the case may be, existing immediately prior to such construction, replacement, improvement, expansion or capital contribution. For purposes of this definition, “long-term” generally refers to a period of not less than twelve months.

 

Capital Surplus ” means Available Cash distributed by the Partnership in excess of Operating Surplus, as described in Section 6.3(a) .

 

Carrying Value ” means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation, amortization and other cost recovery deductions charged to the Partners’ Capital Accounts in respect of such property and (b) with respect to any other Partnership property, the adjusted basis of such property for federal income tax purposes, all as of the time of determination; provided that the Carrying Value of any property shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with Section 5.4(d) to reflect changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for dispositions and acquisitions of Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the General Partner.

 

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Cause ” means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding the General Partner liable to the Partnership or any Limited Partner for actual fraud or willful misconduct in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership.

 

Certificate ” means a certificate, in such form (including global form if permitted by applicable rules and regulations of The Depository Trust Company and its permitted successors and assigns) as may be adopted by the General Partner, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more classes of Partnership Interests. The initial form of certificate approved by the General Partner for Common Units is attached as Exhibit A to this Agreement.

 

Certificate of Limited Partnership ” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced in Section 7.2 , as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

Citizenship Eligible Holder ” means a Limited Partner whose nationality, citizenship or other related status the General Partner determines, upon receipt of any Eligibility Certificate or other requested information, does not or would not create under any federal, state or local law or regulation to which a Group Member is subject, a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property, including any governmental permit, endorsement or other authorization, in which a Group Member has an interest.

 

Claim ” (as used in Section 7.12(g) ) has the meaning given such term in Section 7.12(g) .

 

Closing Date ” means the first date on which Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the IPO Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of the IPO Underwriting Agreement.

 

Closing Price ” for any day, with respect to Limited Partner Interests of a particular class, means the last sale price on such day, regular way, or in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the last closing bid and ask prices on such day, regular way, in either case as reported on the principal National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to trading or, if such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not listed or admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, the average of the high bid and low ask prices on such day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by such other system then in use, or, if on any such day such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and ask prices on such day as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class selected by the General Partner, or if on any such day no market maker is making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on such day as determined by the General Partner.

 

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Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.

 

Combined Interest ” has the meaning given such term in Section 11.3(a) .

 

Commences Commercial Service ” means the date upon which a Capital Improvement is first put into or commences commercial service by a Group Member following completion of construction, replacement, improvement or expansion and testing, as applicable.

 

Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Common Unit ” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Common Units in this Agreement. The term “Common Unit” does not include a Subordinated Unit prior to its conversion into a Common Unit pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

Common Unit Arrearage ” means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, as to any Quarter within the Subordination Period, the excess, if any, of (a) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter over (b) the sum of all Available Cash distributed with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i) .

 

Conflicts Committee ” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed of two or more directors, each of whom (a) is not an officer or employee of the General Partner, (b) is not an officer, director or employee of any Affiliate of the General Partner (other than Group Members), (c) is not a holder of any ownership interest in the General Partner or its Affiliates or the Partnership Group other than (i) Common Units and (ii) awards that are granted to such director in his or her capacity as a director under any long-term incentive plan, equity compensation plan or similar plan implemented by the General Partner or the Partnership and (d) is determined by the Board of Directors to be independent under the independence standards for directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to trading (or if no such National Securities Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange).

 

Construction Debt ” means debt incurred to fund (a) all or a portion of a Capital Improvement, (b) interest payments (including periodic net payments under related interest rate swap agreements) and related fees on other Construction Debt or (c) distributions (including incremental Incentive Distributions) on Construction Equity.

 

Construction Equity ” means equity issued to fund (a) all or a portion of a Capital Improvement, (b) interest payments (including periodic net payments under related interest rate swap agreements) and related fees on Construction Debt or (c) distributions (including incremental Incentive Distributions) on other Construction Equity. Construction Equity does not include equity issued in the Initial Public Offering.

 

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Construction Period ” means the period beginning on the date that a Group Member enters into a binding obligation to commence a Capital Improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date that such Capital Improvement Commences Commercial Service and the date that the Group Member abandons or disposes of such Capital Improvement.

 

Contributed Property ” means each property or other asset, in such form as may be permitted by the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership. Once the Carrying Value of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(d) , such property or other asset shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted Property.

 

Contribution Agreement ” means that certain Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated as of January 21, 2014, among the Partnership, the General Partner, the Operating Company, Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners – SBG, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr., Ms. Cynthia Field, Mr. G. Les Austin, Mr. Richard Carson and Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments contemplated or referenced thereunder, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage ” means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, and as of the end of any Quarter, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum of the Common Unit Arrearages with respect to an Initial Common Unit for each of the Quarters within the Subordination Period ending on or before the last day of such Quarter over (b) the sum of any distributions theretofore made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(ii) and the second sentence of Section 6.5 with respect to an Initial Common Unit (including any distributions to be made in respect of the last of such Quarters).

 

Curative Allocation ” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss or credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi) .

 

Current Market Price ” means, as of any date for any class of Limited Partner Interests, the average of the daily Closing Prices per Limited Partner Interest of such class for the 20 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date.

 

Delaware Act ” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C. Section 17-101, et seq. , as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

 

Departing General Partner ” means a former General Partner from and after the effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 .

 

Derivative Partnership Interests ” means any options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights, tracking, profit and phantom interests and other derivative securities (other than equity interests in the Partnership) relating to, convertible into or exchangeable for Partnership Interests.

 

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Disposed of Adjusted Property ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(xiii)(B) .

 

Economic Risk of Loss ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2(a) .

 

Eligibility Certificate ” means a certificate the General Partner may request a Limited Partner to execute as to such Limited Partner’s (or such Limited Partner’s beneficial owners’) federal income tax status or nationality, citizenship or other related status for the purpose of determining whether such Limited Partner is an Ineligible Holder.

 

Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.9 .

 

Event Issue Value ” means, with respect to any Common Unit as of any date of determination, (i) in the case of a Revaluation Event that includes the issuance of Common Units pursuant to a public offering and solely for cash, the price paid for such Common Units, or (ii) in the case of any other Revaluation Event, the Closing Price of the Common Units on the date of such Revaluation Event or, if the General Partner determines that a value for the Common Unit other than such Closing Price more accurately reflects the Event Issue Value, the value determined by the General Partner.

 

Event of Withdrawal ” has the meaning given such term in Section 11.1(a) .

 

Excess Additional Book Basis ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Additional Book Basis Derivative Items.”

 

Excess Distribution ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A) .

 

Excess Distribution Unit ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A) .

 

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

 

Expansion Capital Expenditures ” means cash expenditures for Acquisitions or Capital Improvements. Expansion Capital Expenditures shall include interest (including periodic net payments under related interest rate swap agreements) and related fees paid during the Construction Period on Construction Debt. Where cash expenditures are made in part for Expansion Capital Expenditures and in part for other purposes, the General Partner shall determine the allocation between the amounts paid for each.

 

FERC ” means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or any successor to the powers thereof.

 

Final Subordinated Units ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(x)(A) .

 

First Liquidation Target Amount ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(D) .

 

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First Target Distribution ” means $0.445625 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on March 31, 2014, it means the product of $0.445625 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in such period and the denominator of which is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.10 , 6.6 and 6.9 .

 

Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis ” means, when calculating the number of Outstanding Units for any period, a basis that includes (a) the weighted average number of Outstanding Units during such period plus (b) all Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests (i) that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Units or for which Units are issuable, in each case that are senior to or pari passu with the Subordinated Units, (ii) whose conversion, exercise or exchange price, if any, is less than the Current Market Price on the date of such calculation, (iii) that may be converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units prior to or during the Quarter immediately following the end of the period for which the calculation is being made without the satisfaction of any contingency beyond the control of the holder other than the payment of consideration and the compliance with administrative mechanics applicable to such conversion, exercise or exchange and (iv) that were not converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units during the period for which the calculation is being made; provided, however, that for purposes of determining the number of Outstanding Units on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis when calculating whether the Subordination Period has ended or Subordinated Units are entitled to convert into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.6 , such Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests shall be deemed to have been Outstanding Units only for the four Quarters that comprise the last four Quarters of the measurement period; provided further, that if consideration will be paid to any Group Member in connection with such conversion, exercise or exchange, the number of Units to be included in such calculation shall be that number equal to the difference between (x) the number of Units issuable upon such conversion, exercise or exchange and (y) the number of Units that such consideration would purchase at the Current Market Price.

 

General Partner ” means Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the Partnership, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership (except as the context otherwise requires).

 

General Partner Interest ” means the non-economic management interest of the General Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner without reference to any Limited Partner Interest held by it) and includes any and all rights, powers and benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement. The General Partner Interest does not include any rights to profits or losses or any rights to receive distributions from operations or upon the liquidation or winding-up of the Partnership.

 

Gross Liability Value ” means, with respect to any Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i), the amount of cash that a willing assignor would pay to a willing assignee to assume such Liability in an arm’s-length transaction.

 

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Group ” means two or more Persons that, with or through any of their respective Affiliates or Associates, have any contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons), exercising investment power over or disposing of any Partnership Interests.

 

Group Member ” means a member of the Partnership Group.

 

Group Member Agreement ” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other than the Partnership, that is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of any Group Member that is a limited liability company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or similar organizational documents of any Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint venture, in each case, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

Hedge Contract ” means any exchange, swap, forward, cap, floor, collar, option or other similar agreement or arrangement entered into for the purpose of reducing the exposure of a Group Member to fluctuations in interest rates, the price of hydrocarbons, basis differentials or currency exchange rates in their operations or financing activities and not for speculative purposes.

 

Holder ” means any of the following:

 

(a) the General Partner who is the Record Holder of Registrable Securities;

 

(b) any Affiliate of the General Partner who is the Record Holder of Registrable Securities (other than natural persons who are Affiliates of the General Partner by virtue of being officers, directors or employees of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates);

 

(c) any Person who has been the General Partner within the prior two years and who is the Record Holder of Registrable Securities;

 

(d) any Person who has been an Affiliate of the General Partner within the prior two years and who is the Record Holder of Registrable Securities (other than natural persons who were Affiliates of the General Partner by virtue of being officers, directors or employees of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates); and

 

(e) a transferee and current Record Holder of Registrable Securities to whom the transferor of such Registrable Securities, who was a Holder at the time of such transfer, assigns its rights and obligations under this Agreement; provided such transferee agrees in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and provides its name and address to the Partnership promptly upon such transfer.

 

IDR Reset Common Units ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.10(a) .

 

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IDR Reset Election ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.10(a) .

 

Incentive Distribution Right ” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Incentive Distribution Rights in this Agreement (and no other rights otherwise available to or other obligations of a holder of a Partnership Interest).

 

Incentive Distributions ” means any amount of cash distributed to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(v) , (vi) and (vii) and 6.4(b)(iii) , (iv) and (v) .

 

Incremental Income Taxes ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.9 .

 

Indemnified Persons ” has the meaning given such term in Section 7.12(g) .

 

Indemnitee ” means (a) the General Partner, (b) any Departing General Partner, (c) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (d) any Person who is or was a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of (i) any Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or (ii) any Affiliate of any Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (e) any Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner as a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of another Person owing a fiduciary duty to any Group Member; provided that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services, and (f) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement because such Person’s status, service or relationship exposes such Person to potential claims, demands, suits or proceedings relating to the Partnership Group’s business and affairs.

 

 

Ineligible Holder ” means a Limited Partner who is not both a Citizenship Eligible Holder and a Rate Eligible Holder.

 

Initial Common Units ” means the Common Units sold in the Initial Public Offering.

 

Initial Limited Partners ” means Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC (with respect to its Limited Partner Interest as the Organizational Limited Partner and the Common Units and Subordinated Units received by it pursuant to Section 5.2(a) and Section 5.2(d) ); Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC (with respect to the Common Units and Subordinated Units received by it pursuant to Section 5.2(a)) ; Cynthia Field (with respect to the Common Units and Subordinated Units received by her pursuant to Section 5.2(a)) ; Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. (with respect to the Common Units and Subordinated Units received by him pursuant to Section 5.2(a)) ; G. Les Austin; Richard Carson; the General Partner (with respect to the Incentive Distribution Rights received by it pursuant to Section 5.2(a) ); and the IPO Underwriters upon the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units as described in Section 5.2(b) in connection with the Initial Public Offering.

 

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Initial Public Offering ” means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to the public (including the offer and sale of Common Units pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option), as described in the IPO Registration Statement.

 

Initial Unit Price ” means (a) with respect to the Common Units and the Subordinated Units, the initial public offering price per Common Unit at which the Common Units were first offered to the public for sale as set forth on the cover page of the IPO Prospectus or (b) with respect to any other class or series of Units, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is initially sold by the Partnership, as determined by the General Partner, in each case adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units.

 

Interim Capital Transactions ” means the following transactions if they occur prior to the Liquidation Date: (a) borrowings, refinancings or refundings of indebtedness (other than Working Capital Borrowings and other than for items purchased on open account or for a deferred purchase price in the ordinary course of business) by any Group Member and sales of debt securities of any Group Member; (b) issuances of equity interests of any Group Member (including the Common Units sold to the IPO Underwriters in the Initial Public Offering) to anyone other than the Partnership Group; (c) sales or other voluntary or involuntary dispositions of any assets of any Group Member other than (i) sales or other dispositions of inventory, accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business and (ii) sales or other dispositions of assets as part of normal retirements or replacements; and (d) capital contributions received by a Group Member.

 

IPO Prospectus ” means the final prospectus relating to the Initial Public Offering dated January 14, 2014 and filed by the Partnership with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities Act on January 15, 2014.

 

IPO Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-192328), as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Common Units in the Initial Public Offering.

 

IPO Underwriter ” means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the IPO Underwriting Agreement who purchases Common Units pursuant thereto.

 

IPO Underwriting Agreement ” means that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2014, among the IPO Underwriters, the Partnership, the General Partner, Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC, Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC, Cypress Energy Partners - TIR, LLC and Cypress Energy Partners, LLC, providing for the purchase of Common Units by the IPO Underwriters.

 

Liability ” means any liability or obligation of any nature, whether accrued, contingent or otherwise.

 

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Limited Partner ” means, unless the context otherwise requires, each Initial Limited Partner, each additional Person that becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and any Departing General Partner upon the change of its status from General Partner to Limited Partner pursuant to Section 11.3 , in each case, in such Person’s capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership; provided, however, that when the term “Limited Partner” is used herein in the context of any vote or other approval, including Articles XIII and XIV, such term shall not, solely for such purpose, include any holder of any Incentive Distribution Right (solely with respect to its Incentive Distribution Rights and not with respect to any other Limited Partner Interest held by such Person) except pursuant to Section 5.10 or as may otherwise be required by law.

 

Limited Partner Interest ” means an equity interest of a Limited Partner in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units, Subordinated Units, Incentive Distribution Rights or other Partnership Interests or a combination thereof (but excluding Derivative Partnership Interests), and includes any and all benefits to which such Limited Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that when the term “Limited Partner” is used herein in the context of any vote or other approval, including Articles XIII and XIV, such term shall not, solely for such purpose, include any holder of any Incentive Distribution Right (solely with respect to its Incentive Distribution Rights and not with respect to any other Limited Partner Interest held by such Person) except pursuant to Section 5.10 or as may otherwise be required by law.

 

Liquidation Date ” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (d) of the third sentence of Section 12.1 , the date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired without such an election being made and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.

 

Liquidator ” means one or more Persons selected pursuant to Section 12.3 to perform the functions described in Section 12.4 as liquidating trustee of the Partnership within the meaning of the Delaware Act.

 

lower tier partnership ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(xiii)(D) .

 

Maintenance Capital Expenditure ” means cash expenditures (including expenditures for the construction of new capital assets or the replacement, improvement or expansion of existing capital assets) by a Group Member made to maintain, over the long term, the operating capacity or operating income of the Partnership Group. For purposes of this definition, “long term” generally refers to a period of not less than twelve months. Where capital expenditures are made in part for Maintenance Capital Expenditures and in part for Expansion Capital Expenditures, the General Partner shall determine the allocation of the amounts paid for each.

 

Merger Agreement ” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.1 .

 

Minimum Quarterly Distribution ” means $0.3875 per Unit per Quarter (or with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on March 31, 2014, it means the product of $0.3875 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in such period and the denominator of which is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.10 , 6.6 and 6.9 .

 

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National Securities Exchange ” means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act (or any successor to such Section).

 

Net Agreed Value ” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property or other asset reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution or to which such property or other asset is subject when contributed and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner by the Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(d)(ii)) at the time such property is distributed, reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution, in either case as determined and required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code.

 

Net Income ” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.4(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) ; provided, however, that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made without regard to any reversal of such items under Section 6.1(d)(xiii) .

 

Net Loss ” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.4(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) ; provided, however, that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made without regard to any reversal of such items under Section 6.1(d)(xiii) .

 

Net Positive Adjustments ” means, with respect to any Partner, the excess, if any, of the total positive adjustments over the total negative adjustments made to the Capital Account of such Partner pursuant to Book-Up Events and Book-Down Events.

 

Net Termination Gain ” means, for any taxable period, (a) the sum, if positive, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction (determined in accordance with Section 5.4(b) ) that are recognized by the Partnership (i) after the Liquidation Date or (ii) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group), or (b) the excess, if any, of the aggregate amount of Unrealized Gain over the aggregate amount of Unrealized Loss deemed recognized by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.4(d) on the date of a Revaluation Event; provided, however, that the items included in the determination of Net Termination Gain shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) .

 

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Net Termination Loss ” means, for any taxable period, (a) the sum, if negative, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction (determined in accordance with Section 5.4(b) ) that are recognized by the Partnership (i) after the Liquidation Date or (ii) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group), or (b) the excess, if any, of the aggregate amount of Unrealized Loss over the aggregate amount of Unrealized Gain deemed recognized by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.4(b) on the date of a Revaluation Event; provided, however, that the items included in the determination of Net Termination Loss shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) .

 

Noncompensatory Option ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.721-2(f).

 

Nonrecourse Built-in Gain ” means with respect to any Contributed Properties or Adjusted Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.2(b) if such properties were disposed of in a taxable transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no other consideration.

 

Nonrecourse Deductions ” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are attributable to a Nonrecourse Liability.

 

Nonrecourse Liability ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(2).

 

Notice ” means a written request from a Holder pursuant to Section 7.12 which shall (a) specify the Registrable Securities intended to be registered, offered and sold by such Holder, (b) describe the nature or method of the proposed offer and sale of Registrable Securities, and (c) contain the undertaking of such Holder to provide all such information and materials and take all action as may be required or appropriate in order to permit the Partnership to comply with all applicable requirements and obligations in connection with the registration and disposition of such Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 7.12 .

 

Notice of Election to Purchase ” has the meaning given such term in Section 15.1(b) .

 

Omnibus Agreement ” means that certain Omnibus Agreement, dated as of January 21, 2014, among Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC, Cypress Energy Management, LLC, the Operating Company, the Partnership, the General Partner, Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, Foley Inspection Services ULC, Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources Holdings, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources – Nondestructive Examination, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources – Canada ULC, Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. and Ms. Cynthia Field as such agreement may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

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Operating Company ” means Cypress Energy Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and any successors thereto.

 

Operating Expenditures ” means all Partnership Group cash expenditures (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of expenditures in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned), including taxes, compensation of employees, officers and directors of the General Partner, reimbursement of expenses of the General Partner and its Affiliates, debt service payments, Maintenance Capital Expenditures, repayment of Working Capital Borrowings and payments made in the ordinary course of business under any Hedge Contracts, subject to the following:

 

(a) repayments of Working Capital Borrowings deducted from Operating Surplus pursuant to clause (b)(iii) of the definition of “Operating Surplus” shall not constitute Operating Expenditures when actually repaid;

 

(b) payments (including prepayments and prepayment penalties) of principal of and premium on indebtedness other than Working Capital Borrowings shall not constitute Operating Expenditures;

 

(c) Operating Expenditures shall not include (i) Expansion Capital Expenditures, (ii) payment of transaction expenses (including taxes) relating to Interim Capital Transactions, (iii) distributions to Partners, or (iv) repurchases of Partnership Interests, other than repurchases of Partnership Interests by the Partnership to satisfy obligations under employee benefit plans or reimbursement of expenses of the General Partner for purchases of Partnership Interests by the General Partner to satisfy obligations under employee benefit plans; and

 

(d) (i) amounts paid in connection with the initial purchase of a Hedge Contract shall be amortized over the life of such Hedge Contract and (ii) payments made in connection with the termination of any Hedge Contract prior to the expiration of its scheduled settlement or termination date shall be included in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such Hedge Contract.

 

Operating Surplus ” means, with respect to any period ending prior to the Liquidation Date, on a cumulative basis and without duplication,

 

(a) the sum of (i) $10.0 million, (ii) all cash receipts of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash receipts in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of such period, but excluding cash receipts from Interim Capital Transactions and the termination of Hedge Contracts (provided that cash receipts from the termination of a Hedge Contract prior to its scheduled settlement or termination date shall be included in Operating Surplus in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such Hedge Contract), (iii) all cash receipts of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash receipts in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) after the end of such period but on or before the date of determination of Operating Surplus with respect to such period resulting from Working Capital Borrowings and (iv) the amount of cash distributions from Operating Surplus paid during the Construction Period (including incremental Incentive Distributions) on Construction Equity, less

 

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(b) the sum of (i) Operating Expenditures for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of such period, (ii) the amount of cash reserves (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) established by the General Partner to provide funds for future Operating Expenditures, and (iii) all Working Capital Borrowings not repaid within twelve months after having been incurred, or repaid within such 12-month period with the proceeds of additional Working Capital Borrowings; provided, however, that disbursements made (including contributions to a Group Member or disbursements on behalf of a Group Member) or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such period but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such period shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Operating Surplus, within such period if the General Partner so determines.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Operating Surplus” with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.

 

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the General Partner or to such other person selecting such counsel or obtaining such opinion.

 

Option Closing Date ” means the date or dates on which any Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the IPO Underwriters upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.

 

Organizational Limited Partner ” means Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC in its capacity as the organizational limited partner of the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Outstanding ” means, with respect to Partnership Interests, all Partnership Interests that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding on the Partnership’s books and records as of the date of determination; provided, however, that if at any time any Person or Group (other than the General Partner or its Affiliates) beneficially owns 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of any class, all Partnership Interests owned by or for the benefit of such Person or Group shall not be entitled to be voted on any matter and shall not be considered to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Partnership Interests so owned shall be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 11.1(b)(iv) (such Partnership Interests shall not, however, be treated as a separate class of Partnership Interests for purposes of this Agreement or the Delaware Act); provided further, that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of any class directly from the General Partner or its Affiliates (other than the Partnership), (ii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding directly or indirectly from a Person or Group described in clause (i) , provided that, upon or prior to such acquisition, the General Partner shall have notified such Person or Group in writing that such limitation shall not apply, or (iii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of any Partnership Interests issued by the Partnership with the prior approval of the Board of Directors.

 

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Over-Allotment Option ” means the over-allotment option granted to the IPO Underwriters by the Partnership pursuant to the IPO Underwriting Agreement.

 

Partner Nonrecourse Debt ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4).

 

Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).

 

Partner Nonrecourse Deductions ” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i), are attributable to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt.

 

Partners ” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.

 

Partnership ” means Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.

 

Partnership Group ” means, collectively, the Partnership and its Subsidiaries.

 

Partnership Interest ” means any interest, including any class or series of equity interest, in the Partnership, which shall include any Limited Partner Interests and the General Partner Interest but shall exclude any Derivative Partnership Interests.

 

Partnership Minimum Gain ” means that amount determined in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(b)(2) and 1.704-2(d).

 

Partnership Register ” means a register maintained on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner, or, if the General Partner so determines, by the Transfer Agent as part of the Transfer Agent’s books and transfer records, with respect to each class of Partnership Interests in which all Record Holders and transfers of such class of Partnership Interests are registered or otherwise recorded.

 

Per Unit Capital Amount ” means, as of any date of determination, the Capital Account, stated on a per Unit basis, underlying any Unit held by a Person other than the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner who holds Units.

 

Percentage Interest ” means, as of any date of determination, as to any Unitholder with respect to Units, the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the number of Units held by such Unitholder by (ii) the total number of Outstanding Units. The Percentage Interest with respect to both (x) an Incentive Distribution Right and (y) the General Partner Interest shall at all times be zero.

 

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Person ” means an individual or a corporation, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

 

Plan of Conversion ” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.1 .

 

Privately Placed Units ” means any Common Units issued for cash or property other than pursuant to a public offering.

 

Pro Rata ” means (a) when used with respect to Units or any class thereof, apportioned among all designated Units in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (b) when used with respect to Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among all Partners or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (c) when used with respect to holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, apportioned among all holders of Incentive Distribution Rights in accordance with the relative number or percentage of Incentive Distribution Rights held by each such holder, and (d) when used with respect to Holders who have requested to include Registrable Securities in a Registration Statement pursuant to Section 7.12(a) or 7.12(b) , apportioned among all such Holders in accordance with the relative number of Registrable Securities held by each such holder and included in the Notice relating to such request.

 

Purchase Date ” means the date determined by the General Partner as the date for purchase of all Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of a certain class (other than Limited Partner Interests owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article XV .

 

Quarter ” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the Partnership, or, with respect to the fiscal quarter of the Partnership which includes the Closing Date, the portion of such fiscal quarter after the Closing Date.

 

Rate Eligible Holder ” means a Limited Partner subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by the Partnership. A Limited Partner that is an entity not subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by the Partnership shall be deemed a Rate Eligible Holder so long as all of the entity’s beneficial owners are subject to such taxation.

 

Recapture Income ” means any gain recognized by the Partnership (computed without regard to any adjustment required by Section 734 or Section 743 of the Code) upon the disposition of any property or asset of the Partnership, which gain is characterized as ordinary income because it represents the recapture of deductions previously taken with respect to such property or asset.

 

Record Date ” means the date established by the General Partner or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to receive notice of, or entitled to exercise rights in respect of, any lawful action of Limited Partners (including voting) or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in any offer.

 

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Record Holder ” means (a) with respect to any class of Partnership Interests for which a Transfer Agent has been appointed, the Person in whose name a Partnership Interest of such class is registered on the books of the Transfer Agent as of the Partnership’s close of business on a particular Business Day or (b) with respect to other classes of Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other Partnership Interest is registered on the books that the General Partner has caused to be kept as of the Partnership’s close of business on a particular Business Day.

 

Redeemable Interests ” means any Partnership Interests for which a redemption notice has been given, and has not been withdrawn, pursuant to Section 4.10 .

 

Registrable Security ” means any Partnership Interest other than the General Partner Interest; provided, however, that any Registrable Security shall cease to be a Registrable Security: (a) at the time a Registration Statement covering such Registrable Security is declared effective by the Commission or otherwise becomes effective under the Securities Act, and such Registrable Security has been sold or disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement; (b) at the time such Registrable Security may be disposed of pursuant to Rule 144 (or any successor or similar rule or regulation under the Securities Act); (c) when such Registrable Security is held by a Group Member; and (d) at the time such Registrable Security has been sold in a private transaction in which the transferor’s rights under Section 7.12 of this Agreement have not been assigned to the transferee of such securities.

 

Registration Statement ” has the meaning given such term in Section 7.12(a) of this Agreement.

 

Remaining Net Positive Adjustments ” means, as of the end of any taxable period, (a) with respect to the Unitholders holding Common Units or Subordinated Units, the excess of (i) the Net Positive Adjustments of the Unitholders holding Common Units or Subordinated Units as of the end of such period over (ii) the sum of those Partners’ Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for each prior taxable period and (b) with respect to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, the excess of (i) the Net Positive Adjustments of the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period over (ii) the sum of the Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items of the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights for each prior taxable period.

 

Required Allocations ” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) , Section 6.1(d)(ii) , Section 6.1(d)(iv) , Section 6.1(d)(v) , Section 6.1(d)(vi) , Section 6.1(d)(vii) or Section 6.1(d)(ix) .

 

Reset MQD ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.10(e) .

 

Reset Notice ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.10(b) .

 

Retained Converted Subordinated Unit ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.4(c)(ii) .

 

Revaluation Event ” means an event that results in adjustment of the Carrying Value of each Partnership property pursuant to Section 5.4(d).

 

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Second Liquidation Target Amount ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(E) .

 

Second Target Distribution ” means $0.484375 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on March 31, 2014, it means the product of $0.484375 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is equal to the number of days in such period and the denominator of which is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.10 , Section 6.6 and Section 6.9 .

 

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

 

Selling Holder ” means a Holder who is selling Registrable Securities pursuant to the procedures in Section 7.12 of this Agreement.

 

Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items” means in connection with any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for any taxable period, (a) with respect to the Unitholders holding Common Units or Subordinated Units, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Unitholders’ Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such taxable period bear to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time and (b) with respect to the Partners holding Incentive Distribution Rights, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of the Partners holding the Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such taxable period bear to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time.

 

Special Approval ” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee acting in good faith, subject to the presumption in Section 7.9(a) .

 

Subordinated Unit ” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Subordinated Units in this Agreement. The term “Subordinated Unit” does not include a Common Unit. A Subordinated Unit that is convertible into a Common Unit shall not constitute a Common Unit until such conversion occurs.

 

Subordination Period ” means the period commencing on the Closing Date and expiring on the first to occur of the following dates:

 

(a) the first Business Day following the distribution of Available Cash to Partners pursuant to Section 6.3(a) in respect of any Quarter beginning with the Quarter ending December 31, 2016, in respect of which (i) (A) distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus on each of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case with respect to each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case in respect of such periods and (B) the Adjusted Operating Surplus for each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case that were Outstanding during such periods on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis, and (ii) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages.

 

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(b) the first Business Day following the distribution of Available Cash to Partners pursuant to Section 6.3(a) in respect of any Quarter beginning with the Quarter ending December 31, 2014, in respect of which (i) (A) distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus on each of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case with respect to the four-Quarter period immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded 150% of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case in respect of such period, and (B) the Adjusted Operating Surplus for the four-Quarter period immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded 150% of the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case that were Outstanding during such period on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis, plus the corresponding Incentive Distributions and (ii) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages.

 

(c) the date on which the General Partner is removed in a manner described in Section 11.4 .

 

Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership, but only if more than 50% of the partnership interests of such partnership (considering all of the partnership interests of the partnership as a single class) is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof; or (c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person.

 

Surviving Business Entity ” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.2(b) .

 

Target Distributions ” means, collectively, the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution.

 

Third Target Distribution ” means $0.581250 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on March 31, 2014, it means the product of $0.581250 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is equal to the number of days in such period and the denominator of which is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.10 , 6.6 and 6.9 .

 

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Trading Day ” means a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on which the referenced Partnership Interests of any class are listed or admitted for trading is open for the transaction of business or, if such Partnership Interests are not listed or admitted for trading on any National Securities Exchange, a day on which banking institutions in New York City are not legally required to be closed.

 

Transaction Documents ” has the meaning given such term in Section 7.1(b) .

 

transfer ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.4(a) .

 

Transfer Agent ” means such bank, trust company or other Person (including the General Partner or one of its Affiliates) as may be appointed from time to time by the General Partner to act as registrar and transfer agent for any class of Partnership Interests in accordance with the Exchange Act and the rules of the National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed (if any); provided, however, that, if no such Person is appointed as registrar and transfer agent for any class of Partnership Interests, the General Partner shall act as registrar and transfer agent for such class of Partnership Interests.

 

“Treasury Regulation” means the United States Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code.

 

Underwritten Offering ” means (a) an offering pursuant to a Registration Statement in which Partnership Interests are sold to an underwriter on a firm commitment basis for reoffering to the public (other than the Initial Public Offering), (b) an offering of Partnership Interests pursuant to a Registration Statement that is a “bought deal” with one or more investment banks, and (c) an “at-the-market” offering pursuant to a Registration Statement in which Partnership Interests are sold to the public through one or more investment banks or managers on a best efforts basis.

 

Unit ” means a Partnership Interest that is designated by the General Partner as a “Unit” and shall include Common Units and Subordinated Units but shall not include (i) the General Partner Interest or (ii) Incentive Distribution Rights.

 

Unit Majority ” means (i) during the Subordination Period, at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates), voting as a class, and at least a majority of the Outstanding Subordinated Units, voting as a class, and (ii) after the end of the Subordination Period, at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units.

 

Unitholders ” means the Record Holders of Units.

 

Unpaid MQD ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(B) .

 

Unrealized Gain ” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.4(d) ) over (b) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.4(d) as of such date).

 

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Unrealized Loss ” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.4(d) as of such date) over (b) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.4(d) ).

 

Unrecovered Initial Unit Price ” means at any time, with respect to a Unit, the Initial Unit Price less the sum of all distributions constituting Capital Surplus theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common Unit and any distributions of cash (or the Net Agreed Value of any distributions in kind) in connection with the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common Unit, adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of such Units.

 

Unrestricted Person ” means (a) each Indemnitee, (b) each Partner, (c) each Person who is or was a member, partner, director, officer, employee or agent of any Group Member, a General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of any Group Member, a General Partner or any Departing General Partner and (d) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Unrestricted Person” for purposes of this Agreement from time to time.

 

U.S. GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting principles, as in effect from time to time, consistently applied.

 

Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ” has the meaning given such term in Section 11.1(b) .

 

Working Capital Borrowings ” means borrowings incurred pursuant to a credit facility, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement that are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to the Partners; provided that when such borrowings are incurred it is the intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within 12 months from the date of such borrowings other than from additional Working Capital Borrowings.

 

Section 1.2 Construction. Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include,” “includes,” “including” or words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and (d) the terms “hereof,” “herein” or “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. The General Partner has the power to construe and interpret this Agreement and to act upon any such construction or interpretation. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any construction or interpretation of this Agreement by the General Partner and any action taken pursuant thereto and any determination made by the General Partner in good faith shall, in each case, be conclusive and binding on all Record Holders, each other Person or Group who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and all other Persons for all purposes.

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Article II

ORGANIZATION

 

Section 2.1 Formation . The General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner have previously formed the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act and hereby amend and restate the original Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. in its entirety. This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties, liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware Act. All Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all purposes.

 

Section 2.2 Name . The name of the Partnership shall be “Cypress Energy Partners, L.P.” Subject to applicable law, the Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name or names as determined by the General Partner, including the name of the General Partner. The words “Limited Partnership,” “L.P.,” “Ltd.” or similar words or letters shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The General Partner may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time and shall notify the Limited Partners of such change in the next regular communication to the Limited Partners.

 

Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices. Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located at c/o The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, and the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be The Corporation Trust Company. The principal office of the Partnership shall be located at 5727 S. Lewis Avenue, Suite 500, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate. The address of the General Partner shall be 5727 S. Lewis Avenue, Suite 500, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners.

 

Section 2.4 Purpose and Business . The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to (a) engage directly in, or enter into or form, hold and dispose of any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that is approved by the General Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, and (b) do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member; provided, however, that the General Partner shall not cause the Partnership to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the General Partner determines would be reasonably likely to cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose or approve the conduct by the Partnership of any business and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to so propose or approve, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity and the General Partner in determining whether to propose or approve the conduct by the Partnership of any business shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

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Section 2.5 Powers . The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental to or convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Partnership.

 

Section 2.6 Term . The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in existence until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII . The existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware Act.

 

Section 2.7 Title to Partnership Assets . Title to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees of the General Partner or its Affiliates, as the General Partner may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees of the General Partner or its Affiliates shall be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the General Partner determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership or one or more of the Partnership’s designated Affiliates as soon as reasonably practicable; provided further, that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to effect the transfer of record title to the Partnership and, prior to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to any successor General Partner. All Partnership assets shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which record title to such Partnership assets is held.

 

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Article III
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS

 

Section 3.1 Limitation of Liability . The Limited Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.

 

Section 3.2 Management of Business . No Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the operation, management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business, transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the Partnership. No action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity as such, shall be deemed to be participating in the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within the meaning of Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) nor shall any such action affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this Agreement.

 

Section 3.3 Rights of Limited Partners.

 

(a) Each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose reasonably related to such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand, and at such Limited Partner’s own expense:

 

(i) to obtain from the General Partner either (A) the Partnership’s most recent filings with the Commission on Form 10-K and any subsequent filings on Form 10-Q and 8-K or (B) if the Partnership is no longer subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the information specified in, and meeting the requirements of, Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act or any successor or similar rule or regulation under the Securities Act (provided that the foregoing materials shall be deemed to be available to a Limited Partner in satisfaction of the requirements of this Section 3.3(a)(i) if posted on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website);

 

(ii) to obtain a current list of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address of each Partner; and

 

(iii) to obtain a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto.

 

(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the rights to information granted the Limited Partners pursuant to Section 3.3(a) replace in their entirety any rights to information provided for in Section 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act and each of the Partners and each other Person or Group who acquires an interest in the Partnership hereby agrees to the fullest extent permitted by law that they do not have any rights as Partners or interest holders to receive any information either pursuant to Sections 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act or otherwise except for the information identified in Section 3.3(a) .

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(c) The General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners, for such period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable, (i) any information that the General Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the General Partner in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or its business or (C) that any Group Member is required by law or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 3.3 ).

 

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or Section 17-305 of the Delaware Act, each of the Record Holders, each other Person or Group who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement hereby agrees to the fullest extent permitted by law that they do not have rights to receive information from the Partnership or any Indemnitee for the purpose of determining whether to pursue litigation or assist in pending litigation against the Partnership or any Indemnitee relating to the affairs of the Partnership except pursuant to the applicable rules of discovery relating to litigation commenced by such Person or Group.

 

Article IV
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP
INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

 

Section 4.1 Certificates . Record Holders of Partnership Interests and, where appropriate, Derivative Partnership Interests, shall be recorded in the Partnership Register and ownership of such interests shall be evidenced by a physical certificate or book entry notation in the Partnership Register. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, unless the General Partner shall determine otherwise in respect of some or all of any or all classes of Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests, Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests shall not be evidenced by physical certificates. Certificates, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer or any Senior Vice President or Vice President and the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, or other authorized officer of the General Partner, and shall bear the legend set forth in Section 4.8(f) . The signatures of such officers upon a Certificate may, to the extent permitted by law, be facsimiles. In case any officer who has signed or whose signature has been placed upon such Certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before such Certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Partnership with the same effect as if he or she were such officer at the date of its issuance. If a Transfer Agent has been appointed for a class of Partnership Interests, no Certificate for such class of Partnership Interests shall be valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided, however, that, if the General Partner elects to cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Interests of such class in global form, the Certificate shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer Agent certifying that the Partnership Interests have been duly registered in accordance with the directions of the Partnership. Subject to the requirements of Section 6.7(b) and Section 6.7(c) , if Common Units are evidenced by Certificates, on or after the date on which Subordinated Units are converted into Common Units pursuant to the terms of Section 5.6 , the Record Holders of such Subordinated Units (a) if the Subordinated Units are evidenced by Certificates, may exchange such Certificates for Certificates evidencing the Common Units into which such Record Holder’s Subordinated Units converted, or (b) if the Subordinated Units are not evidenced by Certificates, shall be issued Certificates evidencing the Common Units into which such Record Holders’ Subordinated Units converted. With respect to any Partnership Interests that are represented by physical certificates, the General Partner may determine that such Partnership Interests will no longer be represented by physical certificates and may, upon written notice to the holders of such Partnership Interests and subject to applicable law, take whatever actions it deems necessary or appropriate to cause such Partnership Interests to be registered in book entry or global form and may cause such physical certificates to be cancelled or deemed cancelled.

 

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Section 4.2 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates.

 

(a) If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the same number and type of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests as the Certificate so surrendered.

 

(b) The appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign, a new Certificate in place of any Certificate previously issued, if the Record Holder of the Certificate:

 

(i) makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or stolen;

 

(ii) requests the issuance of a new Certificate before the General Partner has notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith and without notice of an adverse claim;

 

(iii) if requested by the General Partner, delivers to the General Partner a bond, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, with surety or sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the General Partner may direct to indemnify the Partnership, the Partners, the General Partner and the Transfer Agent against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the Certificate; and

 

(iv) satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the General Partner or the Transfer Agent.

 

If a Limited Partner fails to notify the General Partner within a reasonable period of time after such Limited Partner has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Limited Partner Interests represented by the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent receives such notification, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Limited Partner shall be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new Certificate.

 

(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.2 , the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected therewith.

 

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Section 4.3 Record Holders.

 

The names and addresses of Unitholders as they appear in the Partnership Register shall be the official list of Record Holders of the Partnership Interests for all purposes. The Partnership and the General Partner shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Partner with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person or Group, regardless of whether the Partnership or the General Partner shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading. Without limiting the foregoing, when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting as nominee, agent or in some other representative capacity for another Person or Group in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests, as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Person on the other, such representative Person shall be the Limited Partner with respect to such Partnership Interest upon becoming the Record Holder in accordance with Section 10.1(b) and have the rights and obligations of a Partner hereunder as, and to the extent provided herein, including Section 10.1(c) .

 

Section 4.4 Transfer Generally.

 

(a) The term “transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership Interest, shall be deemed to refer to a transaction (i) by which the General Partner assigns all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person and includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise or (ii) by which the holder of a Limited Partner Interest assigns all or a part of such Limited Partner Interest to another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner as a result thereof, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise, excluding a pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage but including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.

 

(b) No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV . Any transfer or purported transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article IV shall be null and void, and the Partnership shall have no obligation to effect any such transfer or purported transfer.

 

(c) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or limit a disposition by any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of the General Partner or any Limited Partner of any or all of such Person’s shares of stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership interests in the General Partner or such Limited Partner and the term “transfer” shall not include any such disposition.

 

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Section 4.5 Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests.

 

(a) The General Partner shall maintain, or cause to be maintained by the Transfer Agent in whole or in part, the Partnership Register on behalf of the Partnership.

 

(b) The General Partner shall not recognize any transfer of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates until the Certificates evidencing such Limited Partner Interests are duly endorsed and surrendered for registration of transfer. No charge shall be imposed by the General Partner for such transfer; provided, however, that as a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.5 , the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed with respect thereto. Upon surrender of a Certificate for registration of transfer of any Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions of this Section 4.5(b) , the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and in the case of Certificates evidencing Limited Partner Interests for which a Transfer Agent has been appointed, the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder’s instructions, one or more new Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number and type of Limited Partner Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so surrendered. Upon the proper surrender of a Certificate, such transfer shall be recorded in the Partnership Register.

 

(c) Upon the receipt by the General Partner of proper transfer instructions from the Record Holder of uncertificated Partnership Interests, such transfer shall be recorded in the Partnership Register.

 

(d) Except as provided in Section 4.9 , by acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests pursuant to a transfer in accordance with this Article IV , each transferee of a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee, or agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person or Group) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred to such Person when any such transfer or admission is reflected in the Partnership Register and such Person becomes the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred, (ii) shall become bound, and shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound, by the terms of this Agreement, (iii) shall be deemed to represent that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and (iv) shall be deemed to make the consents, acknowledgements and waivers contained in this Agreement, all with or without execution of this Agreement by such Person. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement.

 

(e) Subject to (i) the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.5 , (ii)  Section 4.3 , (iii)  Section 4.8 , (iv)  Section 4.9 , (v) with respect to any class or series of Limited Partner Interests, the provisions of any statement of designations or an amendment to this Agreement establishing such class or series, (vi) any contractual provisions binding on any Limited Partner and (vii) provisions of applicable law including the Securities Act, Limited Partner Interests shall be freely transferable.

 

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(f) The General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time to transfer their Subordinated Units and Common Units (whether issued upon conversion of the Subordinated Units or otherwise) to one or more Persons.

 

Section 4.6 Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest.

 

(a) Subject to Section 4.6(c) below, prior to March 31, 2024, the General Partner shall not transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest to a Person unless such transfer (i) has been approved by the prior written consent or vote of the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates), (ii) is of all, but not less than all, of its General Partner Interest to (A) an Affiliate of the General Partner (other than an individual) or (B) another Person (other than an individual) in connection with the merger or consolidation of the General Partner with or into such other Person or the transfer by the General Partner of all or substantially all of its assets to such other Person or (iii) is pursuant to a bona fide foreclosure by the lenders under any debt instrument with respect to which the General Partner is an obligor or guarantor.

 

(b) Subject to Section 4.6(c) below, on or after March 31, 2024, the General Partner may transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest without the approval of any Limited Partner or any other Person.

 

(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed) and (iii) such transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or membership interest owned by the General Partner as the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6 , the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section 10.2 , be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner effective immediately prior to the transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without dissolution.

 

Section 4.7 Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights . The General Partner or any other holder of Incentive Distribution Rights may transfer any or all of its Incentive Distribution Rights without the approval of any Limited Partner or any other Person.

 

Section 4.8 Restrictions on Transfers.

 

(a) Except as provided in Section 4.8(e) , notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article IV , no transfer of any Partnership Interests shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable federal or state securities laws or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state securities commission or any other governmental authority with jurisdiction over such transfer, (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the Partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, or (iii) cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed). The Partnership may issue stop transfer instructions to any Transfer Agent in order to implement any restriction on transfer contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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(b) The General Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership Interests if it receives an Opinion of Counsel that such restrictions are necessary to (i) avoid a significant risk of the Partnership becoming taxable as a corporation or otherwise becoming taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed) or (ii) preserve the uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof). The General Partner may impose such restrictions by amending this Agreement; provided, however, that any amendment that would result in the delisting or suspension of trading of any class of Limited Partner Interests on the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner Interests is then listed or admitted to trading must be approved, prior to such amendment being effected, by the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of such class.

 

(c) The transfer of an IDR Reset Common Unit that was issued in connection with an IDR Reset Election pursuant to Section 5.10 shall be subject to the restrictions imposed by Section 6.8(b) and 6.8(c) .

 

(d) The transfer of a Subordinated Unit or a Common Unit resulting from the conversion of a Subordinated Unit shall be subject to the restrictions imposed by Section 6.7(b) and Section 6.7(c) .

 

(e) Except for Section 4.9 , nothing in this Agreement shall preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership Interests entered into through the facilities of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

 

(f) Each Certificate or book entry evidencing Partnership Interests shall bear a conspicuous legend in substantially the following form:

 

THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER (AS DEFINED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT) WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED). THE GENERAL PARTNER OF CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. THIS SECURITY MAY BE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON ITS TRANSFER PROVIDED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. COPIES OF SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST MADE BY THE HOLDER OF RECORD OF THIS SECURITY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL PARTNER AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE PARTNERSHIP. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.

 

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Section 4.9 Eligibility Certificates; Ineligible Holders.

 

(a) The General Partner may upon demand or on a regular basis require Limited Partners, and transferees of Limited Partner Interests in connection with a transfer, to execute an Eligibility Certificate or provide other information as is necessary for the General Partner to determine if any such Limited Partners or transferees are Ineligible Holders.

 

(b) If any Limited Partner or any transferee of Limited Partner Interests (or their beneficial owners) fails to furnish to the General Partner within 30 days of its request an Eligibility Certificate and other information related thereto, or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate or other requested information the General Partner determines that a Limited Partner or a transferee of a Limited Partner Interest is an Ineligible Holder, the Limited Partner Interests owned by such Limited Partner shall be subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.10 or the General Partner may refuse to effect the transfer of the Limited Partner Interests to such transferee. In addition, the General Partner shall be substituted for any Limited Partner that is an Ineligible Holder as the Limited Partner in respect of the Ineligible Holder’s Limited Partner Interests.

 

(c) The General Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Limited Partner Interests held by it on behalf of Ineligible Holders, distribute the votes in the same ratios as the votes of Limited Partners (including the General Partner and its Affiliates) in respect of Limited Partner Interests other than those of Ineligible Holders are cast, either for, against or abstaining as to the matter.

 

(d) Upon dissolution of the Partnership, an Ineligible Holder shall have no right to receive a distribution in kind pursuant to Section 12.4 but shall be entitled to the cash equivalent thereof, and the Partnership shall provide cash in exchange for an assignment of the Ineligible Holder’s share of any distribution in kind. Such payment and assignment shall be treated for Partnership purposes as a purchase by the Partnership from the Ineligible Holder of its Limited Partner Interest (representing the right to receive its share of such distribution in kind).

 

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(e) At any time after an Ineligible Holder can and does certify that it no longer is an Ineligible Holder, it may, upon application to the General Partner, request that with respect to any Limited Partner Interests of such Ineligible Holder not redeemed pursuant to Section 4.10 , such Ineligible Holder upon approval of the General Partner, shall no longer constitute an Ineligible Holder and the General Partner shall cease to be deemed to be the Limited Partner in respect of such Limited Partner Interests.

 

(f) If at any time a transferee of a Partnership Interest fails to furnish an Eligibility Certificate or any other information requested by the General Partner pursuant to Section 4.9 within 30 days of such request, or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate or other information the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that such transferee is an Ineligible Holder, the Partnership may, unless the transferee establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such transferee is not an Ineligible Holder, prohibit and void the transfer, including by placing a stop order with the Transfer Agent.

 

Section 4.10 Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible Holders.

 

(a) If at any time a Limited Partner fails to furnish an Eligibility Certificate or any other information requested within the period of time specified in Section 4.9 , or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate or other information the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner is an Ineligible Holder, the Partnership may, unless the Limited Partner establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such Limited Partner is not an Ineligible Holder or has transferred his Limited Partner Interests to a Person who is not an Ineligible Holder and who furnishes an Eligibility Certificate to the General Partner prior to the date fixed for redemption as provided below, redeem the Limited Partner Interest of such Limited Partner as follows:

 

(i) The General Partner shall, not later than the 30 th  day before the date fixed for redemption, give notice of redemption to the Limited Partner, at such Limited Partner’s last address designated on the records of the Partnership or the Transfer Agent, by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid. The notice shall be deemed to have been given when so mailed. The notice shall specify the Redeemable Interests, the date fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that payment of the redemption price will be made upon redemption of the Redeemable Interests (or, if later in the case of Redeemable Interests evidenced by Certificates, upon surrender of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable Interests) and that on and after the date fixed for redemption no further allocations or distributions to which such Limited Partner would otherwise be entitled in respect of the Redeemable Interests will accrue or be made.

 

(ii) The aggregate redemption price for Redeemable Interests shall be an amount equal to the Current Market Price (the date of determination of which shall be the date fixed for redemption) of Limited Partner Interests of the class to be so redeemed multiplied by the number of Limited Partner Interests of each such class included among the Redeemable Interests. The redemption price shall be paid, as determined by the General Partner, in cash or by delivery of a promissory note of the Partnership in the principal amount of the redemption price, bearing interest at the rate of 5% annually and payable in three equal annual installments of principal together with accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption date.

 

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(iii) The Limited Partner or such Limited Partner’s duly authorized representative shall be entitled to receive the payment for the Redeemable Interests at the place of payment specified in the notice of redemption on the redemption date (or, if later in the case of Redeemable Interests evidenced by Certificates, upon surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner or transferee at the place specified in the notice of redemption, of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable Interests, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by an assignment duly executed in blank).

 

(iv) After the redemption date, Redeemable Interests shall no longer constitute issued and Outstanding Limited Partner Interests.

 

(b) The provisions of this Section 4.10 shall also be applicable to Limited Partner Interests held by a Limited Partner as nominee, agent or representative of a Person determined to be an Ineligible Holder.

 

(c) Nothing in this Section 4.10 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of redemption from transferring his Limited Partner Interest before the redemption date if such transfer is otherwise permitted under this Agreement and the transferor provides notice of such transfer to the General Partner. Upon receipt of notice of such a transfer, the General Partner shall withdraw the notice of redemption, provided the transferee of such Limited Partner Interest certifies to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such transferee is not an Ineligible Holder. If the transferee fails to make such certification within 30 days after the request and, in any event, before the redemption date, such redemption shall be effected from the transferee on the original redemption date.

 

Article V
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

 

Section 5.1 Organizational Contributions . In connection with the formation of the Partnership under the Delaware Act, the General Partner has been admitted as the General Partner of the Partnership, and the Organizational Limited Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $1,000.00 for a 100% Limited Partner Interest in the Partnership and has been admitted as a Limited Partner of the Partnership. As of the Closing Date, and effective simultaneously with the admission of another Limited Partner to the Partnership, the interests of the Organizational Limited Partner shall be redeemed as provided in the Contribution Agreement and the initial Capital Contribution of the Organizational Limited Partner shall be refunded. Any interest or other profit that may have resulted from the investment or other use of such initial Capital Contributions shall be allocated and distributed to the Organizational Limited Partner. The Organizational Limited Partner hereby continues as a limited partner of the Partnership with respect to the interests issued to it pursuant to Section 5.2(a) and Section 5.2(d) .

 

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Section 5.2 Contributions by Limited Partners.

 

(a) On the Closing Date, pursuant to and as described in the Contribution Agreement, (i) the Organizational Limited Partner contributed to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution all of its Contributed Property as set forth in the Contribution Agreement (and the schedules thereto) in exchange for (x) 671,250 Common Units, (y) 4,983,750 Subordinated Units, of which 30,143 Subordinated Units will be transferred to G. Les Austin and 14,308 Subordinated Units will be transferred to Richard Carson and (z) a right to receive $80,212,500 as a partial reimbursement for certain capital expenditures incurred with respect to its Contributed Property pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.707-4(d) and in reimbursement of its syndication costs associated with the Initial Public Offering; (ii) Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC contributed all of its Contributed Property as set forth in the Contribution Agreement in exchange for (x) 673,400 Common Units and (y) 673,400 Subordinated Units; (iii) Cynthia Field contributed all of her Contributed Property as set forth in the Contribution Agreement in exchange for (x) 57,450 Common Units and (y) 57,450 Subordinated Units; (iv) Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. contributed all of his Contributed Property as set forth in the Contribution Agreement in exchange for (x) 198,400 Common Units and (y) 198,400 Subordinated Units; and (v) the General Partner received 100% of the Incentive Distribution Rights.

 

(b) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the IPO Underwriting Agreement, each IPO Underwriter shall contribute cash to the Partnership in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to each IPO Underwriter, all as set forth in the IPO Underwriting Agreement.

 

(c) Upon the exercise, if any, of the Over-Allotment Option, each IPO Underwriter shall contribute cash to the Partnership on the Option Closing Date in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to each IPO Underwriter, all as set forth in the IPO Underwriting Agreement. The proceeds of such exercise shall be distributed to the Organizational Limited Partner or paid to an Affiliate thereof at the discretion of the Organizational Limited Partner.

 

(d) Upon the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option, as set forth in the IPO Underwriting Agreement, any Common Units not purchased by the IPO Underwriters pursuant to their Over-Allotment Option will be issued to the Organizational Limited Partner as a deferred issuance as part of the Organizational Limited Partner’s consideration for its contribution described in Section 5.2(a)(i) .

 

(e) No Limited Partner Interests will be issued or issuable as of or at the Closing Date other than (i) the Common Units and Subordinated Units issued pursuant to subparagraphs  (a) and (d) of this Section 5.2 , (ii) the Common Units issued to the IPO Underwriters as described in subparagraphs  (b) and (c) of this Section 5.2 and (iii) the Incentive Distribution Rights issued to the General Partner pursuant to subparagraph (a) of this Section 5.2 .

 

(f) No Limited Partner will be required to make any additional Capital Contribution to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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Section 5.3 Interest and Withdrawal.

 

No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon termination of the Partnership may be considered as such by law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement. Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions. Any such return shall be a compromise to which all Partners agree within the meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.

 

Section 5.4 Capital Accounts.

 

(a) The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of Partnership Interests held by a nominee, agent or representative in any case in which such nominee, agent or representative has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a separate Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with the rules of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). The initial Capital Account balance attributable to the Common Units and Subordinated Units issued to, or received by, the Organizational Limited Partner, Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, Cynthia Field, Charles C. Stephenson, Jr., G. Les Austin and Richard Carson pursuant to Section 5.2(a) , and to the Organizational Limited Partner pursuant to Section 5.2(d), shall equal the respective Net Agreed Value of the Capital Contributions specified in Section 5.2(a) , which shall be deemed to equal the product of the number of Common Units and Subordinated Units issued to the Organizational Limited Partner pursuant to Section 5.2(a) and the Initial Unit Price for each such Common Unit and Subordinated Unit (and the initial Capital Account balance attributable to each such Common Unit and Subordinated Unit shall equal its Initial Unit Price). The initial Capital Account balance attributable to the Common Units issued to the IPO Underwriters pursuant to Section 5.2(b) shall equal the product of the number of Common Units so issued to the IPO Underwriters and the Initial Unit Price for each Common Unit (and the initial Capital Account balance attributable to each such Common Unit shall equal its Initial Unit Price). The initial Capital Account attributable to the General Partner Interest and the Incentive Distribution Rights shall be zero. Thereafter, the Capital Account shall in respect of each such Partnership Interest be increased by (i) the amount of all Capital Contributions made to the Partnership with respect to such Partnership Interest and (ii) all items of Partnership income and gain (including income and gain exempt from tax) computed in accordance with Section 5.4(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1 , and decreased by (x) the amount of cash or Net Agreed Value of all actual and deemed distributions of cash or property made to the Partner with respect to such Partnership Interest and (y) all items of Partnership deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section 5.4(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1 .

 

(b) For purposes of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss or deduction that is to be allocated pursuant to Article VI and is to be reflected in the Partners’ Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition and classification of any such item shall be the same as its determination, recognition and classification for federal income tax purposes (including any method of depreciation, cost recovery or amortization used for that purpose), provided that:

 

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(i) Solely for purposes of this Section 5.4 , the Partnership shall be treated as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined by the General Partner based upon the provisions of the applicable Group Member Agreement or governing, organizational or similar documents) of all property owned by (x) any other Group Member that is classified as a partnership or disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes and (y) any other partnership, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity classified as a partnership or disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes of which a Group Member is, directly or indirectly, a partner, member or other equity holder.

 

(ii) All fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the sale of (or to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be deducted nor amortized under Section 709 of the Code, if any, shall, for purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as an item of deduction at the time such fees and other expenses are incurred and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1 .

 

(iii) The computation of all items of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be made, except as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership. To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) of the Code (including pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.734-2(b)(1)) is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain or loss.

 

(iv) In the event the Carrying Value of Partnership property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.4(d), any Unrealized Gain resulting from such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain, and any Unrealized Loss resulting from such adjustment shall be treated as an item of loss.

 

(v) Any income, gain or loss attributable to the taxable disposition of any Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property as of such date of disposition were equal in amount to the Partnership’s Carrying Value with respect to such property as of such date.

 

(vi) An item of income of the Partnership that is described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) of the Code (with respect to items of income that are exempt from tax) shall be treated as an item of income for the purpose of this Section 5.4(b), and an item of expense of the Partnership that is described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code (with respect to expenditures that are not deductible and not chargeable to capital accounts), shall be treated as an item of deduction for the purpose of this Section 5.4(b) .

 

(vii) In accordance with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code, any deductions for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to any Contributed Property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property on the date it was acquired by the Partnership were equal to the Agreed Value of such property. Upon an adjustment pursuant to Section 5.4(d) to the Carrying Value of any Partnership property subject to depreciation, cost recovery or amortization, any further deductions for such depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to such property shall be determined under the rules prescribed by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d)(2) as if the adjusted basis of such property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property immediately following such adjustment.

 

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(viii) The Gross Liability Value of each Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i) shall be adjusted at such times as provided in this Agreement for an adjustment to Carrying Values. The amount of any such adjustment shall be treated for purposes hereof as an item of loss (if the adjustment increases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership) or an item of gain (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership).

 

(c) \l 4(1) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 5.4(c) , a transferee of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a Pro Rata portion of the Capital Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership Interest so transferred.

 

(ii) Subject to Section 6.7(b) , immediately prior to the transfer of a Subordinated Unit or of a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.6 by a holder thereof (in each case, other than a transfer to an Affiliate unless the General Partner elects to have this subparagraph 5.4(c)(ii) apply), the Capital Account maintained for such Person with respect to its Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units will (A) first, be allocated to the Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred in an amount equal to the product of (x) the number of such Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred and (y) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account will be retained by the transferor, regardless of whether it has retained any converted Subordinated Units (“ Retained Converted Subordinated Units ”) or Subordinated Units. Following any such allocation, the transferor’s Capital Account, if any, maintained with respect to the retained Subordinated Units or Retained Converted Subordinated Units, if any, will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (B) hereinabove, and the transferee’s Capital Account established with respect to the transferred Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (A) hereinabove.

 

(iii) Subject to Section 6.8(b) , immediately prior to the transfer of an IDR Reset Common Unit by a holder thereof (other than a transfer to an Affiliate unless the General Partner elects to have this subparagraph 5.4(c)(iii) apply), the Capital Account maintained for such Person with respect to its IDR Reset Common Units will (A) first, be allocated to the IDR Reset Common Units to be transferred in an amount equal to the product of (x) the number of such IDR Reset Common Units to be transferred and (y) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account will be retained by the transferor, regardless of whether it has retained any IDR Reset Common Units. Following any such allocation, the transferor’s Capital Account, if any, maintained with respect to the retained IDR Reset Common Units, if any, will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (B) hereinabove, and the transferee’s Capital Account established with respect to the transferred IDR Reset Common Units will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (A) above.

 

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(d)     (i) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), on an issuance of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed Property, the issuance of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services, the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units pursuant to Section 5.10 , or the conversion of the General Partner’s Combined Interest to Common Units pursuant to Section 11.3(b) , the Capital Account of each Partner and the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior to such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property; provided, however, that in the event of an issuance of Partnership Interests for a de minimis amount of cash or Contributed Property, or in the event of an issuance of a de minimis amount of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services, the General Partner may determine that such adjustments are unnecessary for the proper administration of the Partnership. If, upon the occurrence of a Revaluation Event described in this Section 5.4(d) , a Noncompensatory Option of the Partnership is outstanding, the Partnership shall adjust the Carrying Value of each Partnership property in accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f)(1) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(h)(2). In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to the issuance of additional Partnership Interests (or, in the case of an issuance of a Noncompensatory Option, immediately after such issuance if required pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s)(1)) shall be determined by the General Partner using such method of valuation as it may adopt. In making its determination of the fair market values of individual properties, the General Partner may first determine an aggregate value for the assets of the Partnership that takes into account the current trading price of the Common Units, the fair market value of all other Partnership Interests at such time, and the amount of Partnership Liabilities. The General Partner may allocate such aggregate value among the individual properties of the Partnership (in such manner as it determines appropriate). Absent a contrary determination by the General Partner, the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership assets (including, without limitation, cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a Revaluation Event shall be the value that would result in the Capital Account for each Common Unit that is Outstanding prior to such Revaluation Event being equal to the Event Issue Value.

 

(ii) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704- 1(b)(2)(iv)(f), immediately prior to any distribution to a Partner of any Partnership property (other than a distribution of cash that is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership Interest), the Capital Accounts of all Partners and the Carrying Value of all Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a distribution shall (A) in the case of a distribution that is not made pursuant to Section 12.4 or in the case of a deemed distribution, be determined in the same manner as that provided in Section 5.4(d)(i) or (B) in the case of a liquidating distribution pursuant to Section 12.4 , be determined by the Liquidator using such method of valuation as it may adopt.

 

Section 5.5 Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests.

 

(a) The Partnership may issue additional Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partners.

 

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(b) Each additional Partnership Interest authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.5(a) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior to existing classes and series of Partnership Interests), as shall be fixed by the General Partner, including (i) the right to share in Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii) the right to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may or shall be required to redeem the Partnership Interest; (v) whether such Partnership Interest is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Interest will be issued, evidenced by Certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the method for determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Interest; and (viii) the right, if any, of each such Partnership Interest to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such Partnership Interest.

 

(c) The General Partner shall take all actions that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 5.5 , (ii) the conversion of the Combined Interest into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iii) the issuance of Common Units pursuant to Section 5.10 , (iv) reflecting admission of such additional Limited Partners in the Partnership Register as the Record Holders of such Limited Partner Interests and (v) all additional issuances of Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests. The General Partner shall determine the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Units or other Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests being so issued. The General Partner shall do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is authorized and directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests or in connection with the conversion of the Combined Interest into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

 

(d) No fractional Units shall be issued by the Partnership.

 

Section 5.6 Conversion of Subordinated Units.

 

(a) All of the Subordinated Units shall convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis on the expiration of the Subordination Period.

 

(b) A Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be subject to the provisions of Section 6.7 .

 

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Section 5.7 Limited Preemptive Right . Except as provided in this Section 5.7 and in Section 5.10 or as otherwise provided in a separate agreement by the Partnership, no Person shall have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of any Partnership Interest, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created. Other than with respect to the issuance of Partnership Interests in connection with the Initial Public Offering, the General Partner shall have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates, to purchase Partnership Interests from the Partnership whenever, and on the same terms that, the Partnership issues Partnership Interests to Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests of the General Partner and its Affiliates equal to that which existed immediately prior to the issuance of such Partnership Interests.

 

Section 5.8 Splits and Combinations.

 

(a) Subject to Section 5.8(d) , Section 6.6 and Section 6.9 (dealing with adjustments of distribution levels), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership Interests to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests so long as, after any such event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis (including any Common Unit Arrearage or Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage) or stated as a number of Units are proportionately adjusted.

 

(b) Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests is declared, the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall be effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice (or such shorter periods as required by applicable law). The General Partner also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it to calculate the number of Partnership Interests to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such distribution, subdivision or combination. The General Partner shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.

 

(c) Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the Partnership may issue Certificates or uncertificated Partnership Interests to the Record Holders of Partnership Interests as of the applicable Record Date representing the new number of Partnership Interests held by such Record Holders, or the General Partner may adopt such other procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect such changes. If any such combination results in a smaller total number of Partnership Interests Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of Partnership Interests represented by Certificates, the surrender of any Certificate held by such Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.

 

(d) The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or combination of Units would result in the issuance of fractional Units but for the provisions of Section 5.5(d) and this Section 5.8(d) , each fractional Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit (with fractional Units equal to or greater than a 0.5 Unit being rounded to the next higher Unit).

 

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Section 5.9 Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests . All Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Article V shall be fully paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 or 17-804 of the Delaware Act.

 

Section 5.10 Issuance of Common Units in Connection with Reset of Incentive Distribution Rights.

 

(a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 5.10 , the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall have the right, at any time when there are no Subordinated Units Outstanding and the Partnership has made a distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(b)(v) for each of the four most recently completed Quarters and the amount of each such distribution did not exceed Adjusted Operating Surplus for such Quarter, to make an election (the “ IDR Reset Election ”) to cause the Target Distributions to be reset in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.10(e) and, in connection therewith, the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will become entitled to receive their respective proportionate share of a number of Common Units (the “ IDR Reset Common Units ”) derived by dividing (i) the average amount of the aggregate cash distributions made by the Partnership for the two full Quarters immediately preceding the giving of the Reset Notice in respect of the Incentive Distribution Rights by (ii) the average of the cash distributions made by the Partnership in respect of each Common Unit for the two full Quarters immediately preceding the giving of the Reset Notice (the number of Common Units determined by such quotient is referred to herein as the “ Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units ”). If at the time of any IDR Reset Election, the General Partner and its Affiliates are not the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights, then the IDR Reset Election shall be subject to the prior written concurrence of the General Partner that the conditions described in the immediately preceding sentence have been satisfied. The making of the IDR Reset Election in the manner specified in this Section 5.10 shall cause the Target Distributions to be reset in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.10(e) and, in connection therewith, the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will become entitled to receive IDR Reset Common Units on the basis specified above, without any further approval required by the General Partner or the Unitholders other than as set forth in this Section 5.10(a) , at the time specified in Section 5.10(c) unless the IDR Reset Election is rescinded pursuant to Section 5.10(d) .

 

(b) To exercise the right specified in Section 5.10(a) , the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall deliver a written notice (the “ Reset Notice ”) to the Partnership. Within 10 Business Days after the receipt by the Partnership of such Reset Notice, the Partnership shall deliver a written notice to the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights of the Partnership’s determination of the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units that each holder of Incentive Distribution Rights will be entitled to receive.

 

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(c) The holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will be entitled to receive the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units on the fifteenth Business Day after receipt by the Partnership of the Reset Notice; provided, however , that the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units to the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights shall not occur prior to the approval of the listing or admission for trading of such IDR Reset Common Units by the principal National Securities Exchange upon which the Common Units are then listed or admitted for trading if any such approval is required pursuant to the rules and regulations of such National Securities Exchange.

 

(d) If the principal National Securities Exchange upon which the Common Units are then traded has not approved the listing or admission for trading of the IDR Reset Common Units to be issued pursuant to this Section 5.10 on or before the 30 th  calendar day following the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice and such approval is required by the rules and regulations of such National Securities Exchange, then the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall have the right to either rescind the IDR Reset Election or elect to receive other Partnership Interests having such terms as the General Partner may approve, with the approval of the Conflicts Committee, that will provide (i) the same economic value, in the aggregate, as the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units would have had at the time of the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice, as determined by the General Partner, and (ii) for the subsequent conversion of such Partnership Interests into Common Units within not more than 12 months following the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice upon the satisfaction of one or more conditions that are reasonably acceptable to the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights).

 

(e) The Target Distributions shall be adjusted at the time of the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units or other Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 5.10 such that (i) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution shall be reset to equal the average cash distribution amount per Common Unit for the two Quarters immediately prior to the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice (the “ Reset MQD ”), (ii) the First Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 115% of the Reset MQD, (iii) the Second Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 125% of the Reset MQD and (iv) the Third Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 150% of the Reset MQD.

 

(f) Upon the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units pursuant to Section 5.10(a) , the Capital Account maintained with respect to the Incentive Distribution Rights will (i) first, be allocated to IDR Reset Common Units in an amount equal to the product of (A) the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units and (B) the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit, and (ii) second, as to any remaining balance in such Capital Account, be retained by the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights. If there is not sufficient capital associated with the Incentive Distribution Rights to allocate the full Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit to the IDR Reset Common Units in accordance with clause (i)  of this Section 5.10(f) , the IDR Reset Common Units shall be subject to Sections 6.1(d)(x)(B)  and (C) .

 

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Article VI
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

Section 6.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes . For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of the Partners among themselves, the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss and deduction (computed in accordance with Section 5.4(b) ) for each taxable period shall be allocated among the Partners as provided herein below.

 

(a) Net Income . After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(d) , Net Income for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Income for such taxable period shall be allocated as follows:

 

(i) First, to the Unitholders to which Net Loss has been allocated pursuant to the proviso provision of Section 6.1(b) , in proportion to the allocations of Net Loss pursuant to the proviso provision of Section 6.1(b) , until the aggregate amount of Net Income allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(a)(i) for the current and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate amount of Net Loss previously allocated pursuant to the proviso provision of Section 6.1(b) ; and

 

(ii) Thereafter, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata.

 

(b) Net Loss . After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(d) , Net Loss for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Loss for such taxable period shall be allocated to the Unitholders, Pro Rata; provided, however, that Net Losses shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b) to the extent that such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account) and such Net Loss shall instead be allocated to the Unitholders with positive Adjusted Capital Account balances in proportion to such positive balances.

 

(c) Net Termination Gains and Losses . After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(d) , Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss for such taxable period shall be allocated in the manner set forth in this Section 6.1(c) . All allocations under this Section 6.1(c) shall be made after Capital Account balances have been adjusted by all other allocations provided under this Section 6.1 and after all distributions of Available Cash provided under Section 6.4 and Section 6.5 have been made; provided, however, that solely for purposes of this Section 6.1(c) , Capital Accounts shall not be adjusted for distributions made pursuant to Section 12.4 .

 

(i) Except as provided in Section 6.1(c)(iv) and subject to the provisions set forth in the last sentence of this Section 6.1(c)(i) , Net Termination Gain (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss, and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Gain) shall be allocated in the following order and priority:

 

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(A) First, to each Unitholder having a deficit balance in its Capital Account, in the proportion that such deficit balance bears to the total deficit balances in the Capital Accounts of all Unitholders, until each such Unitholder has been allocated Net Termination Gain equal to any such deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account;

 

(B) Second, to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, (2) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i) or Section 6.4(b)(i) with respect to such Common Unit for such Quarter (the amount determined pursuant to this clause (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Unpaid MQD ”) and (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage;

 

(C) Third, if such Net Termination Gain is recognized (or is deemed to be recognized) prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit into a Common Unit, to all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding equals the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, determined for the taxable period (or portion thereof) to which this allocation of gain relates, and (2) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(iii)  with respect to such Subordinated Unit for such Quarter;

 

(D) Fourth, to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, (2) the Unpaid MQD, (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage, and (4) the excess of (aa) the First Target Distribution less the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for each Quarter after the Closing Date or the date of the most recent IDR Reset Election, if any, over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(iv) and Section 6.4(b)(ii) for such period (the sum of subclauses (1) , (2) , (3) and (4) is hereinafter referred to as the “ First Liquidation Target Amount ”);

 

(E) Fifth, 15% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 85% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the First Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess of (aa) the Second Target Distribution less the First Target Distribution for each Quarter after the Closing Date or the date of the most recent IDR Reset Election, if any, over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(v) and Section 6.4(b)(iii) for such period (the sum of subclauses (1) and (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Second Liquidation Target Amount ”);

 

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(F) Sixth, 25% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 75% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the Second Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess of (aa) the Third Target Distribution less the Second Target Distribution for each Quarter after the Closing Date or the date of the most recent IDR Reset Election, if any, over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(vi) and Section 6.4(b)(iv) for such period; and

 

(G) Finally, 50% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 50% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions in this Section 6.1(c)(i), the General Partner may adjust the amount of any Net Termination Gain arising in connection with a Revaluation Event that is allocated to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights in a manner that will result (i) in the Capital Account for each Common Unit that is Outstanding prior to such Revaluation Event being equal to the Event Issue Value and (ii) to the greatest extent possible, the Capital Account with respect to the Incentive Distribution Rights that are Outstanding prior to such Revaluation Event being equal to the amount of Net Termination Gain that would be allocated to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(i) if the Capital Accounts with respect to all Partnership Interests that were Outstanding immediately prior to such Revaluation Event and the Carrying Value of each Partnership property were equal to zero.

 

(ii) Except as otherwise provided by Section 6.1(c)(iii) or Section 6.1(c)(iv) , Net Termination Loss shall be allocated:

 

(A) First, if Subordinated Units remain Outstanding, to all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, until the Adjusted Capital Account in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero;

 

(B) Second, to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, until the Adjusted Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero; and

 

(C) The balance, if any, to the Unitholders with positive Adjusted Capital Account balances in proportion to such positive balances.

 

(iii) Net Termination Loss deemed recognized pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of Net Termination Loss as a result of a Revalution Event prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit and prior to the Liquidation Date shall be allocated:

 

(A) First, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding equals the Event Issue Value; provided that Net Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iii) to the extent such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit in its Adjusted Capital Account);

  

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(B) Second, to all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata; provided, however, that Net Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iii)(B) to the extent such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit in its Adjusted Capital Account); and

 

(C) The balance, if any, to the Unitholders with positive Adjusted Capital Account balances in proportion to such positive balances.

 

(iv) If (A) a Net Termination Loss has been allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(iii) , (B) a Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss subsequently occurs (other than as a result of a Revaluation Event) prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit and (C) after tentatively making all allocations of such Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss provided for in Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable, the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit does not equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if Section 6.1(c)(iii) had not been part of this Agreement and all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable, then items of income, gain, loss and deduction included in such Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss, as applicable, shall be specially allocated to all Unitholders in a manner that will, to the maximum extent possible, cause the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit to equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if all allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable.

 

(d) Special Allocations . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1 , the following special allocations shall be made for such taxable period in the following order:

 

(i) Partnership Minimum Gain Chargeback . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1 , if there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any successor provision. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d) , each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d) with respect to such taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(vi) and Section 6.1(d)(vii) ). This Section 6.1(d)(i) is intended to comply with the Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

(ii) Chargeback of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain . Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 6.1 (other than Section 6.1(d)(i) ), except as provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, any Partner with a share of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain at the beginning of such taxable period shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any successor provision. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d) , each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d) and other than an allocation pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) , Section 6.1(d)(vi) and Section 6.1(d)(vii) with respect to such taxable period. This Section 6.1(d)(ii) is intended to comply with the chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

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(iii) Priority Allocations .

 

(A) If the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of any property distributed (except cash or property distributed pursuant to Section 12.4 ) with respect to a Unit for a taxable period exceeds the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of property distributed with respect to another Unit within the same taxable period (the amount of the excess, an “ Excess Distribution ” and the Unit with respect to which the greater distribution is paid, an “ Excess Distribution Unit ”), then there shall be allocated gross income and gain to each Unitholder receiving an Excess Distribution with respect to the Excess Distribution Unit until the aggregate amount of such items allocated with respect to such Excess Distribution Unit pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the amount of the Excess Distribution.

 

(B) After the application of Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A) , all or any portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for the taxable period, if any, shall be allocated to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, until the aggregate amount of such items allocated to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(B) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the cumulative amount of all Incentive Distributions made to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights from the Closing Date to a date 45 days after the end of the current taxable period.

 

(iv) Qualified Income Offset . In the event any Partner unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations or distributions described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of Partnership gross income and gain shall be specially allocated to such Partner in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in its Adjusted Capital Account created by such adjustments, allocations or distributions as quickly as possible; provided, however, that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iv) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account as adjusted after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if this Section 6.1(d)(iv) were not in this Agreement.

 

(v) Gross Income Allocation . In the event any Partner has a deficit balance in its Capital Account at the end of any taxable period in excess of the sum of (A) the amount such Partner is required to restore pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and (B) the amount such Partner is deemed obligated to restore pursuant to Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5), such Partner shall be specially allocated items of Partnership gross income and gain in the amount of such excess as quickly as possible; provided, however, that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(v) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Capital Account as adjusted after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if Section 6.1(d)(iv) and this Section 6.1(d)(v) were not in this Agreement.

 

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(vi) Nonrecourse Deductions . Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated to the Unitholders Pro Rata. If the General Partner determines that the Partnership’s Nonrecourse Deductions should be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized, upon notice to the other Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio to the numerically closest ratio that satisfies such requirements.

 

(vii) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions . Partner Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the Partner that bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to the Partner Nonrecourse Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i). If more than one Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt, the Partner Nonrecourse Deductions attributable thereto shall be allocated between or among such Partners in accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of Loss.

 

(viii) Nonrecourse Liabilities . For purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that Nonrecourse Liabilities of the Partnership in excess of the sum of (A) the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount of Nonrecourse Built-in Gain shall be allocated among the Unitholders Pro Rata or as otherwise determined by the General Partner using such method as permitted under Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3).

 

(ix) Code Section 754 Adjustments . To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) of the Code(including pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.734-2(b)(1)) is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis), and such item of gain or loss shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury Regulations.

 

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(x) Economic Uniformity; Changes in Law .

 

(A) At the election of the General Partner with respect to any taxable period ending upon, or after, the termination of the Subordination Period, all or a portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for such taxable period, after taking into account allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(iii) , shall be allocated 100% to each Partner holding Subordinated Units that are Outstanding as of the termination of the Subordination Period (“ Final Subordinated Units ”) in the proportion of the number of Final Subordinated Units held by such Partner to the total number of Final Subordinated Units then Outstanding, until each such Partner has been allocated an amount of gross income or gain that increases the Capital Account maintained with respect to such Final Subordinated Units to an amount that after taking into account the other allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction to be made with respect to such taxable period will equal the product of (1) the number of Final Subordinated Units held by such Partner and (2) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit. The purpose of this allocation is to establish uniformity between the Capital Accounts underlying Final Subordinated Units and the Capital Accounts underlying Common Units held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates immediately prior to the conversion of such Final Subordinated Units into Common Units. This allocation method for establishing such economic uniformity will be available to the General Partner only if the method for allocating the Capital Account maintained with respect to the Subordinated Units between the transferred and retained Subordinated Units pursuant to Section 5.4(c)(ii) does not otherwise provide such economic uniformity to the Final Subordinated Units.

 

(B) With respect to an event triggering an adjustment to the Carrying Value of Partnership property pursuant to Section 5.4(d) during any taxable period of the Partnership ending upon, or after, the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units pursuant to Section 5.10 , after the application of Section 6.1(d)(x)(A) , any Unrealized Gains and Unrealized Losses shall be allocated among the Partners in a manner that to the nearest extent possible results in the Capital Accounts maintained with respect to such IDR Reset Common Units issued pursuant to Section 5.10 equaling the product of (1) the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units and (2) the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit.

 

(C) With respect to any taxable period during which an IDR Reset Common Unit is transferred to any Person who is not an Affiliate of the transferor, all or a portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for such taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the transferor Partner of such transferred IDR Reset Common Unit until such transferor Partner has been allocated an amount of gross income or gain that increases the Capital Account maintained with respect to such transferred IDR Reset Common Unit to an amount equal to the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit.

 

(D) For the proper administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof), the General Partner shall (1) adopt such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions; (2) make special allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction, Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss; and (3) amend the provisions of this Agreement as appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations under Section 704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (y) otherwise to preserve or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof). The General Partner may adopt such conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this Agreement as provided in this Section 6.1(d)(x)(D) only if such conventions, allocations or amendments would not have a material adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests issued and Outstanding or the Partnership, and if such allocations are consistent with the principles of Section 704 of the Code.

 

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(xi) Curative Allocation .

 

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1 , other than the Required Allocations, the Required Allocations shall be taken into account in making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of items of gross income, gain, loss and deduction allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net amount of such items that would have been allocated to each such Partner under the Agreed Allocations had the Required Allocations and the related Curative Allocation not otherwise been provided in this Section 6.1 . Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, Required Allocations relating to (1) Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be taken into account except to the extent that there has been a decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain and (2) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be taken into account except to the extent that there has been a decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain. In exercising its discretion under this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) , the General Partner may take into account future Required Allocations that, although not yet made, are likely to offset other Required Allocations previously made. Allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall only be made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations will otherwise be inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners. Further, allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall be deferred with respect to allocations pursuant to clauses (1) and (2) hereof to the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations are likely to be offset by subsequent Required Allocations.

 

(B) The General Partner shall, with respect to each taxable period, (1) apply the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) in whatever order is most likely to minimize the economic distortions that might otherwise result from the Required Allocations, and (2) divide all allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) among the Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such economic distortions.

 

(xii) Equalization of Capital Accounts With Respect to Privately Placed Units . Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss deemed recognized as a result of a Revaluation Event shall first be allocated to the (A) Unitholders holding Privately Placed Units or (B) Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, as applicable, to the extent necessary to cause the Capital Account in respect of each Privately Placed Unit then Outstanding to equal the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit (other than Privately Placed Units) then Outstanding.

 

(xiii) Corrective and Other Allocations In the event of any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items or a Net Termination Loss, the following rules shall apply:

 

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(A) The General Partner shall allocate Additional Book Basis Derivative Items consisting of depreciation, amortization, depletion or any other form of cost recovery (other than Additional Book Basis Derivative Items included in Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) with respect to any Adjusted Property to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, and the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, all in the same proportion as the Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss resulting from the Revaluation Event that gave rise to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items was allocated to them pursuant to Section 6.1(c) .

 

(B) If a sale or other taxable disposition of an Adjusted Property, including, for this purpose, inventory (“ Disposed of Adjusted Property ”) occurs other than in connection with an event giving rise to Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss, the General Partner shall allocate (1) items of gross income and gain (aa) away from the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and (bb) to the Unitholders, or (2) items of deduction and loss (aa) away from the Unitholders and (bb) to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, to the extent that the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to the Disposed of Adjusted Property (determined in accordance with the last sentence of the definition of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items) treated as having been allocated to the Unitholders pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xiii)(B) exceed their Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to such Disposed of Adjusted Property. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d)(xiii)(B) , the Unitholders shall be treated as having been allocated Additional Book Basis Derivative Items to the extent that such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items have reduced the amount of income that would otherwise have been allocated to the Unitholders under the Partnership Agreement ( e.g. , Additional Book Basis Derivative Items taken into account in computing cost of goods sold would reduce the amount of book income otherwise available for allocation among the Partners). Any allocation made pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xiii)(B) shall be made after all of the other Agreed Allocations have been made as if this Section 6.1(d)(xiii) were not in this Agreement and, to the extent necessary, shall require the reallocation of items that have been allocated pursuant to such other Agreed Allocations.

 

(C) Net Termination Loss in an amount equal to the lesser of (1) such Net Termination Loss and (2) the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments shall be allocated in such a manner, as determined by the General Partner, that to the extent possible, the Capital Account balances of the Partners will equal the amount they would have been had no prior Book-Up Events occurred, and any remaining Net Termination Loss shall be allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c) hereof. In allocating Net Termination Loss pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xiii)(C) , the General Partner shall attempt, to the extent possible, to cause the Capital Accounts of the Unitholders, on the one hand, and holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, on the other hand, to equal the amount they would equal if (i) the Carrying Values of the Partnership’s property had not been previously adjusted in connection with any prior Book-Up Events, (ii) Unrealized Gain and Unrealized Loss (or, in the case of a liquidation, actual gain or loss) with respect to such Partnership Property were determined with respect to such unadjusted Carrying Values, and (iii) any resulting Net Termination Gain had been allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, taking into account the provisions set forth in the last sentence of Section 6.1(c)(i) ).

 

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(D) In making the allocations required under this Section 6.1(d)(xiii) , the General Partner may apply whatever conventions or other methodology it determines will satisfy the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xiii) . Without limiting the foregoing, if an Adjusted Property is contributed by the Partnership to another entity classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes (the “ lower tier partnership ”), the General Partner may make allocations similar to those described in Sections 6.1(d)(xiii)(A) through (C) to the extent the General Partner determines such allocations are necessary to account for the Partnership’s allocable share of income, gain, loss and deduction of the lower tier partnership that relate to the contributed Adjusted Property in a manner that is consistent with the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xiii) .

 

(xiv) Special Curative Allocation in Event of Liquidation Prior to Conversion of the Last Outstanding Subordinated Unit . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1 (other than the Required Allocations), if (A) the Liquidation Date occurs prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit and (B) after having made all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 for the taxable period in which the Liquidation Date occurs, the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit does not equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if Section 6.1(c)(iii) and Section 6.1(c)(iv) had not been part of this Agreement and all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii) , as applicable, then items of income, gain, loss and deduction for such taxable period shall be reallocated among all Unitholders in a manner determined appropriate by the General Partner so as to cause, to the maximum extent possible, the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit to equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii) , as applicable. For the avoidance of doubt, the reallocation of items set forth in the immediately preceding sentence provides that, to the extent necessary to achieve the Capital Account balances described above, (x) items of income and gain that would otherwise be included in Net Income or Net Loss, as the case may be, for the taxable period in which the Liquidation Date occurs, shall be reallocated from Unitholders holding Subordinated Units to Unitholders holding Common Units and (y) items of deduction and loss that would otherwise be included in Net Income or Net Loss, as the case may be, for the taxable period in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be reallocated from Unitholders holding Common Units to Unitholders holding Subordinated Units. In the event that (i) the Liquidation Date occurs on or before the date (not including any extension of time prescribed by law for the filing of the Partnership’s federal income tax return for the taxable period immediately prior to the taxable period in which the Liquidation Date occurs) and (ii) the reallocation of items for the taxable period in which the Liquidation Date occurs as set forth above in this Section 6.1(d)(xiv) fails to achieve the Capital Account balances described above, items of income, gain, loss and deduction that would otherwise be included in the Net Income or Net Loss, as the case may be, for such prior taxable period shall be reallocated among all Unitholders in a manner that will, to the maximum extent possible and after taking into account all other allocations made pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xiv) , cause the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit to equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii) , as applicable.

 

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Section 6.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes.

 

(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each item of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1 .

 

(b) In an attempt to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss, depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions shall be allocated for federal income tax purposes among the Partners in the manner provided under Section 704(c) of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code, as determined to be appropriate by the General Partner (taking into account the General Partner’s discretion under Section 6.1(d)(x)(D) ); provided, however, that the General Partner shall apply the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d) in all events.

 

(c) The General Partner may determine to depreciate or amortize the portion of an adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to unrealized appreciation in any Adjusted Property (to the extent of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a predetermined rate derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity of such property, despite any inconsistency of such approach with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-l(a)(6) or any successor regulations thereto. If the General Partner determines that such reporting position cannot reasonably be taken, the General Partner may adopt depreciation and amortization conventions under which all purchasers acquiring Limited Partner Interests in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in the Partnership’s property. If the General Partner chooses not to utilize such aggregate method, the General Partner may use any other depreciation and amortization conventions to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Limited Partner Interests, so long as such conventions would not have a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or the Record Holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests.

 

(d) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1245-1(e) and 1.1250-1(f), any gain allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable disposition of any Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible, after taking into account other required allocations of gain pursuant to this Section 6.2 , be characterized as Recapture Income in the same proportions and to the same extent as such Partners (or their predecessors in interest) have been allocated any deductions directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gains as Recapture Income.

 

(e) All items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the Partnership for federal income tax purposes and allocated to the Partners in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be determined without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership; provided, however , that such allocations, once made, shall be adjusted (in the manner determined by the General Partner) to take into account those adjustments permitted or required by Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.

 

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(f) Each item of Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction, for federal income tax purposes, shall be determined for each taxable period and prorated on a monthly basis and shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of each month; provided, however, that such items for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the month in which the last Option Closing Date or the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option occurs shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of the next succeeding month; provided further, that gain or loss on a sale or other disposition of any assets of the Partnership or any other extraordinary item of income or loss realized and recognized other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined by the General Partner, shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of the month in which such gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes. The General Partner may revise, alter or otherwise modify such methods of allocation to the extent permitted or required by Section 706 of the Code and the regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder.

 

(g) Allocations that would otherwise be made to a Limited Partner under the provisions of this Article VI shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of Limited Partner Interests held by a nominee, agent or representative in any case in which such nominee, agent or representative has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method determined by the General Partner.

 

(h) If, as a result of an exercise of a Noncompensatory Option, a Capital Account reallocation is required under Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s)(3), the General Partner shall make corrective allocations pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(x).

 

Section 6.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders.

 

(a) Within 45 days following the end of each Quarter commencing with the Quarter ending on March 31, 2014, an amount equal to 100% of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be distributed in accordance with this Article VI by the Partnership to the Partners as of the Record Date selected by the General Partner. The Record Date for the first distribution of Available Cash shall not be prior to the final closing of the Over-Allotment Option. All amounts of Available Cash distributed by the Partnership on any date from any source shall be deemed to be Operating Surplus until the sum of all amounts of Available Cash theretofore distributed by the Partnership to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.4 equals the Operating Surplus from the Closing Date through the close of the immediately preceding Quarter. Any remaining amounts of Available Cash distributed by the Partnership on such date shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 6.5 , be deemed to be “ Capital Surplus .” All distributions required to be made under this Agreement shall be made subject to Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Act and other applicable law, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding Section 6.3(a) (but subject to the last sentence of Section 6.3(a) ), in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership, all cash received during or after the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be applied and distributed solely in accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section 12.4 .

 

(c) The General Partner may treat taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, or amounts withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the Partners, as a distribution of Available Cash to such Partners, as determined appropriate under the circumstances by the General Partner.

 

(d) Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the Partnership, directly or through the Transfer Agent or through any other Person or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.

 

Section 6.4 Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus.

 

(a) During the Subordination Period . Available Cash with respect to any Quarter within the Subordination Period that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or 6.5 shall be distributed as follows, except as otherwise required in respect of additional Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests issued pursuant to Section 5.5(b) :

 

(i) First, to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

 

(ii) Second, to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage existing with respect to such Quarter;

 

(iii) Third, to the Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

 

(iv) Fourth, to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

 

(v) Fifth, 15% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 85% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;

 

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(vi) Sixth, 25% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 75% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and

 

(vii) Thereafter, 50% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 50% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata;

 

provided, however, that if the Target Distributions have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a) , the distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus with respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(a)(vii) .

 

(b) After the Subordination Period . Available Cash with respect to any Quarter after the Subordination Period that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or Section 6.5 shall be distributed as follows, except as otherwise required in respect of additional Partnership Interests issued pursuant to Section 5.5(b) :

 

(i) First, to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

 

(ii) Second, to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

 

(iii) Third, 15% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 85% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;

 

(iv) Fourth, 25% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 75% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and

 

(v) Thereafter, 50% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 50% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata;

 

provided, however, that if the Target Distributions have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a) , the distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus with respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(b)(v) .

 

Section 6.5 Distributions of Available Cash from Capital Surplus . Available Cash that is deemed to be Capital Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3(a) shall be distributed, unless the provisions of Section 6.3 require otherwise, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until a hypothetical holder of a Common Unit acquired on the Closing Date has received with respect to such Common Unit distributions of Available Cash that are deemed to be Capital Surplus in an aggregate amount equal to the Initial Unit Price. Available Cash that is deemed to be Capital Surplus shall then be distributed to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage. Thereafter, all Available Cash shall be distributed as if it were Operating Surplus and shall be distributed in accordance with Section 6.4 .

 

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Section 6.6 Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels.

 

(a) The Target Distributions, Common Unit Arrearages and Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages shall be proportionately adjusted in the event of any distribution, combination or subdivision (whether effected by a distribution payable in Units or otherwise) of Units or other Partnership Interests in accordance with Section 5.8 . In the event of a distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be from Capital Surplus, the then applicable Target Distributions shall be adjusted proportionately downward to equal the product obtained by multiplying the otherwise applicable Target Distributions, as the case may be, by a fraction, the numerator of which is the Unrecovered Initial Unit Price of the Common Units immediately after giving effect to such distribution and the denominator of which is the Unrecovered Initial Unit Price of the Common Units immediately prior to giving effect to such distribution.

 

(b) The Target Distributions shall also be subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 5.10 and Section 6.9 .

 

Section 6.7 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units.

 

(a) Except with respect to the right to vote on or approve matters requiring the vote or approval of a percentage of the holders of Outstanding Common Units and the right to participate in allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction and distributions made with respect to Common Units, the holder of a Subordinated Unit shall have all of the rights and obligations of a Unitholder holding Common Units hereunder; provided, however , that immediately upon the conversion of Subordinated Units into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.6 , the Unitholder holding a Subordinated Unit shall possess all of the rights and obligations of a Unitholder holding Common Units hereunder with respect to such converted Subordinated Units, including the right to vote as a Common Unitholder and the right to participate in allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction and distributions made with respect to Common Units; provided, however, that such converted Subordinated Units shall remain subject to the provisions of Sections 5.4(c)(ii) , 6.1(d)(x)(A) , 6.7(b) and 6.7(c) .

 

(b) A Unitholder shall not be permitted to transfer a Subordinated Unit or a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.6 (other than a transfer to an Affiliate) if the remaining balance in the transferring Unitholder’s Capital Account with respect to the retained Subordinated Units or Retained Converted Subordinated Units would be negative after giving effect to the allocation under Section 5.4(c)(ii)(B) .

 

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(c) The holder of a Common Unit that has resulted from the conversion of a Subordinated Unit pursuant to Section 5.6 or Section 11.4 shall not be issued a Common Unit Certificate pursuant to Section 4.1 (if the Common Units are represented by Certificates) and shall not be permitted to transfer such Common Unit to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the holder until such time as the General Partner determines, based on advice of counsel, that each such Common Unit should have, as a substantive matter, like intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics, in all material respects, to the intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics of an Initial Common Unit. In connection with the condition imposed by this Section 6.7(c) , the General Partner may take whatever steps are required to provide economic uniformity to such Common Units in preparation for a transfer of such Common Units, including the application of Sections 5.4(c)(ii) , 6.1(d)(x) and 6.7(b) ; provided, however, that no such steps may be taken that would have a material adverse effect on the Unitholders holding Common Units.

 

Section 6.8 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution Rights.

 

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights (1) shall (x) possess the rights and obligations provided in this Agreement with respect to a Limited Partner pursuant to Article III and Article VII and (y) have a Capital Account as a Partner pursuant to Section 5.4 and all other provisions related thereto and (2) shall not (x) be entitled to vote on any matters requiring the approval or vote of the holders of Outstanding Units, except as provided by law, (y) be entitled to any distributions other than as provided in Sections 6.4(a)(v) , (vi) and (vii) , Sections 6.4(b)(iii) , (iv) and (v) , and Section 12.4 or (z) be allocated items of income, gain, loss or deduction other than as specified in this Article VI ; provided, however , that for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing shall not preclude the Partnership from making any other payments or distributions in connection with other actions permitted by this Agreement.

 

(b) A Unitholder shall not be permitted to transfer an IDR Reset Common Unit (other than a transfer to an Affiliate) if the remaining balance in the transferring Unitholder’s Capital Account with respect to the retained IDR Reset Common Units would be negative after giving effect to the allocation under Section 5.4(c)(iii) .

 

(c) A holder of an IDR Reset Common Unit that was issued in connection with an IDR Reset Election pursuant to Section 5.10 shall not be issued a Common Unit Certificate pursuant to Section 4.1 (if the Common Units are evidenced by Certificates) or evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Common Units, and shall not be permitted to transfer such Common Unit to a Person that is not an Affiliate of such holder, until such time as the General Partner determines, based on advice of counsel, that each such IDR Reset Common Unit should have, as a substantive matter, like intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics, in all material respects, to the intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics of an Initial Common Unit. In connection with the condition imposed by this Section 6.8(c) , the General Partner may take whatever steps are required to provide economic uniformity to such IDR Reset Common Units in preparation for a transfer of such IDR Reset Common Units, including the application of Section 5.4(c)(iii) , Section 6.1(d)(x)(B) , or Section 6.1(d)(x)(C) ; provided, however , that no such steps may be taken that would have a material adverse effect on the Unitholders holding Common Units.

 

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Section 6.9 Entity-Level Taxation . If legislation is enacted or the official interpretation of existing legislation is modified by a governmental authority, which after giving effect to such enactment or modification, results in a Group Member becoming subject to federal, state or local or non-U.S. income or withholding taxes in excess of the amount of such taxes due from the Group Member prior to such enactment or modification (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any increase in the rate of such taxation applicable to the Group Member), then the General Partner may, at its option, reduce the Target Distributions by the amount of income or withholding taxes that are payable by reason of any such new legislation or interpretation (the “ Incremental Income Taxes ”), or any portion thereof selected by the General Partner, in the manner provided in this Section 6.9 . If the General Partner elects to reduce the Target Distributions for any Quarter with respect to all or a portion of any Incremental Income Taxes, the General Partner shall estimate for such Quarter the Partnership Group’s aggregate liability (the “ Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount ”) for all (or the relevant portion of) such Incremental Income Taxes; provided that any difference between such estimate and the actual liability for Incremental Income Taxes (or the relevant portion thereof) for such Quarter may, to the extent determined by the General Partner, be taken into account in determining the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount with respect to each Quarter in which any such difference can be determined. For each such Quarter, the Target Distributions shall be the product obtained by multiplying (a) the amounts therefor that are set out herein prior to the application of this Section 6.9 times (b) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) Available Cash with respect to such Quarter by (ii) the sum of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter and the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount for such Quarter, as determined by the General Partner. For purposes of the foregoing, Available Cash with respect to a Quarter will be deemed reduced by the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount for that Quarter.

 

Article VII
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS

 

Section 7.1 Management.

 

(a) The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no Limited Partner shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to Section 7.3 , shall have full power and authority to do all things and on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section 2.4 , including the following:

 

(i) the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into or exchangeable for Partnership Interests, and the incurring of any other obligations;

 

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(ii) the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets of the Partnership;

 

(iii) the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership or the merger or other combination of the Partnership with or into another Person (the matters described in this clause (iii)  being subject, however, to any prior approval that may be required by Section 7.3 and Article XIV );

 

(iv) the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the conduct of the operations of the Partnership Group; subject to Section 7.6(a) , the lending of funds to other Persons (including other Group Members); the repayment or guarantee of obligations of any Group Member; and the making of capital contributions to any Group Member;

 

(v) the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if the same results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be the case);

 

(vi) the distribution of Partnership cash;

 

(vii) the selection and dismissal of officers, employees, agents, internal and outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;

 

(viii) the maintenance of insurance for the benefit of the Partnership Group, the Partners and Indemnitees;

 

(ix) the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of property and the making of loans to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other Persons (including the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of property to, any Group Member from time to time) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.4 ;

 

(x) the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and litigation;

 

(xi) the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;

 

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(xii) the entering into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange and the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior approval that may be required under Section 4.8 );

 

(xiii) the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Interests, or the issuance of Derivative Partnership Interests;

 

(xiv) the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation in the management of any Group Member; and

 

(xv) the entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render services to a Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of the Partnership.

 

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each Record Holder and each other Person who may acquire an interest in a Partnership Interest or that is otherwise bound by this Agreement hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of this Agreement and the Group Member Agreement of each other Group Member, the IPO Underwriting Agreement, the Omnibus Agreement, the Contribution Agreement and the other agreements described in or filed as exhibits to the IPO Registration Statement that are related to the transactions contemplated by the IPO Registration Statement (collectively, the “ Transaction Documents ”) (in each case other than this Agreement, without giving effect to any amendments, supplements or restatements thereof entered into after the date such Person becomes bound by the provisions of this Agreement); (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own or on behalf of the Partnership) is authorized to execute, deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in or contemplated by the IPO Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the other Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests or are otherwise bound by this Agreement; and (iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them of this Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this Agreement (including the exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of the rights accorded pursuant to Article XV ) shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other agreements) or of any duty existing at law, in equity or otherwise.

 

Section 7.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership . The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the Delaware Act. The General Partner shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or documents that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware or any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent the General Partner determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject to the terms of Section 3.3(a) , the General Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or any amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.

 

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Section 7.3 Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority to Sell Assets of the Partnership Group.

 

Except as provided in Article XII and Article XIV , the General Partner may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (including by way of merger, consolidation or other combination or sale of ownership interests of the Partnership’s Subsidiaries) without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority; provided, however, that this provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the assets of the Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance.

 

Section 7.4 Reimbursement of and Other Payments to the General Partner.

 

(a) Except as provided in this Section 7.4, and elsewhere in this Agreement or in the Omnibus Agreement, the General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or managing member of any Group Member.

 

(b) Except as may be otherwise provided in the Omnibus Agreement, the General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the General Partner may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General Partner, to perform services for the Partnership Group or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership Group), and (ii) all other expenses allocable to the Partnership Group or otherwise incurred by the General Partner or its Affiliates in connection with managing and operating the Partnership Group’s business and affairs (including expenses allocated to the General Partner by its Affiliates). The General Partner shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership Group. Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.4 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.7 . Any allocation of expenses to the Partnership by the General Partner in a manner consistent with its or its Affiliates’ past business practices and, in the case of assets regulated by FERC, then applicable accounting and allocation methodologies generally permitted by FERC for rate-making purposes (or in the absence of then-applicable methodologies permitted by FERC, consistent with the most-recently applicable methodologies), shall be deemed to have been made in good faith.

 

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(c) The General Partner, without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall have no right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership employee benefit plans, employee programs and employee practices (including plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests), or cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests in connection with, or pursuant to, any employee benefit plan, employee program or employee practice maintained or sponsored by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates in each case for the benefit of officers, employees, consultants and directors of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of the Partnership Group. The Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates any Partnership Interests that the General Partner or such Affiliates are obligated to provide to any officers, employees, consultants and directors pursuant to any such employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices. Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection with any such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the General Partner or such Affiliates of Partnership Interests purchased by the General Partner or such Affiliates from the Partnership to fulfill options or awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.4(b) . Any and all obligations of the General Partner under any employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices adopted by the General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.4(c)  shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 .

 

(d) The General Partner and its Affiliates may charge any member of the Partnership Group a management fee to the extent necessary to allow the Partnership Group to reduce the amount of any state franchise or income tax or any tax based upon the revenues or gross margin of any member of the Partnership Group if the tax benefit produced by the payment of such management fee or fees exceeds the amount of such fee or fees.

 

(e) The General Partner and its Affiliates may enter into an agreement to provide services to any Group Member for a fee or otherwise than for cost.

 

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Section 7.5 Outside Activities.

 

(a) The General Partner, for so long as it is the General Partner of the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as a general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the Partnership and any other partnership or limited liability company of which the Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner or member and to undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto (including being a Limited Partner in the Partnership) and (ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its performance as general partner or managing member, if any, of one or more Group Members or as described in or contemplated by the IPO Registration Statement, (B) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt securities or equity interests in any Group Member, (C) the guarantee of, and mortgage, pledge, or encumbrance of any or all of its assets in connection with, any indebtedness of any Group Member or (D) the performance of its obligations under the Omnibus Agreement.

 

(b) Subject to the terms of Section 7.5(c) , each Unrestricted Person (other than the General Partner) shall have the right to engage in businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit and to engage in and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with others, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the business and activities of any Group Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to any Group Member or any Partner; provided such Unrestricted Person does not engage in such business or activity using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership to such Unrestricted Person. None of any Group Member, any Limited Partner or any other Person shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, or the partnership relationship established hereby in any business ventures of any Unrestricted Person.

 

(c) Subject to the terms of Section 7.5(a)  and Section 7.5(b) , but otherwise notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the engaging in competitive activities by any Unrestricted Person (other than the General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.5 is hereby approved by the Partnership and all Partners, (ii) it shall be deemed not to be a breach of any duty or any other obligation of any type whatsoever of the General Partner or any other Unrestricted Person for the Unrestricted Persons (other than the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership and (iii) the Unrestricted Persons shall have no obligation hereunder or as a result of any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to present business opportunities to the Partnership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or in equity, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, shall not apply to any Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner). No Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for the Partnership, shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Partnership, and such Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) shall not be liable to the Partnership, to any Limited Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement for breach of any duty by reason of the fact that such Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) pursues or acquires for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to the Partnership, provided that such Unrestricted Person does not engage in such business or activity using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership to such Unrestricted Person.

 

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(d) The General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Units or other Partnership Interests in addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise, at their option, all rights relating to all Units and/or other Partnership Interests acquired by them. The term “Affiliates” when used in this Section 7.5(d) with respect to the General Partner shall not include any Group Member.

 

Section 7.6 Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members.

 

(a) The General Partner or any of its Affiliates may lend to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, funds needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and in such amounts as the General Partner may determine; provided, however , that in any such case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate greater than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party or impose terms less favorable to the borrowing party than would be charged or imposed on the borrowing party by unrelated lenders on comparable loans made on an arm’s-length basis (without reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or guarantees), all as determined by the General Partner. The borrowing party shall reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than any additional interest costs) incurred by the lending party in connection with the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of this Section 7.6(a) and Section 7.6(b) , the term “Group Member” shall include any Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the Group Member.

 

(b) The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions determined by the General Partner. No Group Member may lend funds to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates (other than another Group Member).

 

(c) No borrowing by any Group Member or the approval thereof by the General Partner shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any duty, expressed or implied, of the General Partner or its Affiliates to the Partnership or the Limited Partners existing hereunder, or existing at law, in equity or otherwise by reason of the fact that the purpose or effect of such borrowing is directly or indirectly to (i) enable distributions to the General Partner or its Affiliates (including in their capacities as Limited Partners) to exceed the General Partner’s Percentage Interest of the total amount distributed to all Partners or (ii) hasten the expiration of the Subordination Period or the conversion of any Subordinated Units into Common Units.

 

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Section 7.7 Indemnification.

 

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all threatened, pending or completed claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal and including appeals, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee and acting (or refraining to act) in such capacity on behalf of or for the benefit of the Partnership; provided , that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless pursuant to this Agreement if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in intentional fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; provided, further, no indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be available to any Affiliate of the General Partner (other than a Group Member), or to any other Indemnitee, with respect to any such Affiliate’s obligations pursuant to the Transaction Documents. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be made only out of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.

 

(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.7(a) in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Partnership prior to a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 , the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be ultimately determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized by this Section 7.7 .

 

(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 7.7 shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, as a matter of law, in equity or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity (including any capacity under the IPO Underwriting Agreement), and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.

 

(d) The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General Partner, its Affiliates and such other Persons as the General Partner shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted against, or expense that may be incurred by, such Person in connection with the Partnership’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership, regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(e) For purposes of this Section 7.7 , the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.7(a) ; and action taken or omitted by it with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Partnership.

 

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(f) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.

 

(g) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 7.7 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

 

(h) The provisions of this Section 7.7 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees and their heirs, successors, assigns, executors and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.

 

(i) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.7 or any provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.7 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

 

Section 7.8 Liability of Indemnitees.

 

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Limited Partners, or any other Persons who are bound by this Agreement for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in intentional fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

 

(b) The General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner in good faith.

 

(c) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership or to the Partners, the General Partner and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Partnership’s business or affairs shall not be liable to the Partnership or to any Partner or to any other Persons who are bound by this Agreement for its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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(d) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.8 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.8 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

 

Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties.

 

(a) Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner (in its individual capacity or in its capacity as the General Partner or a Partner) or any of its Affiliates or Associates or any Indemnitee, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner, on the other, any resolution or course of action by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates or Associates or any Indemnitee in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of any Group Member Agreement, of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty hereunder or existing at law, in equity or otherwise, if the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest is (i) approved by Special Approval, (ii) approved by the vote of holders of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates), (iii) determined by the Board of Directors to be on terms no less favorable to the Partnership than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iv) determined by the Board of Directors to be fair and reasonable to the Partnership, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership). The General Partner shall be authorized but not required in connection with its resolution of such conflict of interest to seek Special Approval or Unitholder approval of such resolution, and the General Partner may also adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received Special Approval or Unitholder approval. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or applicable law, whenever the General Partner makes a determination to refer or not to refer any potential conflict of interest to the Conflicts Committee for Special Approval or to seek or not to seek Unitholder approval, then the General Partner shall be entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Partner, and the General Partner shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard or duty imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in making such determination shall be permitted to do so in its sole discretion. If Special Approval is sought or obtained, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision, the Conflicts Committee acted in good faith, and if neither Special Approval nor Unitholder approval is sought or obtained and the Board of Directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to a conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in clauses (iii) or (iv) above, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision, the Board of Directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by any Partner or by or on behalf of such Partner or any other Partner or the Partnership challenging such approval or determination, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of overcoming such presumption. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or equity, the existence of the conflicts of interest described in the Registration Statement and any actions of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates or Associates or any other Indemnitee taken in connection therewith are hereby approved by all Partners and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement or of any duty hereunder or existing at law, in equity or otherwise.

 

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(b) Whenever the General Partner, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof (including the Conflicts Committee), makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any Affiliate, Associate or Indemnitee of the General Partner causes the General Partner to do so, in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership as opposed to in its individual capacity, whether under this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner, the Board of Directors, such committee, or such Affiliate, Associate or Indemnitee causing the General Partner to do so, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different duties or standards (including fiduciary duties or standards) imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. A determination or other action or inaction will conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement, if the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action subjectively believe that the determination or other action or inaction is in the best interests of the Partnership Group; provided, that if the Board of Directors is making a determination or taking or declining to take an action pursuant to clause (iii) or (iv) of the first sentence of Section 7.9(a) , then in lieu thereof, such determination or other action or inaction will conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement if the members of the Board of Directors making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action subjectively believe that the determination or other action or inaction meets the standard set forth in clauses (iii) or (iv) of the first sentence of Section 7.9(a) , as applicable; provided further , that if the Board of Directors is making a determination that a director satisfies the eligibility requirements to be a member of a Conflicts Committee, then in lieu thereof, such determination will conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement if the members of the Board of Directors making such determination subjectively believe that the director satisfies the eligibility requirements to be a member of the Conflicts Committee. In any proceeding brought by the Partnership, any Partner or any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement challenging such action, determination or inaction, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of proving that such determination, action or inaction was not in good faith.

 

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(c) Whenever the General Partner (including the Board of Directors or any committee thereof) makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any of its Affiliates or Associates or any Indemnitee causes it to do so, in its individual capacity as opposed to in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then the General Partner, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, or such Affiliates or Associates or any Indemnitee causing it to do so, are entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination or to take or decline to take such other action free of any duty (including any fiduciary or other duty) existing at law, in equity or otherwise or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership, any Partner, any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or who is otherwise bound by this Agreement, and the General Partner, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, or such Affiliates or Associates or any Indemnitee causing it to do so, shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. By way of illustration and not of limitation, whenever the phrases, “at the option of the General Partner,” “in its sole discretion” or some variation of those phrases, are used in this Agreement, it indicates that the General Partner is acting in its individual capacity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner votes or transfers its Partnership Interests, or refrains from voting or transferring its Partnership Interests, or otherwise acts in its capacity as a Limited Partner or holder of Partnership Interests, it shall be acting in its individual capacity.

 

(d) The General Partner’s organizational documents may provide that determinations to take or decline to take any action in its individual, rather than representative, capacity may or shall be determined by its members, if the General Partner is a limited liability company, stockholders, if the General Partner is a corporation, or the members or stockholders of the General Partner’s general partner, if the General Partner is a limited partnership.

 

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the General Partner or any other Indemnitee shall have no duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i) sell or otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the ordinary course of business or (ii) permit any Group Member to use any facilities or assets of the General Partner and its Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time to time specifically dealing with such use. Any determination by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates to enter into such contracts shall be in its sole discretion.

 

(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement or otherwise applicable provision of law or equity, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, none of the General Partner, the Board of Directors, any committee thereof or any other Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to the Partnership, any Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement, and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of the General Partner or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Partners to replace such other duties and liabilities of the General Partner or such other Indemnitee.

 

(g) The Partners and each Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or who is otherwise bound by this Agreement hereby authorize the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership as a partner or member of a Group Member, to approve actions by the general partner or managing member of such Group Member similar to those actions permitted to be taken by the General Partner pursuant to this Section 7.09.

 

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Section 7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner and Other Indemnitees.

 

(a) The General Partner and any other Indemnitee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

 

(b) The General Partner and any other Indemnitee may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by it, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the advice or opinion (including an Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that the General Partner or such Indemnitee, respectively, reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have been done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

 

(c) The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or obligations hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers, a duly appointed attorney or attorneys-in-fact or the duly authorized officers of the Partnership or any Group Member.

 

Section 7.11 Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests . The General Partner may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise acquire Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests; provided that, except as permitted pursuant to Section 4.10 , the General Partner may not cause any Group Member to purchase Subordinated Units during the Subordination Period. As long as Partnership Interests are held by any Group Member, such Partnership Interests shall not be considered Outstanding for any purpose, except as otherwise provided herein. The General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner may also purchase or otherwise acquire and sell or otherwise dispose of Partnership Interests for its own account, subject to the provisions of Articles IV and X .

 

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Section 7.12 Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates.

 

(a) Demand Registration. Upon receipt of a Notice from any Holder at any time after the 180 th  day after the Closing Date, the Partnership shall file with the Commission as promptly as reasonably practicable a registration statement under the Securities Act (each, a “ Registration Statement ”) providing for the resale of the Registrable Securities, which may, at the option of the Holder giving such Notice, be a Registration Statement that provides for the resale of the Registrable Securities from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The Partnership shall not be required pursuant to this Section 7.12(a) to file more than one Registration Statement in any twelve-month period nor to file more than three Registration Statements in the aggregate. The Partnership shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective as soon as reasonably practicable after the initial filing of the Registration Statement and to remain effective and available for the resale of the Registrable Securities by the Selling Holders named therein until the earlier of (i) six months following such Registration Statement’s effective date and (ii) the date on which all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold. In the event one or more Holders request in a Notice to dispose of a number of Registrable Securities that such Holder or Holders reasonably anticipates will result in gross proceeds of at least $30 million in the aggregate pursuant to a Registration Statement in an Underwritten Offering, the Partnership shall retain underwriters that are reasonably acceptable to such Selling Holders in order to permit such Selling Holders to effect such disposition through an Underwritten Offering; provided, however, that the Partnership shall have the exclusive right to select the bookrunning managers. The Partnership and such Selling Holders shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form that is reasonably acceptable to the Partnership and take all reasonable actions as are requested by the managing underwriters to facilitate the Underwritten Offering and sale of Registrable Securities therein. No Holder may participate in the Underwritten Offering unless it agrees to sell its Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement on the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement and completes and delivers all necessary documents and information reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting agreement. In the event that the managing underwriter of such Underwritten Offering advises the Partnership and the Holder in writing that in its opinion the inclusion of all or some Registrable Securities would adversely and materially affect the timing or success of the Underwritten Offering, the amount of Registrable Securities that each Selling Holder requested be included in such Underwritten Offering shall be reduced on a Pro Rata basis to the aggregate amount that the managing underwriter deems will not have such material and adverse effect. Any Holder may withdraw from such Underwritten Offering by notice to the Partnership and the managing underwriter; provided such notice is delivered prior to the launch of such Underwritten Offering.

 

(b) Piggyback Registration. At any time after the 180 th  day after the Closing Date, if the Partnership shall propose to file a Registration Statement (other than pursuant to a demand made pursuant to Section 7.12(a) ) for an offering of Partnership Interests for cash (other than an offering relating solely to an employee benefit plan, an offering relating to a transaction on Form S-4 or an offering on any registration statement that does not permit secondary sales), the Partnership shall notify all Holders of such proposal at least five Business Days before the proposed filing date. The Partnership shall use commercially reasonable efforts to include such number of Registrable Securities held by any Holder in such Registration Statement as each Holder shall request in a Notice received by the Partnership within two Business Days of such Holder’s receipt of the notice from the Partnership. If the Registration Statement about which the Partnership gives notice under this Section 7.12(b) is for an Underwritten Offering, then any Holder’s ability to include its desired amount of Registrable Securities in such Registration Statement shall be conditioned on such Holder’s inclusion of all such Registrable Securities in the Underwritten Offering; provided that, in the event that the managing underwriter of such Underwritten Offering advises the Partnership and the Holder in writing that in its opinion the inclusion of all or some Registrable Securities would adversely and materially affect the timing or success of the Underwritten Offering, the amount of Registrable Securities that each Selling Holder requested be included in such Underwritten Offering shall be reduced on a Pro Rata basis to the aggregate amount that the managing underwriter deems will not have such material and adverse effect. In connection with any such Underwritten Offering, the Partnership and the Selling Holders involved shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form that is reasonably acceptable to the Partnership and take all reasonable actions as are requested by the managing underwriters to facilitate the Underwritten Offering and sale of Registrable Securities therein. No Holder may participate in the Underwritten Offering unless it agrees to sell its Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement on the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement and completes and delivers all necessary documents and information reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting agreement. Any Holder may withdraw from such Underwritten Offering by notice to the Partnership and the managing underwriter; provided such notice is delivered prior to the launch of such Underwritten Offering. The Partnership shall have the right to terminate or withdraw any Registration Statement or Underwritten Offering initiated by it under this Section 7.12(b) prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement or the pricing date of the Underwritten Offering, as applicable.

 

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(c) Sale Procedures. In connection with its obligations under this Section 7.12 , the Partnership shall:

 

(i) furnish to each Selling Holder (A) as far in advance as reasonably practicable before filing a Registration Statement or any supplement or amendment thereto, upon request, copies of reasonably complete drafts of all such documents proposed to be filed (including exhibits and each document incorporated by reference therein to the extent then required by the rules and regulations of the Commission), and provide each such Selling Holder the opportunity to object to any information pertaining to such Selling Holder and its plan of distribution that is contained therein and make the corrections reasonably requested by such Selling Holder with respect to such information prior to filing a Registration Statement or supplement or amendment thereto, and (B) such number of copies of such Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein and any supplements and amendments thereto as such Persons may reasonably request in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Partnership will not have any obligation to provide any document pursuant to clause (B) hereof that is available on the Commission’s website;

 

(ii) if applicable, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Selling Holders or, in the case of an Underwritten Offering, the managing underwriter, shall reasonably request; provided, however, that the Partnership will not be required to qualify generally to transact business in any jurisdiction where it is not then required to so qualify or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

 

(iii) promptly notify each Selling Holder and each underwriter, at any time when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of (A) the filing of a Registration Statement or any prospectus or prospectus supplement to be used in connection therewith, or any amendment or supplement thereto, and, with respect to such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become effective; and (B) any written comments from the Commission with respect to any Registration Statement or any document incorporated by reference therein and any written request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or any prospectus or prospectus supplement thereto;

 

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(iv) immediately notify each Selling Holder and each underwriter, at any time when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of (A) the occurrence of any event or existence of any fact (but not a description of such event or fact) as a result of which the prospectus or prospectus supplement contained in a Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of the prospectus contained therein, in the light of the circumstances under which a statement is made); (B) the issuance or threat of issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; or (C) the receipt by the Partnership of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale under the applicable securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction. Following the provision of such notice, subject to Section 7.12(f) , the Partnership agrees to, as promptly as practicable, amend or supplement the prospectus or prospectus supplement or take other appropriate action so that the prospectus or prospectus supplement does 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 not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing and to take such other reasonable action as is necessary to remove a stop order, suspension, threat thereof or proceedings related thereto; and

 

(v) enter into customary agreements and take such other actions as are reasonably requested by the Selling Holders or the underwriters, if any, in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities, including the provision of comfort letters and legal opinions as are customary in such securities offerings.

 

(d) Suspension. Each Selling Holder, upon receipt of notice from the Partnership of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 7.12(c)(iv) , shall forthwith discontinue disposition of the Registrable Securities by means of a prospectus or prospectus supplement until such Selling Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by such subsection or until it is advised in writing by the Partnership that the use of the prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings incorporated by reference in the prospectus.

 

(e) Expenses. Except as set forth in an underwriting agreement for the applicable Underwritten Offering or as otherwise agreed between a Selling Holder and the Partnership, all costs and expenses of a Registration Statement filed or an Underwritten Offering that includes Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 7.12 (other than underwriting discounts and commissions on Registrable Securities and fees and expenses of counsel and advisors to Selling Holders) shall be paid by the Partnership.

 

(f) Delay Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if the General Partner determines that the Partnership’s compliance with its obligations in this Section 7.12 would be detrimental to the Partnership because such registration would (x) materially interfere with a significant acquisition, reorganization or other similar transaction involving the Partnership, (y) require premature disclosure of material information that the Partnership has a bona fide business purpose for preserving as confidential or (z) render the Partnership unable to comply with requirements under applicable securities laws, then the Partnership shall have the right to postpone compliance with such obligations for a period of not more than six months; provided, however, that such right may not be exercised more than twice in any 24-month period.

 

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(g) Indemnification .

 

(i) In addition to and not in limitation of the Partnership’s obligation under Section 7.7 , the Partnership shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless each Selling Holder, its officers, directors and each Person who controls the Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof (collectively, “ Indemnified Persons ”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnified Person may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, under the Securities Act or otherwise (hereinafter referred to in this Section 7.12(g) as a “claim” and in the plural as “claims”) based upon, arising out of or resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or issuer free writing prospectus under which any Registrable Securities were registered or sold under the Securities Act, or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Partnership shall not be liable to any Indemnified Person to the extent that any such claim arises out of, is based upon or results from an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or issuer free writing prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

 

(ii) Each Selling Holder shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless the Partnership, the General Partner, the General Partner’s officers and directors and each Person who controls the Partnership or the General Partner (within the meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Partnership to the Selling Holders, but only with respect to information regarding such Selling Holder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Holder expressly for inclusion in a Registration Statement, prospectus or free writing prospectus relating to the Registrable Securities held by such Selling Holder.

 

(iii) The provisions of this Section 7.12(g) shall be in addition to any other rights to indemnification or contribution that a Person entitled to indemnification under this Section 7.12(g) may have pursuant to law, equity, contract or otherwise.

 

(h) Specific Performance. Damages in the event of breach of Section 7.12 by a party hereto may be difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain, and it is therefore agreed that each party, in addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it may have, will have the right to seek an injunction or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, enjoining any such breach, and enforcing specifically the terms and provisions hereof, and each of the parties hereto hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all defenses it may have on the ground of lack of jurisdiction or competence of the court to grant such an injunction or other equitable relief. The existence of this right will not preclude any such party from pursuing any other rights and remedies at law or in equity that such party may have.

 

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Section 7.13 Reliance by Third Parties . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner and any officer of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the General Partner or any such officer as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially. Each Limited Partner hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner or any such officer in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) dealing with the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner or its representatives shall be conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Partnership.

 

Article VIII
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

 

Section 8.1 Records and Accounting . The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Partnership appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business, including all books and records necessary to provide to the Limited Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.3(a) . Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the register of the Record Holders of Units or other Partnership Interests, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape, photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device, provided that the books and records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Partnership shall not be required to keep books maintained on a cash basis and the General Partner shall be permitted to calculate cash-based measures, including Operating Surplus and Adjusted Operating Surplus, by making such adjustments to its accrual basis books to account for non-cash items and other adjustments as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

Section 8.2 Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December 31.

 

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Section 8.3 Reports.

 

(a) Whether or not the Partnership is subject to the requirement to file reports with the Commission, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 105 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Partnership (or such shorter period as required by the Commission), the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website) to each Record Holder of a Unit as of a date selected by the General Partner, an annual report containing financial statements of the Partnership for such fiscal year of the Partnership, presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including a balance sheet and statements of operations, Partnership equity and cash flows, such statements to be audited by a firm of independent public accountants selected by the General Partner, and such other information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of the Commission or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, or as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

(b) Whether or not the Partnership is subject to the requirement to file reports with the Commission, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 50 days after the close of each Quarter (or such shorter period as required by the Commission) except the last Quarter of each fiscal year, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website) to each Record Holder of a Unit, as of a date selected by the General Partner, a report containing unaudited financial statements of the Partnership and such other information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of the Commission or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, or as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

Article IX
TAX MATTERS

 

Section 9.1 Tax Returns and Information . The Partnership shall timely file all returns of the Partnership that are required for federal, state and local income tax purposes on the basis of the accrual method and the taxable period or year that it is required by law to adopt, from time to time, as determined by the General Partner. In the event the Partnership is required to use a taxable period other than a year ending on December 31, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to change the taxable period of the Partnership to a year ending on December 31. The tax information reasonably required by Record Holders for federal, state and local income tax reporting purposes with respect to a taxable period shall be furnished to them within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the Partnership’s taxable period ends. The classification, realization and recognition of income, gain, losses and deductions and other items shall be on the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes.

 

Section 9.2 Tax Elections.

 

(a) The Partnership shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in accordance with applicable regulations thereunder, subject to the reservation of the right to seek to revoke any such election upon the General Partner’s determination that such revocation is in the best interests of the Limited Partners. Notwithstanding any other provision herein contained, for the purposes of computing the adjustments under Section 743(b) of the Code, the General Partner shall be authorized (but not required) to adopt a convention whereby the price paid by a transferee of a Limited Partner Interest will be deemed to be the lowest quoted closing price of the Limited Partner Interests on any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to trading during the calendar month in which such transfer is deemed to occur pursuant to Section 6.2(f) without regard to the actual price paid by such transferee.

 

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(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall determine whether the Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.

 

Section 9.3 Tax Controversies . Subject to the provisions hereof, the General Partner is designated as the “tax matters partner” (as defined in Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code) and is authorized and required to represent the Partnership (at the Partnership’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. Each Partner agrees to cooperate with the General Partner and to do or refrain from doing any or all things reasonably required by the General Partner to conduct such proceedings.

 

Section 9.4 Withholding . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner is authorized to take any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other federal, state or local law including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 1446 of the Code, or established under any foreign law. To the extent that the Partnership is required or elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority any amount resulting from the allocation or distribution of income to any Partner (including by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), the General Partner may treat the amount withheld as a distribution of cash pursuant to Section 6.3 or Section 12.4(c) in the amount of such withholding from such Partner.

 

Article X
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS

 

Section 10.1 Admission of Limited Partners.

 

(a) Upon the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights to the Organizational Limited Partner, Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, Cynthia Field, Charles C. Stephenson, Jr., the General Partner and the IPO Underwriters, or the receipt of Subordinated Units by G. Les Austin and Richard Carson, in connection with the Initial Public Offering as described in Article V , such Persons shall, by acceptance of such Partnership Interests, and upon becoming the Record Holders of such Partnership Interests, be admitted to the Partnership as Initial Limited Partners in respect of the Common Units, Subordinated Units or Incentive Distribution Rights issued to them and be bound by this Agreement, all with or without execution of this Agreement by such Persons.

 

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(b) By acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests transferred in accordance with Article IV or acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to Article V or pursuant to a merger, consolidation or conversion pursuant to Article XIV , and except as provided in Section 4.9 , each transferee of, or other such Person acquiring, a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee, agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person or Group, who shall be subject to Section 10.1(c) below) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or issued to such Person when such Person becomes the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or acquired, (ii) shall become bound, and shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound, by the terms of this Agreement, (iii) shall be deemed to represent that the transferee or acquirer has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and (iv) shall be deemed to make any consents, acknowledgements or waivers contained in this Agreement, all with or without execution of this Agreement by such Person. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement. A Person may become a Limited Partner without the consent or approval of any of the Partners. A Person may not become a Limited Partner without acquiring a Limited Partner Interest and becoming the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interest. The rights and obligations of a Person who is an Ineligible Holder shall be determined in accordance with Section 4.9 .

 

(c) With respect to any Limited Partner that holds Units representing Limited Partner Interests for another Person’s account (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), in whose name such Units are registered, such Limited Partner shall, in exercising the rights of a Limited Partner in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, take all action as a Limited Partner by virtue of being the Record Holder of such Units at the direction of the Person who is the beneficial owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume such Limited Partner is so acting without further inquiry.

 

(d) The name and mailing address of each Record Holder shall be listed on the books of the Partnership maintained for such purpose by the Partnership or the Transfer Agent. The General Partner shall update the books of the Partnership from time to time as necessary to reflect accurately the information therein (or shall cause the Transfer Agent to do so, as applicable).

 

(e) Any transfer of a Limited Partner Interest shall not entitle the transferee to share in the profits and losses, to receive distributions, to receive allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit or any similar item or to any other rights to which the transferor was entitled until the transferee becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.1(b) .

 

Section 10.2 Admission of Successor General Partner . A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to (a) the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor or transferring General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or (b) the transfer of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 ; provided, however, that no such successor shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 4.6 has occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or instruments as may be required to effect such admission. Any such successor is hereby authorized to and shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the members of the Partnership Group without dissolution.

 

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Section 10.3 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership . To effect the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the General Partner shall take all steps necessary or appropriate under the Delaware Act to amend the records of the Partnership to reflect such admission and, if necessary, to prepare as soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement and, if required by law, the General Partner shall prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership.

 

Article XI
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

 

Section 11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner.

 

(a) The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “ Event of Withdrawal ”);

 

(i) The General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving written notice to the other Partners;

 

(ii) The General Partner transfers all of its General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 ;

 

(iii) The General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2 ;

 

(iv) The General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A) through (C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv) ; or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee (but not a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;

 

(v) A final and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction pursuant to a voluntary or involuntary petition by or against the General Partner; or

 

(vi) (A) if the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate of dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90 days expire after the date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its charter without a reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of its state of incorporation; (B) if the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) if the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) if the General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency; and (E) otherwise upon the termination of the General Partner.

 

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If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv) , (v) or (vi)(A) , (B) , (C) or (E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.

 

(b) Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances: (i) at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, on March 31, 2024, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners; provided, that prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, the withdrawal is approved by Unitholders holding at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) and the General Partner delivers to the Partnership an Opinion of Counsel (“ Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ”) that such withdrawal (following the selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability under the Delaware Act of any Limited Partner or cause any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed); (ii) at any time after 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, on March 31, 2024, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice to the Unitholders, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant to Section 11.2 ; or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any time that the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in the notice, if at the time such notice is given one Person and its Affiliates (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) own beneficially or of record or control at least 50% of the Outstanding Units. The withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, if any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members. If the General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i) , the holders of a Unit Majority, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner. The Person so elected as successor General Partner shall automatically become the successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal, a successor is not elected by the Unitholders as provided herein or the Partnership does not receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with Section 12.1 unless the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 . Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2 .

 

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Section 11.2 Removal of the General Partner . The General Partner may be removed if such removal is approved by the Unitholders holding at least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) voting as a single class. Any such action by such holders for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the Unitholders holding a majority of the outstanding Common Units voting as a class and Unitholders holding a majority of the outstanding Subordinated Units (if any Subordinated Units are then Outstanding) voting as a class (including, in each case, Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates). Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.2 . The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 , such Person shall, upon admission pursuant to Section 10.2 , automatically become a successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. The right of the holders of Outstanding Units to remove the General Partner shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an opinion opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2 .

 

Section 11.3 Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner.

 

(a) In the event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner under circumstances where such withdrawal does not violate this Agreement or (ii) removal of the General Partner by the holders of Outstanding Units under circumstances where Cause does not exist, if the successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 , the Departing General Partner shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal or removal of such Departing General Partner, to require its successor to purchase its General Partner Interest and its or its Affiliates’ general partner interest (or equivalent interest), if any, in the other Group Members and all of its or its Affiliates’ Incentive Distribution Rights (collectively, the “ Combined Interest ”) in exchange for an amount in cash equal to the fair market value of such Combined Interest, such amount to be determined and payable as of the effective date of its withdrawal or removal. If the General Partner is removed by the Unitholders under circumstances where Cause exists or if the General Partner withdraws under circumstances where such withdrawal violates this Agreement, and if a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner), such successor shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal or removal of such Departing General Partner (or, in the event the business of the Partnership is continued, prior to the date the business of the Partnership is continued), to purchase the Combined Interest for such fair market value of such Combined Interest. In either event, the Departing General Partner shall be entitled to receive all reimbursements due such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 7.4 , including any employee-related liabilities (including severance liabilities), incurred in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the Departing General Partner or its Affiliates (other than any Group Member) for the benefit of the Partnership or the other Group Members.

 

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For purposes of this Section 11.3(a) , the fair market value of the Combined Interest shall be determined by agreement between the Departing General Partner and its successor or, failing agreement within 30 days after the effective date of such Departing General Partner’s withdrawal or removal, by an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the Departing General Partner and its successor, which, in turn, may rely on other experts, and the determination of which shall be conclusive as to such matter. If such parties cannot agree upon one independent investment banking firm or other independent expert within 45 days after the effective date of such withdrawal or removal, then the Departing General Partner shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, the Departing General Partner’s successor shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, and such firms or experts shall mutually select a third independent investment banking firm or independent expert, which third independent investment banking firm or other independent expert shall determine the fair market value of the Combined Interest. In making its determination, such third independent investment banking firm or other independent expert may consider the then current trading price of Units on any National Securities Exchange on which Units are then listed or admitted to trading, the value of the Partnership’s assets, the rights and obligations of the Departing General Partner, the value of the Incentive Distribution Rights and the General Partner Interest and other factors it may deem relevant.

 

(b) If the Combined Interest is not purchased in the manner set forth in Section 11.3(a) , the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) shall become a Limited Partner and its Combined Interest shall be converted into Common Units pursuant to a valuation made by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected pursuant to Section 11.3(a) , without reduction in such Partnership Interest (but subject to proportionate dilution by reason of the admission of its successor). Any successor General Partner shall indemnify the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) as to all debts and liabilities of the Partnership arising on or after the date on which the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) becomes a Limited Partner. For purposes of this Agreement, conversion of the Combined Interest of the Departing General Partner to Common Units will be characterized as if the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) contributed its Combined Interest to the Partnership in exchange for the newly issued Common Units.

 

(c) If a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner) and the option described in Section 11.3(a) is not exercised by the party entitled to do so, the successor General Partner shall, at the effective date of its admission to the Partnership, contribute to the Partnership cash in the amount equal to the product of (x) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest of the Departing General Partner by (B) a percentage equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest of the Departing General Partner and (y) the Net Agreed Value of the Partnership’s assets on such date. In such event, such successor General Partner shall, subject to the following sentence, be entitled to its Percentage Interest of all Partnership allocations and distributions to which the Departing General Partner was entitled. In addition, the successor General Partner shall cause this Agreement to be amended to reflect that, from and after the date of such successor General Partner’s admission, the successor General Partner’s interest in all Partnership distributions and allocations shall be its Percentage Interest.

 

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Section 11.4 Termination of Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated Units and Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement, if the General Partner is removed as general partner of the Partnership under circumstances where Cause does not exist: (i) the Subordination Period will end and all Outstanding Subordinated Units held by any Person will immediately and automatically convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis, provided (a) neither such Person nor any of its Affiliates voted any of its Units in favor of the removal and (b) such Person is not an Affiliate of the successor General Partner; provided , however , that such converted Subordinated Units shall remain subject to the provisions of Section 6.7(c) , (ii) all Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages on the Common Units will be extinguished and (iii) the Combined Interest will immediately and automatically convert into Common Units in accordance with Section 11.3 , provided the Departing General Partner is the holder, or is an Affiliate of the holder, of the Combined Interest.

 

Section 11.5 Withdrawal of Limited Partners . No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided, however , that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so transferred.

 

Article XII
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

 

Section 12.1 Dissolution . The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is elected pursuant to Section 11.1 , Section 11.2 or Section 12.2 , to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Partnership shall not be dissolved and such successor General Partner shall continue the business of the Partnership. The Partnership shall dissolve, and (subject to Section 12.2 ) its affairs shall be wound up, upon:

 

(a) an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a) (other than Section 11.1(a)(ii) ), unless a successor is elected and a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel is received as provided in Section 11.1(b) or Section 11.2 and such successor is admitted to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.2 ;

 

(b) an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by the holders of a Unit Majority;

 

(c) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act; or

 

(d) at any time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued without dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act.

 

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Section 12.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution . Upon (a) dissolution of the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal caused by the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a)(i) or (iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a successor to such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 , then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 90 days thereafter, or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Section 11.1(a)(iv) , (v) or (vi) , then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a Unit Majority may elect to continue the business of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing as a successor General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Unless such an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs. If such an election is so made, then:

 

(i) the Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved in accordance with this Article XII ;

 

(ii) if the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner, then the interest of the former General Partner shall be treated in the manner provided in Section 11.3 ; and

 

(iii) the successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as General Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to be bound by this Agreement;

 

provided, however, that the right of the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a successor General Partner and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (x) the exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act and (y) neither the Partnership nor any Group Member would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of such right to continue (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).

 

Section 12.3 Liquidator . Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 , the General Partner shall select one or more Persons to act as Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units, if any, voting as a single class. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of removal approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units, if any, voting as a single class. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units, if any, voting as a single class. The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XII , the Liquidator approved in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent of any of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.3 ) necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and during the period of time required to complete the winding up and liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.

 

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Section 12.4 Liquidation . The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership, discharge its liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such period as determined by the Liquidator, subject to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Act and the following:

 

(a) The assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or by distribution in kind to one or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or Partners may agree. If any property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving the property shall be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to its fair market value; and contemporaneously therewith, appropriate cash distributions must be made to the other Partners. The Liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of the Partnership’s assets for a reasonable time if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all or some of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners. The Liquidator may distribute the Partnership’s assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners.

 

(b) Liabilities of the Partnership include amounts owed to the Liquidator as compensation for serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of Section 12.3 ) and amounts to Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights under Article VI . With respect to any liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the Liquidator shall either settle such claim for such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or other assets to provide for its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the reserve shall be distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.

 

(c) All property and all cash in excess of that required to satisfy liabilities as provided in Section 12.4(b) shall be distributed to the Partners in accordance with, and to the extent of, the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments (other than those made by reason of distributions pursuant to this Section 12.4(c) ) for the taxable period of the Partnership during which the liquidation of the Partnership occurs (with such date of occurrence being determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)), and such distribution shall be made by the end of such taxable period (or, if later, within 90 days after said date of such occurrence).

 

Section 12.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership . Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.

 

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Section 12.6 Return of Contributions . The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partners or Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return shall be made solely from Partnership assets.

 

Section 12.7 Waiver of Partition . To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right to partition of the Partnership property.

 

Section 12.8 Capital Account Restoration . No Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of the Partnership. The General Partner shall be obligated to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of its interest in the Partnership by the end of the taxable year of the Partnership during which such liquidation occurs, or, if later, within 90 days after the date of such liquidation.

 

Article XIII
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

 

Section 13.1 Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner . Each Partner agrees that the General Partner, without the approval of any Partner, may amend any provision of this Agreement and execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:

 

(a) a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal place of business of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered office of the Partnership;

 

(b) admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this Agreement;

 

(c) a change that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the Limited Partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that the Group Members will not be treated as associations taxable as corporations or otherwise taxed as entities for federal income tax purposes;

 

(d) a change that the General Partner determines, (i) does not adversely affect the Limited Partners considered as a whole or any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests in any material respect (except as permitted by subsection (g) of this Section 13.1 ), (ii) to be necessary or appropriate to (A) satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (B) facilitate the trading of the Units (including the division of any class or classes of Outstanding Units into different classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such classes of Units) or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are or will be listed or admitted to trading, (iii) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with action taken by the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.8 or (iv) is required to effect the intent expressed in the IPO Registration Statement or the intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;

 

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(e) a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership and any other changes that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership including, if the General Partner shall so determine, a change in the definition of “Quarter” and the dates on which distributions are to be made by the Partnership;

 

(f) an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership, or the General Partner or its directors, officers, trustees or agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;

 

(g) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the authorization or issuance of any class or series of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests pursuant to Section 5.5 ;

 

(h) any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General Partner acting alone;

 

(i) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion approved in accordance with Section 14.3 ;

 

(j) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, in connection with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Section 2.4 or Section 7.1(a) ;

 

(k) a merger, conveyance or conversion pursuant to Section 14.3(d) or Section 14.3(e) ; or

 

(l) any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.

 

Section 13.2 Amendment Procedures . Amendments to this Agreement may be proposed only by the General Partner. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose or approve any amendment to this Agreement and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership, any Limited Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement, and, in declining to propose or approve an amendment to this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in determining whether to propose or approve any amendment to this Agreement shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion. An amendment to this Agreement shall be effective upon its approval by the General Partner and, except as otherwise provided by Section 13.1 or Section 13.3 , the holders of a Unit Majority, unless a greater or different percentage of Outstanding Units is required under this Agreement. Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Outstanding Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the General Partner shall seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding Units or call a meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such proposed amendment. The General Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any amendments. The General Partner shall be deemed to have notified all Record Holders as required by this Section 13.2 if it has posted or made accessible such amendment through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website.

 

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Section 13.3 Amendment Requirements.

 

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 , no provision of this Agreement that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units required to take any action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of (i) in the case of any provision of this Agreement other than Section 11.2 or Section 13.4 , reducing such percentage or (ii) in the case of Section 11.2 or Section 13.4 , increasing such percentages, unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate Outstanding Units constitute (x) in the case of a reduction as described in subclause (a)(i) hereof, not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced, (y) in the case of an increase in the percentage in Section 11.2 , not less than 90% of the Outstanding Units, or (z) in the case of an increase in the percentage in Section 13.4 , not less than a majority of the Outstanding Units.

 

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2 , no amendment to this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent, unless such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to Section 13.3(c) or (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates without the General Partner’s consent, which consent may be given or withheld at its option.

 

(c) Except as provided in Section 14.3 , and without limitation of the General Partner’s authority to adopt amendments to this Agreement without the approval of any Partners as contemplated in Section 13.1 , any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of the class affected.

 

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(f) , no amendments shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner under applicable partnership law of the state under whose laws the Partnership is organized.

 

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(e) Except as provided in Section 13.1 , this Section 13.3 shall only be amended with the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units.

 

Section 13.4 Special Meetings . All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the manner provided in this Article XIII . Special meetings of the Limited Partners may be called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall call a special meeting by delivering to the General Partner one or more requests in writing stating that the signing Limited Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the specific purposes for which the special meeting is to be called and the class or classes of Units for which the meeting is proposed. No business may be brought by any Limited Partner before such special meeting except the business listed in the related request. Within 60 days after receipt of such a call from Limited Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the General Partner shall send or cause to be sent a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners. A meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the time notice of the meeting is given as provided in Section 16.1 . Limited Partners shall not be permitted to vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business. If any such vote were to take place, to the fullest extent permitted by law, it shall be deemed null and void to the extent necessary so as not to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.

 

Section 13.5 Notice of a Meeting . Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the Record Holders of the class or classes of Units for which a meeting is proposed in writing by mail or other means of written communication in accordance with Section 16.1 .

 

Section 13.6 Record Date . For purposes of determining the Limited Partners who are Record Holders of the class or classes of Limited Partner Interests entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in Section 13.11 , the General Partner shall set a Record Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) the date of the meeting (unless such requirement conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading or U.S. federal securities laws, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange or U.S. federal securities laws shall govern) or (b) in the event that approvals are sought without a meeting, the date by which such Limited Partners are requested in writing by the General Partner to give such approvals.

 

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Section 13.7 Postponement and Adjournment . Prior to the date upon which any meeting of Limited Partners is to be held, the General Partner may postpone such meeting one or more times for any reason by giving notice to each Limited Partner entitled to vote at the meeting so postponed of the place, date and hour at which such meeting would be held. Such notice shall be given not fewer than two days before the date of such meeting and otherwise in accordance with this Article XIII . When a meeting is postponed, a new Record Date need not be fixed unless such postponement shall be for more than 45 days. Any meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned by the General Partner one or more times for any reason, including the failure of a quorum to be present at the meeting with respect to any proposal or the failure of any proposal to receive sufficient votes for approval. No Limited Partner vote shall be required for any adjournment. A meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned by the General Partner as to one or more proposals regardless of whether action has been taken on other matters. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in accordance with this Article XIII .

 

Section 13.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting . The transactions of any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened; and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove of any matters submitted for consideration or to object to the failure to submit for consideration any matters required to be included in the notice of the meeting, but not so included, if such objection is expressly made at the beginning of the meeting.

 

Section 13.9 Quorum and Voting . The presence, in person or by proxy, of holders of a majority of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner) shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners of such class or classes unless any such action by the Limited Partners requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of such Units, in which case the quorum shall be such greater percentage. At any meeting of the Limited Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at which a quorum is present, the act of Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote at such meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners, unless a different percentage is required with respect to such action under the provisions of this Agreement, in which case the act of the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent at least such different percentage shall be required. The Limited Partners present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the exit of enough Limited Partners to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by the required percentage of Outstanding Units specified in this Agreement.

 

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Section 13.10 Conduct of a Meeting . The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4 , the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting. The General Partner shall designate a Person to serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the General Partner. The General Partner may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the submission and revocation of approvals in writing.

 

Section 13.11 Action Without a Meeting . If authorized by the General Partner, any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Units that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted (unless such provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern). Prompt notice of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in writing. The General Partner may specify that any written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner. If a ballot returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Outstanding Units held by such Limited Partners, the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Outstanding Units that were not voted. If approval of the taking of any permitted action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner, (b) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the date sufficient approvals are first deposited with the Partnership and (c) an Opinion of Counsel is delivered to the General Partner to the effect that the exercise of such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) will not cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.

 

Section 13.12 Right to Vote and Related Matters.

 

(a) Only those Record Holders of the Outstanding Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 (and also subject to the limitations contained in the definition of “Outstanding”) shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the holders of the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to act. All references in this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Units shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of such Outstanding Units.

 

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(b) With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person that is the Record Holder (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), such Record Holder shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, vote such Units in favor of, and at the direction of, the Person who is the beneficial owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume such Record Holder is so acting without further inquiry. The provisions of this Section  13.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this Agreement) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.3 .

 

(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Record Holder of an Incentive Distribution Right shall not be entitled to vote such Incentive Distribution Right on any Partnership matter.

 

Article XIV
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION

 

Section 14.1 Authority . The Partnership may merge or consolidate with or into one or more corporations, limited liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a partnership (whether general or limited (including a limited liability partnership)) or convert into any such entity, whether such entity is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States of America or any other country, pursuant to a written plan of merger or consolidation (“ Merger Agreement ”) or a written plan of conversion (“ Plan of Conversion ”), as the case may be, in accordance with this Article XIV .

 

Section 14.2 Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.

 

(a) Merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV requires the prior consent of the General Partner; provided, however , that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to consent to a merger, consolidation or conversion, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in determining whether to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

(b) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the merger or consolidation, the General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:

 

(i) name and state or country of domicile of each of the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;

 

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(ii) the name and state of domicile of the business entity that is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “ Surviving Business Entity ”);

 

(iii) the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;

 

(iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (A) if any general or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such general or limited partner interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their interests, securities or rights, and (B) in the case of securities represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates, which cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;

 

(v) a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership, operating agreement or other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation;

 

(vi) the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement ( provided, however, that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of merger and stated therein); and

 

(vii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

(c) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the conversion, the General Partner shall approve the Plan of Conversion, which shall set forth:

 

(i) the name of the converting entity and the converted entity;

 

(ii) a statement that the Partnership is continuing its existence in the organizational form of the converted entity;

 

(iii) a statement as to the type of entity that the converted entity is to be and the state or country under the laws of which the converted entity is to be incorporated, formed or organized;

 

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(iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the converted entity;

 

(v) in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership;

 

(vi) in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership, articles of incorporation, or other organizational documents of the converted entity;

 

(vii) the effective time of the conversion, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of conversion or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Plan of Conversion (provided, that if the effective time of the conversion is to be later than the date of the filing of such articles of conversion, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of conversion and stated therein); and

 

(viii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed conversion that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

Section 14.3 Approval by Limited Partners.

 

(a) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e) , the General Partner, upon its approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall direct that the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as applicable, be submitted to a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by written consent, in either case in accordance with the requirements of Article XIII . A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a special meeting or the written consent and, subject to any applicable requirements of Regulation 14A pursuant to the Exchange Act or successor provision, no other disclosure regarding the proposed merger, consolidation or conversion shall be required.

 

(b) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e) , the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a Unit Majority unless the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, effects an amendment to any provision of this Agreement that, if contained in an amendment to this Agreement adopted pursuant to Article XIII , would require for its approval the vote or consent of a greater percentage of the Outstanding Units or of any class of Limited Partners, in which case such greater percentage vote or consent shall be required for approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.

 

(c) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e) , after such approval by vote or consent of the Limited Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate of merger or articles of conversion pursuant to Section 14.4 , the merger, consolidation or conversion may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.

 

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(d) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to convert the Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another limited liability entity that shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives from the Partnership or other Group Member if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the conversion, merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of limited liability under the laws of the jurisdiction governing the other limited liability entity (if that jurisdiction is not Delaware) of any Limited Partner as compared to its limited liability under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the sole purpose of such conversion, merger, or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the General Partner determines that the governing instruments of the new entity provide the Limited Partners and the General Partner with substantially the same rights and obligations as are herein contained.

 

(e) Additionally, notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to merge or consolidate the Partnership with or into another limited liability entity if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner under the laws of the jurisdiction governing the other limited liability entity (if that jurisdiction is not Delaware) as compared to its limited liability under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to this Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section 13.1 , (iii) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or consolidation, (iv) each Unit outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger or consolidation is to be an identical Unit of the Partnership after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (v) the number of Partnership Interests to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or consolidation does not exceed 20% of the Partnership Interests (other than Incentive Distribution Rights) Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or consolidation.

 

(f) Pursuant to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with this Article XIV may (i) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (ii) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for the Partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.3 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.

 

Section 14.4 Certificate of Merger or Certificate of Conversion . Upon the required approval by the General Partner and the Unitholders of a Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, a certificate of merger or certificate of conversion or other filing, as applicable, shall be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or the appropriate filing office of any other jurisdiction, as applicable, in conformity with the requirements of the Delaware Act or other applicable law.

 

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Section 14.5 Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.

 

(a) At the effective time of the merger:

 

(i) all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to any of those business entities and all other things and causes of action belonging to each of those business entities, shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent they were of each constituent business entity;

 

(ii) the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the merger or consolidation;

 

(iii) all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired; and

 

(iv) all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it.

 

(b) At the effective time of the conversion:

 

(i) the Partnership shall continue to exist, without interruption, but in the organizational form of the converted entity rather than in its prior organizational form;

 

(ii) all rights, title, and interests to all real estate and other property owned by the Partnership shall continue to be owned by the converted entity in its new organizational form without reversion or impairment, without further act or deed, and without any transfer or assignment having occurred, but subject to any existing liens or other encumbrances thereon;

 

(iii) all liabilities and obligations of the Partnership shall continue to be liabilities and obligations of the converted entity in its new organizational form without impairment or diminution by reason of the conversion;

 

(iv) all rights of creditors or other parties with respect to or against the prior interest holders or other owners of the Partnership in their capacities as such in existence as of the effective time of the conversion will continue in existence as to those liabilities and obligations and may be pursued by such creditors and obligees as if the conversion did not occur;

 

(v) a proceeding pending by or against the Partnership or by or against any of Partners in their capacities as such may be continued by or against the converted entity in its new organizational form and by or against the prior Partners without any need for substitution of parties; and

 

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(vi) the Partnership Interests that are to be converted into partnership interests, shares, evidences of ownership, or other securities in the converted entity as provided in the plan of conversion shall be so converted, and Partners shall be entitled only to the rights provided in the Plan of Conversion.

 

Article XV
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS

 

Section 15.1 Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests.

 

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time the General Partner and its Affiliates hold more than 80% of the total Limited Partner Interests of any class then Outstanding, the General Partner shall then have the right, which right it may assign and transfer in whole or in part to the Partnership or any Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable at its option, to purchase all, but not less than all, of such Limited Partner Interests of such class then Outstanding held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, at the greater of (x) the Current Market Price as of the date three Business Days prior to the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed and (y) the highest price paid by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any such Limited Partner Interest of such class purchased during the 90-day period preceding the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed.

 

(b) If the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the Partnership elects to exercise the right to purchase Limited Partner Interests granted pursuant to Section 15.1(a) , the General Partner shall deliver to the applicable Transfer Agent or exchange agent notice of such election to purchase (the “ Notice of Election to Purchase ”) and shall cause the Transfer Agent or exchange agent to mail a copy of such Notice of Election to Purchase to the Record Holders of Limited Partner Interests of such class (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner), together with such information as may be required by law, rule or regulation, at least 10, but not more than 60, days prior to the Purchase Date. Such Notice of Election to Purchase shall also be filed and distributed as may be required by the Commission or any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed. The Notice of Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a) ) at which Limited Partner Interests will be purchased and state that the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such Limited Partner Interests, upon surrender of Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, in the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates, or instructions agreeing to such redemption in exchange for payment, at such office or offices of the Transfer Agent or exchange agent as the Transfer Agent or exchange agent may specify, or as may be required by any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed. Any such Notice of Election to Purchase mailed to a Record Holder of Limited Partner Interests at his address as reflected in the Partnership Register shall be conclusively presumed to have been given regardless of whether the owner receives such notice. On or prior to the Purchase Date, the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent or exchange agent cash in an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate purchase price of all of such Limited Partner Interests to be purchased in accordance with this Section 15.1 . If the Notice of Election to Purchase shall have been duly given as aforesaid at least 10 days prior to the Purchase Date, and if on or prior to the Purchase Date the deposit described in the preceding sentence has been made for the benefit of the holders of Limited Partner Interests subject to purchase as provided herein, then from and after the Purchase Date, notwithstanding that any Certificate or redemption instructions shall not have been surrendered for purchase or provided, respectively, all rights of the holders of such Limited Partner Interests (including any rights pursuant to Article IV , Article V , Article VI , and Article XII ) shall thereupon cease, except the right to receive the purchase price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a) ) for Limited Partner Interests therefor, without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent or exchange agent of the Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, in the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates, or instructions agreeing to such redemption, and such Limited Partner Interests shall thereupon be deemed to be transferred to the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, on the Partnership Register, and the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be the Record Holder of all such Limited Partner Interests from and after the Purchase Date and shall have all rights as the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interests (including all rights as owner of such Limited Partner Interests pursuant to Article IV , Article V , Article VI and Article XII ).

 

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(c) In the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates, at any time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding Limited Partner Interest subject to purchase as provided in this Section 15.1 may surrender his Certificate evidencing such Limited Partner Interest to the Transfer Agent or exchange agent in exchange for payment of the amount described in Section 15.1(a) therefor, without interest thereon, in accordance with procedures set forth by the General Partner.

 

Article XVI
GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 16.1 Addresses and Notices; Written Communications.

 

(a) Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or made to a Partner under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by first class United States mail or by other means of written communication to the Partner at the address described below. Except as otherwise provided herein, any notice, payment or report to be given or made to a Partner hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interests at his address as shown in the Partnership Register, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such Partnership Interests by reason of any assignment or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) a Partner shall consent to receiving notices, demands, requests, reports or proxy materials via electronic mail or by the Internet or (ii) the rules of the Commission shall permit any report or proxy materials to be delivered electronically or made available via the Internet, any such notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials shall be deemed given or made when delivered or made available via such mode of delivery. An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.1 executed by the General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report. If any notice, payment or report addressed to a Record Holder at the address of such Record Holder appearing in the Partnership Register is returned by the United States Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or report and any subsequent notices, payments and reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until such time as such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in his address) if they are available for the Partner at the principal office of the Partnership for a period of one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report to the other Partners. Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General Partner at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3 . The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other document from a Partner or other Person if believed by it to be genuine.

 

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(b) The terms “in writing,” “written communications,” “written notice” and words of similar import shall be deemed satisfied under this Agreement by use of e-mail and other forms of electronic communication.

 

Section 16.2 Further Action . The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Section 16.3 Binding Effect . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.

 

Section 16.4 Integration . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.

 

Section 16.5 Creditors . None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.

 

Section 16.6 Waiver . No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.

 

Section 16.7 Third-Party Beneficiaries . Each Partner agrees that (a) any Indemnitee shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee and (b) any Unrestricted Person shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Unrestricted Person.

 

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Section 16.8 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties are not signatories to the original or the same counterpart. Each party shall become bound by this Agreement immediately upon affixing its signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a Limited Partner Interest, pursuant to Section 10.1(a) or (b) without execution hereof.

 

Section 16.9 Applicable Law; Forum; Venue and Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury.

 

(a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.

 

(b) Each of the Partners and each Person or Group holding any beneficial interest in the Partnership (whether through a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing or otherwise):

 

(i) irrevocably agrees that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings (A) arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement (including any claims, suits or actions to interpret, apply or enforce the provisions of this Agreement or the duties, obligations or liabilities among Partners or of Partners to the Partnership, or the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the Partners or the Partnership), (B) brought in a derivative manner on behalf of the Partnership, (C) asserting a claim of breach of a duty owed by any director, officer, or other employee of the Partnership or the General Partner, or owed by the General Partner, to the Partnership or the Partners, (D) asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Act or (E) asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, in each case regardless of whether such claims, suits, actions or proceedings sound in contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or other grounds, or are derivative or direct claims; provided, however, any claims, suits, actions or proceedings over which the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction shall be brought in any other court in the State of Delaware having jurisdiction;

 

(ii) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware in connection with any such claim, suit, action or proceeding;

 

(iii) agrees not to, and waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware or of any other court to which proceedings in the courts of the State of Delaware may be appealed, (B) such claim, suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (C) the venue of such claim, suit, action or proceeding is improper;

 

(iv) expressly waives any requirement for the posting of a bond by a party bringing such claim, suit, action or proceeding; and

 

(v) consents to process being served in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding by mailing, certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices hereunder, and agrees that such services shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof; provided, however , that nothing in this clause (v) shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

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Section 16.10 Invalidity of Provisions . If any provision or part of a provision of this Agreement is or becomes for any reason, invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions and/or parts thereof contained herein shall not be affected thereby and this Agreement shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reformed and construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision, or part of a provision, had never been contained herein, and such provisions and/or part shall be reformed so that it would be valid, legal and enforceable to the maximum extent possible.

 

Section 16.11 Consent of Partners . Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this Agreement it is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of less than all of the Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence of less than all of the Partners and each Partner shall be bound by the results of such action.

 

Section 16.12 Facsimile and Email Signatures . The use of facsimile signatures and signatures delivered by email in portable document format (.pdf) affixed in the name and on behalf of the transfer agent and registrar of the Partnership on certificates representing Common Units is expressly permitted by this Agreement.

 

Section 16.13 Interpretation . To the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event of any ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement will be construed as if drafted jointly by the Partners and no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any Partner by virtue of the authorship or any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

  GENERAL PARTNER:  
       
  CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS GP, LLC  
       
  By:   /s/ G. Les Austin  
  Name: G. Les Austin  
  Title: Vice president and Chief Financial Officer  
       
       
  ORGANIZATIONAL LIMITED PARTNER:  
       
  CYPRESS ENERGY HOLDINGS II, LLC  
       
  By:   /s/ G. Les Austin  
  Name: G. Les Austin  
  Title: Chief Financial officer, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signature Page to First Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P.

  

 
 

  

EXHIBIT A
to the First Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Cypress Energy Partners, L.P.

 

Certificate Evidencing Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests in
Cypress Energy Partners, L.P.

 

No. ____________ ____________ Common Units

  

In accordance with Section 4.1 of the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “ Partnership Agreement ”), Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), hereby certifies that               (the “ Holder ”) is the registered owner of Common Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Common Units ”) transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. The rights, preferences and limitations of the Common Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and the Common Units represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Partnership Agreement. Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the Partnership located at 5727 S. Lewis Avenue, Suite 500, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings given them in the Partnership Agreement.

 

THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER (AS DEFINED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT) WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED). THE GENERAL PARTNER OF CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. THIS SECURITY MAY BE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON ITS TRANSFER PROVIDED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. COPIES OF SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST MADE BY THE HOLDER OF RECORD OF THIS SECURITY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL PARTNER AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE PARTNERSHIP. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.

 

A- 1
 

 

The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership Agreement, and (iii) made the waivers and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.

 

This Certificate shall not be valid for any purpose unless it has been countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent. This Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

Dated:     CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.  
      By: CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS GP, LLC  
        By:    
        By:    

 

 

Countersigned and Registered by:

 

[____________________________]  
as Transfer Agent  
     
By:   __________________________________________________  
       Authorized Signature  

 

 

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[Reverse of Certificate]

 

ABBREVIATIONS

 

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate, shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN COM — as tenants in common   UNIF GIFT TRANSFERS MIN ACT
TEN ENT — as tenants by the entireties   Custodian  
    (Cust) (Minor)
JT TEN — as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common   under Uniform Gifts/Transfers to CD Minors Act (State)
         

 

Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.

 

A- 3
 

 

ASSIGNMENT OF COMMON UNITS OF
CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED,                                  hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers unto

 

     
     
     
(Please print or typewrite name and address of assignee)   (Please insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee)

 

Common Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                          as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P.

 

Date:     NOTE:  The signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Certificate in every particular, without alteration, enlargement or change.
 
     
    (Signature)
     
    (Signature)

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE
GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE
GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS,
STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN
ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS
WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION
PROGRAM), PURSUANT
TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15

 

No transfer of the Common Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of the Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Common Units to be transferred is surrendered for registration or transfer.

 

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CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS GP, LLC

 

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

 

 

  

Dated as of January 21, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT
OF
CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS GP, LLC

 

This Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement (the “ Agreement ”), dated as of January 21, 2014, is entered into by Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the sole Member of Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, the limited liability company to be governed by this Agreement (the “ Company ”) and shall be effective immediately.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company was formed as a Delaware limited liability company on September 19, 2013; and

 

WHEREAS, the Member executed the Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Company, effective September 19, 2013 (the “ Original Limited Liability Company Agreement ”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Member deems it advisable to amend and restate the Original Limited Liability Company Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein.

 

NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises, the covenants and agreements set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Member hereby amends and restates the Original Limited Liability Company Agreement in its entirety as follows:

 

Article I
DEFINITIONS

 

1.1               Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below or set forth in the Sections or other instruments referenced below:

 

Act ” means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (6 Del. C. § 18-101, et seq .), as it may be amended from time to time. All references in this Agreement to provisions of the Act shall be deemed to refer, if applicable, to their successor statutory provisions to the extent appropriate in light of the context herein in which such references are used.

 

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

Agreement ” is defined in the introductory paragraph, as the same may be amended or restated from time to time.

 

 
 

 

Applicable Law ” means (a) any United States federal, state or local law, statute or ordinance or any rule, regulation, order, writ, injunction, judgment, decree or permit of any Governmental Authority and (b) any rule or listing requirement of any national securities exchange or trading market recognized by the Commission on which the Common Units are listed or quoted.

 

Assignee ” means any Person that acquires a Member’s share of the income, gain, loss, deduction and credits of, and the right to receive distributions from, the Company or any portion thereof through a Disposition; provided, however , that an Assignee shall have no right to be admitted to the Company as a Member except in accordance with Article IV . The Assignee of a dissolved Member shall be the shareholder, partner, member or other equity owner or owners of the dissolved Member or such other Persons to whom such Member’s Membership Interest is assigned by the Person conducting the liquidation or winding-up of such Member.

 

Audit Committee ” is defined in Section 8.2 .

 

Audit Committee Independent Director ” means a Director who meets the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors as established by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the New York Stock Exchange or any national securities exchange on which the Common Units are listed.

 

Bankruptcy ” or “ Bankrupt ” means, with respect to any Person, that (a) such Person (i) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (ii) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition; (iii) becomes the subject of an order for relief or is declared insolvent in any federal or state bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings; (iv) files a petition or answer seeking for such Person a reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution, or similar relief under any Applicable Law; (v) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against such Person in a proceeding of the type described in subclauses (i) through (iv) of this clause (a) ; or (vi) seeks, consents to, or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver, or liquidator of such Person or of all or any substantial part of such Person’s properties or (b) a proceeding seeking reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution, or similar relief under any Applicable Law has been commenced against such Person and 120 days have expired without dismissal thereof or with respect to which, without such Person’s consent or acquiescence, a trustee, receiver, or liquidator of such Person or of all or any substantial part of such Person’s properties has been appointed and 90 days have expired without the appointment having been vacated or stayed, or 90 days have expired after the date of expiration of a stay, if the appointment has not previously been vacated. The foregoing definition of “Bankruptcy” is intended to replace and shall supersede and replace the definition of “Bankruptcy” set forth in the Act.

 

Board ” is defined in Section 7.3 .

 

Business Day ” means (a) any day on which the national securities exchange upon which securities of the Partnership are listed is open for trading or (b) in the event that no Partnership securities are listed on a national securities exchange, any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.

 

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Capital Contribution ” means, with respect to any Member, the amount of money and the net agreed value of any property (other than money) contributed to the Company by such Member. Any reference in this Agreement to the Capital Contribution of a Member shall include any Capital Contribution of its predecessors in interest.

 

CEP Capital ” means CEP Capital Partners, LLC.

 

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.

 

Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Common Unit ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Company ” is defined in the introductory paragraph.

 

Conflicts Committee ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Conflicts Committee Independent Director ” means a Director who meets the requirements set forth in the definition of “Conflicts Committee” in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Cypress Entities” means Holdings II and its Affiliates (other than the Company and the Partnership Group).

 

Director ” or “ Directors ” means a member or members of the Board.

 

Dispose ,” “ Disposing ” or “ Disposition ” means with respect to any asset (including a Membership Interest or any portion thereof), a sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, gift, exchange or other disposition of such asset, whether such disposition be voluntary, involuntary or by operation of Applicable Law.

 

Disposing Member ” is defined in Section 4.1 .

 

Dissolution Event ” is defined in Section 13.1 .

 

General Partner Interest ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Governmental Authority ” or “ Governmental ” means any federal, state or local court or governmental or regulatory agency or authority or any arbitration board, tribunal or mediator having jurisdiction over the Company or its assets or Members.

 

Group Member ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Group Member Agreement ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Holdings ” means Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and the sole member of Holdings II.

 

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Holdings II ” means Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

Indemnitee ” means any of (a) the Members, (b) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the Company (other than any Group Member), (c) any Person who is or was a member, partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company (other than any Group Member), (d) any Person who is or was serving at the request of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company as an officer, director, member, manager, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another Person; provided, however , that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services, and (e) any Person the Board designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement.

 

Limited Partner ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Majority Interest ” means Membership Interests in the Company entitled to more than 50% of the Membership Ratios.

 

Member ” means Holdings II, as the initial member of the Company, and includes any Person hereafter admitted to the Company as a member as provided in this Agreement, each in its capacity as a member of the Company, but such term does not include any Person who has ceased to be a member of the Company.

 

Membership Interest ” means, with respect to any Member, that Member’s limited liability company interests in the Company, including its share of the income, gain, loss, deduction and credits of, and the right to receive distributions from, the Company.

 

Membership Ratio ” means, subject in each case to adjustments in accordance with this Agreement or in connection with Dispositions of Membership Interests, (a) in the case of a Member executing this Agreement as of the date of this Agreement or a Person acquiring such Member’s Membership Interest, the percentage specified for that Member as its Membership Ratio on Exhibit A and (b) in the case of Membership Interests issued pursuant to Section 3.1 , the Membership Ratio established pursuant thereto; provided, however , that the total of all Membership Ratios shall always equal 100%.

 

Merger Agreement ” is defined in Section 14.1 .

 

Notices ” is defined in Section 15.2 .

 

Officer ” or “ Officers ” is defined in Section 9.1 .

 

Omnibus Agreement ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Original Limited Liability Company Agreement ” is defined in the recitals.

 

Partnership ” means Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.

 

Partnership Agreement ” means the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, to be entered into by the Company, Holdings II, and any other Persons who become partners of the Partnership or parties thereto, as it may be further amended or restated, or any successor agreement.

 

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Partnership Group ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Partnership Interest ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Person ” means an individual or a corporation, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

 

Plan of Conversion ” is defined in Section 14.1 .

 

Sharing Ratio ” is defined in the limited liability company agreement of Holdings.

 

Special Approval ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Subsidiary ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Surviving Business Entity ” is defined in Section 14.1 .

 

Tax Matters Member ” is defined in Section 11.1 .

 

Transaction Documents ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Treasury Regulations ” means the United States Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code.

 

Withdraw ,” “ Withdrawing ” or “ Withdrawal ” means the resignation of a Member from the Company as a Member. Such terms shall not include any Dispositions of Membership Interests (which are governed by Article IV ), even though the Member making a Disposition may cease to be a Member as a result of such Disposition.

 

1.2               Construction . Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include,” “includes,” “including” or words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and (d) the terms “hereof,” “herein” or “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

Article II
ORGANIZATION

 

2.1               Formation of Company; Term . The Company is a limited liability company governed by this Agreement and the Act. The Company is an entity separate from the Member, formed by the execution and filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of the Certificate of Formation of the Company and the entry into the Original Limited Liability Company Agreement. Unless sooner dissolved pursuant to the Act and this Agreement, the Company is to continue in perpetuity. G. Les Austin, as an “authorized person” within the meaning of the Act, has executed, delivered and filed the Certificate of Formation of the Company with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, such execution, delivery and filing being hereby ratified and approved in all respects. Upon the filing of the Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, his powers as an “authorized person” ceased, and, subject to Section 15.5 , the Member thereupon became the designated “authorized person” and shall continue as the designated “authorized person” within the meaning of the Act.

 

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2.2               Name . The name of the Company is Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC.

 

2.3               Fictitious Business Name Statement; Other Certificates . The Member will, from time to time, register the Company as a foreign limited liability company and file fictitious or trade name statements or certificates in those jurisdictions and offices as the Member considers necessary or appropriate. The Company may do business under any fictitious business names approved by the Member. The Member will, from time to time, file or cause to be filed certificates of amendment, certificates of cancellation or other certificates as the Member considers necessary or appropriate under the Act or under the law of any jurisdiction in which the Company is doing business to establish and continue the Company as a limited liability company.

 

2.4               Purpose of the Company; Business . The purpose of the Company is to own, acquire, hold, sell, transfer, assign, dispose of or otherwise administer the partnership or other interests in, and act as the general partner or other interest holder of, the Partnership and each other Group Member and to otherwise manage and control the business and affairs of the Partnership Group and to engage in and carry on any lawful business, purpose or activity ancillary or related thereto (including, for the avoidance of doubt, being a limited partner of any Group Member). The Company shall possess and may exercise all of the powers and privileges under the Act or by any other Applicable Law and may perform all things necessary or incidental to, or connected with or growing out of, those activities in accordance with this Agreement.

 

2.5               Principal Place of Business, Office, and Agent . The principal place of business and mailing address of the Company, and the office where the records required by the Act are maintained, is 5727 S. Lewis Avenue, Suite 500, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105 or at such other location selected, from time to time, by the Member. The registered office of the Company in Delaware is the office of the Company’s registered agent. The Company’s registered agent in Delaware is The Corporation Trust Company, Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801. The Member may, from time to time, change the registered agent or the principal place of business of the Company, without reflecting the change in this Agreement, provided that the Company’s Certificate of Formation is amended, if necessary, to reflect such change.

 

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2.6               Certain Undertakings Relating to Separateness . In carrying out its responsibilities on its own behalf and on behalf of the Partnership Group, the Company:

 

(a) shall, and shall cause each Group Member to, (i) observe all limited liability company or limited partnership formalities, as the case may be, and other formalities required by its organizational documents, the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation and other Applicable Law, (ii) engage in transactions with any of the Cypress Entities or their respective members, shareholders or partners, as applicable, in conformity with the requirements of the Partnership Agreement and each Group Member Agreement, as applicable, and (iii) subject to the terms of the Omnibus Agreement and any other applicable agreements, promptly pay, from its own funds, and on a current basis, its allocable share of general and administrative services and costs for services performed, and capital expenditures made, by any of the Cypress Entities or their respective members, shareholders or partners, as applicable. Each material contract between the Company or a Group Member, on the one hand, and any of the Cypress Entities or their respective members, shareholders or partners, as applicable, on the other hand, shall be in writing.

 

(b) shall, and shall cause each Group Member to, conduct their respective businesses and operations separate and apart from those of any other Person (including the Cypress Entities), except as provided in this Section 2.6 .

 

(c) shall, and shall cause each Group Member to, (i) maintain their respective books and records and their respective accounts separate from those of any other Person, (ii) maintain their respective financial records, which will be used by them in their ordinary course of business, showing their respective assets and liabilities separate and apart from those of any other Person, except their consolidated Subsidiaries, and (iii) file their respective own tax returns separate from those of any other Person, except (A) to the extent that such Group Member or the Company (1) is treated as a “disregarded entity” for tax purposes or (2) is not otherwise required to file tax returns under Applicable Law or (B) as may otherwise be required by Applicable Law.

 

(d) shall not, and shall cause each Group Member to not, commingle or pool its funds or other assets with those of any other Person, except its consolidated Subsidiaries, and shall maintain its assets in a manner in which it is not costly or difficult to segregate, ascertain or otherwise identify its assets as separate from those of any other Person.

 

(e) shall, and shall cause each Group Member to, (i) conduct their respective businesses in their respective own names or in the names of their respective Subsidiaries or the Partnership, (ii) use their or the Partnership’s separate stationery, invoices, and checks, (iii) correct any known misunderstanding regarding their respective separate identities as Group Members from that of any other Person (including the Cypress Entities), and (iv) generally hold themselves out as entities separate from any other Person (including the Cypress Entities).

 

(f) shall not (i) pay its own liabilities from a source other than its own funds, (ii) guarantee or become obligated for the debts of any other Person, except its Subsidiaries or another Group Member, (iii) hold out its credit as being available to satisfy the obligations of any other Person, except its Subsidiaries or another Group Member, (iv) acquire obligations or debt securities of its Affiliates (other than its Subsidiaries or another Group Member), or (v) pledge its assets for the benefit of any Person or make loans or advances to any Person, except its Subsidiaries or another Group Member; provided, however , that the Company may engage in any transaction described in clauses (ii) through (v) of this Section 2.6(f) if prior Special Approval has been obtained for such transaction and either (A) the Conflicts Committee has determined, or has obtained reasonable written assurance from a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or a nationally recognized investment banking or valuation firm, that the borrower or recipient of the credit extension is not then insolvent and will not be rendered insolvent as a result of such transaction or (B) in the case of transactions described in clause (iv) , such transaction is completed through a public auction or a national securities exchange.

 

Failure by the Company to comply with any of the obligations set forth above shall not affect the status of the Company as a separate legal entity, with its separate assets and separate liabilities, or restrict or limit the Company from engaging or contracting with the Cypress Entities for the provision of services or the purchase or sale of products, whether under the Omnibus Agreement, any other applicable agreement or otherwise.

 

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Article III
MEMBERSHIP

 

3.1               Membership Interests; Additional Members . Holdings II is the sole Member of the Company. Additional Persons may be admitted to the Company as Members, and Membership Interests may be issued, on such terms and conditions as the existing Members, voting as a single class, may determine at the time of admission. The terms of admission or issuance must specify the Membership Ratios applicable thereto and may provide for the creation of different classes or groups of Members or Membership Interests having different (including senior) rights, powers and duties. The Members may reflect the creation of any new class or group in an amendment to this Agreement, indicating the different rights, powers and duties, and such an amendment shall be approved and executed by the Members in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Any such admission shall be effective only after such new Member has executed and delivered to the Members and the Company an instrument containing the notice address of the new Member, the new Member’s ratification of this Agreement and agreement to be bound by it.

 

3.2               Access to Information . Each Member shall be entitled to receive, for any purpose reasonably related to its interest as a Member, any information that it may request concerning the Company; provided, however , that this Section 3.2 shall not obligate the Company to create any information that does not already exist at the time of such request (other than to convert existing information from one medium to another, such as providing a printout of information that is stored in a computer database). Each Member shall also have the right, upon reasonable notice, and at all reasonable times during usual business hours to inspect the properties of the Company and to audit, examine and make copies of the books of account and other records of the Company. Such right may be exercised through any agent or employee of such Member designated in writing by it or by an independent public accountant, engineer, attorney or other consultant so designated. All costs and expenses incurred in any inspection, examination or audit made on such Member’s behalf shall be borne by such Member.

 

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3.3               Liability .

 

(a) Except as otherwise provided by the Act, no Member shall be liable for the debts, obligations or liabilities of the Company solely by reason of being a member of the Company.

 

(b) The Company and the Members agree that the rights, duties and obligations of the Members in their capacities as members of the Company are only as set forth in this Agreement and as otherwise arise under the Act. Furthermore, the Members agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the existence of any rights of a Member, or the exercise or forbearance from exercise of any such rights, shall not create any duties or obligations of such Member in its capacity as a member of the Company, nor shall such rights be construed to enlarge or otherwise to alter in any manner the duties and obligations of such Member.

 

3.4               Withdrawal . A Member does not have the right or power to Withdraw.

 

3.5               Meetings . A meeting of the Members may be called at any time at the request of any Member.

 

3.6               Action by Consent of Members . Except as otherwise required by Applicable Law or otherwise provided in this Agreement, all decisions of the Members shall require the affirmative vote of the Members owning a majority of Membership Ratios present at a meeting at which a quorum is present in accordance with Section 3.8 . To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Members may act without a meeting and without notice so long as the number of Members who own the percentage of Membership Ratios that would be required to take such action at a duly held meeting shall have executed a written consent with respect to any such action taken in lieu of a meeting.

 

3.7               Telephonic Meetings . Any Member may participate in a meeting of the Members by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment that permits all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other, and participation of any Member in a meeting by such means will constitute the presence in person of that Member at such meeting.

 

3.8               Quorum . The Members owning a majority of Membership Ratios, present in person or participating in accordance with Section 3.7 , shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided, however , that, if at any meeting of the Members there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of the Members present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. The Members present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Members to leave less than a quorum.

 

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Article IV
ADMISSION OF MEMBERS; DISPOSITION OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS

 

4.1               Assignment; Admission of Assignee as Member . Subject to this Article IV , a Member may assign in whole or in part its Membership Interests. An Assignee has the right to be admitted to the Company as a Member, with the Membership Interests (and attendant Membership Ratio) so transferred to such Assignee, only if (a) the Member making the Disposition (a “ Disposing Member ”) has granted the Assignee either (i) all, but not less than all, of such Disposing Member’s Membership Interests or (ii) the express right to be so admitted and (b) such Disposition is effected in strict compliance with this Article IV . If a Member transfers all of its Membership Interest in the Company pursuant to this Article IV , the resulting admission shall be deemed effective immediately prior to the transfer and, immediately upon such admission, the transferor Member shall cease to be a member of the Company.

 

4.2               Requirements Applicable to All Dispositions and Admissions . Any Disposition of Membership Interests and any admission of an Assignee as a Member shall also be subject to the following requirements, and such Disposition (and admission, if applicable) shall not be effective unless such requirements are met:

 

(a) Payment of Expenses . The Disposing Member and its Assignee shall pay, or reimburse the Company for, all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with the Disposition and admission of the Assignee as a Member.

 

(b) No Release . No Disposition of Membership Interests shall effect a release of the Disposing Member from any liabilities to the Company or the other Members arising from events occurring prior to the Disposition, except as otherwise may be provided in any instrument or agreement pursuant to which a Disposition of Membership Interests is effectuated.

 

(c) Agreement to be Bound . The Assignee shall execute a counterpart to this Agreement or other instrument by which such Assignee agrees to be bound by this Agreement.

 

Article V
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS

 

5.1               Initial Capital . Upon the formation of the Company, the Member made a Capital Contribution of $1,000.00 in cash and was issued 100% of the Membership Interests.

 

5.2               Additional Capital . The Member is not obligated to make additional Capital Contributions, and no Member is obligated to make any Capital Contributions, except as the Members may otherwise expressly agree to in writing.

 

5.3               Interest . The Members will not be paid interest on Capital Contribution(s).

 

5.4               Loans . If the Company does not have sufficient cash to pay its obligations, any Member that may agree to do so may advance all or a portion of the required funds to or on behalf of the Company. Any such advance described in this Section 5.4 will constitute a loan from the Member to the Company, will bear interest at a lawful rate determined by the Members from the date of the advance until the day of payment and will not constitute a Capital Contribution.

 

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5.5               Return of Contributions . Except as expressly provided herein, no Member is entitled to the return of any portion of its Capital Contribution(s). An unreturned Capital Contribution is not a liability of the Company or any Member.

 

Article VI
DISTRIBUTIONS AND ALLOCATIONS

 

6.1               Distributions . All distributions by the Company shall be made to the Members in proportion to their respective Membership Ratios (at the time the amounts of such distributions are determined) and in such aggregate amounts and at such times as shall be determined by the Members representing a Majority Interest; provided, however , that any loans made by any Member pursuant to Section 5.4 shall be repaid prior to any distributions to the Members pursuant to this Section 6.1 . Subject to the limitations set forth in the Act and any other Applicable Law, prior to the dissolution, winding-up and liquidation of the Company, the Member may, in its discretion, direct the Company to make distributions of cash or other property to the Members. Once a Member becomes entitled to receive a distribution, it will have the right to all enforcement remedies permissible under the Act with respect to the distribution.

 

6.2               Allocations . All items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated to the Members in proportion to their respective Membership Ratios. The Company will keep a record of the Members’ Capital Contributions, the Company’s income, gains, losses and deductions, and its distributions to the Members.

 

6.3               Limitations on Distributions . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall not make a distribution to any Member on account of its Membership Interest if such distribution would violate the Act or other Applicable Law.

 

Article VII
MANAGEMENT

 

7.1               Management by the Members . The management of the Company is fully reserved to the Members, and the Company shall not have “managers” as that term is used in the Act. The powers of the Company shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the Company shall be managed under the direction of, the Members, who, except as expressly provided otherwise in this Agreement, shall make all decisions and take all actions for the Company.

 

7.2               Delegation . Subject to Section 7.4 and without limiting the power and authority of the Members to manage the business and affairs of the Company pursuant to the Act and this Agreement, the Members shall have the power and authority to delegate to one or more other Persons the Members’ rights and power to manage and control the business and affairs, or any portion thereof, of the Company, including to delegate to agents, officers and employees of Holdings II or its Affiliates.

 

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7.3               Board of Directors . The Member hereby delegates to the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”), to the fullest extent permitted under this Agreement and Applicable Law, all power and authority related to the Company’s management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership Group.

 

7.4               Powers Reserved for the Members . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement:

 

(a) the Members shall have exclusive authority over the internal business and affairs of the Company that do not relate to management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership Group, and the Board and the Officers shall have no authority to act with respect to any matter that does not relate to the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership Group except as may be expressly authorized and directed from time to time by the Members representing a Majority Interest. For illustrative purposes, the internal business and affairs of the Company where the Members shall have exclusive authority include (i) the amount and timing of distributions paid by the Company, (ii) the prosecution, settlement or management of any claim made directly against the Company and not involving or relating to the Partnership Group, (iii) the decision to sell, convey, transfer or pledge any asset of the Company, (iv) the decision to amend, modify or waive any rights relating to the assets of the Company, (v) the voting of, or exercise of other rights with respect to, any Partnership Interests (other than the General Partner Interest) held by the Company or its Affiliates, and (vi) the decision to enter into any agreement to incur an obligation of the Company, other than an agreement entered into for and on behalf of any Group Member for which the Company is liable exclusively by virtue of the Company’s capacity as general partner of the Partnership; and

 

(b) without obtaining approval of Members representing a Majority Interest, the Board shall not, and shall not take any action to cause any Group Member to, (i) sell all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or such Group Member, (ii) merge or consolidate, (iii) to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, dissolve or liquidate, (iv) make or consent to a general assignment for the benefit of its respective creditors, (v) file or consent to the filing of any Bankruptcy, or (vi) take various actions similar to those described in any of clauses (i) through (v) of this Section 7.4(b) .

 

Article VIII
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

8.1               Number; Removal and Vacancies .

 

(a) Number . The number of Directors constituting the Board shall be fixed from time to time pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Members representing a Majority Interest. A Director need not be a Member. Each Director shall be elected or approved by Members representing a Majority Interest and shall serve as a Director of the Company until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified (or his or her earlier death, resignation or removal from office); provided, however , that for so long as CEP Capital remains a member of Holdings the following persons shall be Directors of the Company: (i) Peter C. Boylan III (or, in the event of his death or incapacity, such other person as is designated by CEP Capital) and (ii) such other persons selected by Mr. Boylan (or, in the event of his death or incapacity, CEP Capital) that, together with Mr. Boylan, constitute a percentage of the Board of Directors (as if there were no vacancies on the board of directors) equal to the percentage of Holdings that CEP Capital owns; provided, further , that the number of directors appointed pursuant to clause (ii) above shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number of directors.

 

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(b) Removal . Any Director or the entire Board may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Members representing a Majority Interest; provided, however , that so long as CEP Capital remains a member of Holdings, Peter C. Boylan III (or, in the event of his death or incapacity, such other person as is designated by CEP Capital) shall not be removed from the Board without his consent, and the removal of Directors chosen by Peter C. Boylan III (or in the event of his death or incapacity, CEP Capital) shall require the consent of Peter C. Boylan III (or in the event of his death or incapacity, CEP Capital).

 

(c) Vacancies . Vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of Directors shall be filled by the appointment of the Members representing a Majority Interest. Any Director so appointed shall hold office until his or her successor shall be duly elected and qualified (or his or her earlier death, resignation or removal from office).

 

8.2               Committees of the Board . In addition to the standing committees referenced below, the Board may establish other committees of the Board and may delegate any of its responsibilities to such other committees, except as prohibited by Applicable Law.

 

(a) The membership and chairs of each committee shall be appointed by the Board. The Board shall also make all determinations regarding committee membership qualifications.

 

(b) Subject to the phase-in provisions of the New York Stock Exchange, the Board shall have an audit committee comprised exclusively of Audit Committee Independent Directors (the “ Audit Committee ”). The Audit Committee shall establish a written audit committee charter in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange or any national securities exchange on which the Common Units are listed from time to time, in each case as amended from time to time.

 

(c) The Board shall have a Conflicts Committee comprised exclusively of two or more Conflicts Committee Independent Directors. The Conflicts Committee shall function in the manner described in the Partnership Agreement. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement or any Group Member Agreement or any duty (including any fiduciary duty) otherwise existing at law or in equity, any matter approved by the Conflicts Committee in accordance with the provisions, and subject to the limitations, of the Partnership Agreement, shall not be deemed to be a breach of any duty (including any fiduciary duty) owed by the Board or any Director to the Company or the Members.

 

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(d) A majority of any committee, present in person or participating in accordance with Section 8.3 , shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of such committee.

 

(e) A majority of any committee may determine its action and fix the time and place of its meetings unless the Board shall otherwise provide. Notice of such meetings shall be given to each member of the committee in the manner provided for in Section 8.3 .

 

8.3               Meetings .

 

(a) Regular and Annual Meetings . Regular and annual meetings of the Board shall be held at such time and place as shall be designated from time to time by resolution of the Board. Notice of such regular and annual meetings shall not be required.

 

(b) Special Meetings . A special meeting of the Board may be called at any time at the request of (i) the Chairman of the Board or (ii) a majority of the Directors then in office. Written notice of all special meetings of the Board must be given to all Directors at least two business days prior to any special meeting of the Board.

 

(c) Notices . All notices and other communications to be given to Directors shall be sufficiently given for all purposes hereunder if in writing and delivered by hand, courier or overnight delivery service or three days after being mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, with appropriate postage prepaid, or when received in the form of an e-mail or facsimile, and shall be directed to the address, e-mail address or facsimile number as such Director shall designate by notice to the Company. A meeting may be held at any time without notice if all the Directors are present or if those not present waive notice of the meeting either before or after such meeting.

 

(d) Action by Written Consent . To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Board, or any committee of the Board, may act without a meeting and without prior notice so long as a majority of the members of the Board or committee shall have executed a written consent with respect to any action taken in lieu of a meeting.

 

(e) Telephonic Meetings . Directors or members of any committee of the Board may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment that permits all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other, and participation of any Director in a meeting by such means will constitute the presence in person of that Director at such meeting.

 

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8.4               Quorum . A majority of all Directors, present in person or participating in accordance with Section 8.3 , shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but if at any meeting of the Board there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of the Directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. Except as otherwise required by Applicable Law, all decisions of the Board, or any committee of the Board, shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of all Directors of the Board, or any committee of the Board, respectively. The Directors present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Directors to leave less than a quorum.

 

8.5               Compensation of Directors . Unless otherwise restricted by the Act or other Applicable Law, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of the Directors. The Directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board or a stated salary or other compensation as a Director. Members of special or standing Board committees may also be paid their expenses, if any, and an additional sum, salary or other compensation for attending Board committee meetings; provided, however , that Directors who are also employees of Holdings II or its Affiliates shall receive no compensation for their services as Directors.

 

8.6               Responsibility and Authority of the Board; Director Standards of Conduct .

 

(a) The Board may exercise only such powers of the Company and do such acts and things as are expressly authorized by this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement or any Group Member Agreement. Notwithstanding any duty (including any fiduciary duty) otherwise existing at law or in equity, any matter approved by the Board in accordance with the provisions, and subject to the limitations of the Partnership Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, shall not be deemed to be a breach of any duties owed by the Board or any Director to the Company or the Members.

 

(b) Whenever the Directors (in their respective capacities as such), make a determination or cause the Company to take or decline to take any action relating to the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership Group for which the Company or the Directors are required to act in accordance with a particular standard under the Partnership Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, as applicable, then the Directors shall make such determination or cause the Company to take or decline to take such other action in accordance with such standard and, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, shall not be subject to any other or different standards or duties (including fiduciary duties) imposed by this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Act or any other Applicable Law or at equity.

 

(c) To the extent that the Directors (in their capacities as such), make a determination or cause the Company to take or decline to take any other action in any circumstance not described in Section 8.6(b) under any express authorization or direction of the Members representing a Majority Interest that may be in effect from time to time, then unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement or the Partnership Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, the Directors shall make such determination or cause the Company to take or decline to take such other action in the subjective belief that the determination or other action is in the best interest of the Members representing a Majority Interest and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not otherwise be subject to any other or different standards or duties (including fiduciary duties) imposed by this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Act or any other Applicable Law or at equity.

 

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8.7               Other Business of Members, Directors and Affiliates .

 

(a) The Members, each Director and their respective Affiliates (other than any Group Member) may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures of any nature or description, independently or with others, similar or dissimilar to the business of the Company or the Partnership Group, and the Company, the Partnership Group, the Directors and the Members shall have no rights by virtue of this Agreement in and to such independent ventures or the income or profits derived therefrom, and the pursuit of any such venture, even if competitive with the business of the Company or the Partnership Group, shall not be deemed wrongful or improper, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or in equity.

 

(b) None of the Members, any Director or any of their respective Affiliates (other than any Group Member) who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for the Company or a Group Member, shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Company or a Group Member, and such Persons shall not be liable to the Company or the Members for breach of any duty by reason of the fact that such Person pursues or acquires for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to the Company or any Group Member; provided such Members, Director or any of their Affiliates do not engage in such business or activity using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership or any Group Member to such Persons.

 

Article IX
OFFICERS; CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

 

9.1               Officers and Chairman of the Board . The officers of the Company (each an “ Officer ” and collectively, the “ Officers ”) may consist of a Chief Executive Officer, a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Chief Financial Officer, a General Counsel, a Secretary and such other Officers as the Board may elect or appoint from time to time. Officers are not “managers” as that term is used in the Act. Any number of Officer positions of the Company may be held by the same person. The Board may also elect or appoint from among the Directors a person to act as Chairman of the Board, who shall not be deemed an Officer unless he or she has otherwise been elected or appointed as such. The Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer must be U.S. citizens. Each Officer shall serve until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified (or his or her earlier death, resignation or removal from office). Any Officer may resign at any time by delivering his or her written resignation to the Board.

 

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9.2               Powers . Officers elected by the Board shall each have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the specific provisions of this Article IX . The Board may from time to time elect such other Officers or appoint such agents as may be necessary or desirable for the conduct of the business of the Company. Such other Officers and agents shall have such authority and responsibilities and shall hold their offices for such terms as shall be provided in this Agreement or as may be prescribed by the Board (or, with respect to matters that do not relate to the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership Group, as expressly authorized by the Members representing a Majority Interest pursuant to Section 7.4(a) ) from time to time.

 

(a) Chairman of the Board . The Chairman of the Board shall preside, if present, at all meetings of the Board and of the Limited Partners of the Partnership and shall perform such additional functions and duties as the Board may prescribe from time to time.

 

(b) Chief Executive Officer . The Chief Executive Officer, who may also be the Chairman of the Board and/or the President, shall have general supervision and control of the affairs, business, operations and properties of the Company and, subject to the control of the Board, shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board and the Members are carried into effect and shall have the power to appoint and remove all subordinate officers and agents of the Company to the extent such subordinate officers and agents have not been appointed by the Board. The Chief Executive Officer may sign deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board or by this Agreement to some other Officer or agent of the Company, or shall be required by Applicable Law to be otherwise signed and executed. The Chief Executive Officer shall also perform all duties and have all powers incident to the office of Chief Executive Officer and perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may be assigned by this Agreement or prescribed by the Board from time to time.

 

(c) President . The President shall, subject to the control of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer, in general, supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Company. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Members. The President may sign any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board or by this Agreement to another Officer or agent of the Company, or shall be required by Applicable Law to be otherwise signed and executed. The President shall also perform all duties and have all powers incident to the office of President and perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may be delegated by the Chief Executive Officer or as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

 

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(d) Vice Presidents . Any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President and Vice President, in the order of seniority, unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall, in the absence or disability of the President, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President. Such Vice Presidents shall, subject to the control of the Board, also perform the usual and customary duties and have the powers that pertain to such office and generally assist the President by executing contracts and exercising such other powers and performing such other duties as are delegated to them by the Chief Executive Officer or the President, or as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

 

(e) Chief Financial Officer . The Chief Financial Officer shall perform all duties and have all powers incident to the office of the Chief Financial Officer and, subject to the control of the Board, in general have overall supervision of the financial operations of the Company. The Chief Financial Officer shall receive and deposit all moneys and other valuables belonging to the Company in the name and to the credit of the Company and shall disburse the same and only in such manner as the Board or the appropriate Officer, as applicable, may from time to time determine. The Chief Financial Officer shall render to the Board, the Members (for any purpose reasonably related to their interests as Members), the Chief Executive Officer and the President, whenever any of them so request, an account of all of his or her transactions as Chief Financial Officer and of the financial condition of the Company, and shall perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may be delegated by the Chief Executive Officer or the President, or as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

 

(f) General Counsel . The General Counsel shall be the principal legal Officer of the Company. The General Counsel shall, subject to the control of the Board, have general direction of and supervision over the legal affairs of the Company and shall advise the Board or the Members, as applicable, and the Officers on all legal matters. The General Counsel shall perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may be delegated by the Chief Executive Officer or the President, or as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

 

(g) Secretary . The Secretary shall keep or cause to be kept, in one or more books provided for that purpose, the minutes of all meetings of the Board, the committees of the Board, the Members and the Limited Partners. The Secretary shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or the Partnership Agreement or any other Group Member Agreement, as applicable, and as required by Applicable Law, shall be custodian of the records and the seal of the Company (if any) and affix and attest the seal (if any) to all documents to be executed on behalf of the Company under its seal, shall see that the books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by Applicable Law to be kept and filed are properly kept and filed and in general shall perform all duties and have all powers incident to the office of Secretary and perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may be delegated by the Chief Executive Officer or the President, or as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

 

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9.3               Responsibility and Authority of Officers; Officer Standards of Conduct .

 

(a) The Officers may exercise only such powers of the Company and do such acts and things as are expressly authorized or delegated by this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement or any Group Member Agreement or by the Board. Notwithstanding any duty (including any fiduciary duty) otherwise existing at law or in equity, any matter approved by the Board in accordance with the provisions, and subject to the limitations, of this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, shall not be deemed to be a breach of any duties owed by any Officer to the Company or the Members.

 

(b) Whenever the Officers (in their capacities as such) make a determination or cause the Company to take or decline to take any action relating to the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership Group for which the Company is required to act in accordance with a particular standard under the Partnership Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, as applicable, then the Officers shall make such determination or cause the Company to take or decline to take such other action in accordance with such standard and, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, shall not be subject to any other or different standards or duties (including fiduciary duties) imposed by this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Act or any other Applicable Law or at equity.

 

(c) To the extent that the Officers (in their capacities as such) make a determination or cause the Company to take or decline to take any other action in any circumstance not described in Section 9.3(b) , then unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement or the Partnership Agreement or a Group Member Agreement, the Officers shall make such determination or cause the Company to take or decline to take such other action in the subjective belief that the determination or other action is in the best interest of the Members representing a Majority Interest and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not otherwise be subject to any other or different standards or duties (including fiduciary duties) imposed by this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Act or any other Applicable Law or at equity.

 

9.4               Removal and Vacancies . Any Officer may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board. Vacancies and newly created Officer positions shall be filled by the Board. Any Officer appointed to fill any vacancy shall hold office until his or her successor shall be duly elected and qualified (or his or her earlier death, resignation or removal from office).

 

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Article X
INDEMNITY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

 

10.1           Indemnification .

 

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all threatened, pending or completed claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal and including appeals, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee and acting (or refraining to act) in such capacity on behalf of or for the benefit of the Company; provided, however , that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in intentional fraud, willful misconduct (including a willful breach of this Agreement) or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; provided further , that no indemnification pursuant to this Section 10.1 shall be made available to any of the Company’s Affiliates (other than a Group Member), or to any other Indemnitee, with respect to any such Affiliate’s obligations pursuant to the Transaction Documents. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 10.1 shall be made only out of the assets of the Company, it being agreed that the Members shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Company to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.

 

(b) To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 10.1(a) in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Company prior to a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 10.1 , the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the Company of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be ultimately determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized by this Section 10.1 .

 

(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 10.1 is in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, as a matter of law, in equity or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.

 

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(d) The Company may purchase and maintain (or reimburse its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance on behalf of the Indemnitees, the Company and its Affiliates and such other Persons as the Company shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted against or expense that may be incurred by such Person in connection with the Company’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Company, regardless of whether the Company would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(e) For purposes of this Section 10.1 , the Company shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as a fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of its duties to the Company also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to Applicable Law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 10.1 ; and action taken or omitted by it with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose subjectively believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Company.

 

(f) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Members to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.

 

(g) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 10.1 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

 

(h) The provisions of this Section 10.1 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees, their heirs, successors, assigns, executors and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.

 

(i) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 10.1 or any provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Company, nor the obligations of the Company to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 10.1 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

 

(j) TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AND SUBJECT TO SECTION 10.1(a), THE PROVISIONS OF THE INDEMNIFICATION PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION 10.1 ARE INTENDED BY THE PARTIES TO APPLY EVEN IF SUCH PROVISIONS HAVE THE EFFECT OF EXCULPATING THE INDEMNITEE FROM LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH PERSON’S NEGLIGENCE, FAULT OR OTHER CONDUCT.

 

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10.2           Liability of Indemnitees .

 

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, no Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages to the Company, the Members or any other Person bound by this Agreement, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, with respect to the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in intentional fraud, willful misconduct (including a willful breach of this Agreement) or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

 

(b) Subject to any limitations set forth in Articles VII and VIII , the Board and any committee thereof or Members representing a Majority Interest, as applicable, may exercise any of the powers granted to it or them by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it or them hereunder either directly or by or through the Company’s Officers or agents, and neither the Board nor any committee thereof nor such Members shall be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such Officer or agent appointed in good faith by the Board.

 

(c) Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, no Member or any other Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to the Company or any Member, notwithstanding any duty otherwise existing at law or in equity, and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of the Members or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing under Applicable Law or in equity, are agreed by the Members to replace such other duties and liabilities of the Members and such other Indemnitee.

 

(d) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 10.2 or any provision hereof shall in any manner affect the limitations on the liability of any Indemnitee under this Section 10.2 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

 

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Article XI
TAXES

 

11.1           Taxes . Members representing a Majority Interest shall, if necessary, from time to time designate a Member to act as the “tax matters partner” under Section 6231 of the Code, subject to replacement by the Members representing a Majority Interest (such Member, the “ Tax Matters Member ”). The initial Tax Matters Member will be Holdings II. The Tax Matters Member shall prepare and timely file (on behalf of the Company) all state and local tax returns, if any, required to be filed by the Company. The Company shall bear the costs of the preparation and filing of its returns. The Company and the Members acknowledge that for federal income tax purposes, the Company will be disregarded as an entity separate from the Members pursuant to Treasury Regulation § 301.7701-3 as long as all of the Membership Interests in the Company are owned by a sole Member.

 

Article XII
BOOKS; RECORDS; REPORTS AND BANK ACCOUNTS

 

12.1           Maintenance of Books . The Company shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Company or at such other location approved by the Board complete and accurate books and records of the Company, supporting documentation of the transactions with respect to the conduct of the Company’s business, minutes of the proceedings of the Board and the Members and any other books and records that are required to be maintained by Applicable Law. The books of account of the Company shall be maintained on the basis of a fiscal year that is the calendar year and on an accrual basis in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied.

 

12.2           Reports . The Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered to each Member such reports, forecasts, studies, budgets and other information as the Members may reasonably request from time to time.

 

12.3           Bank Accounts . Funds of the Company shall be deposited in such banks or other depositories as shall be designated from time to time by Members representing a Majority Interest. All withdrawals from any such depository shall be made only as authorized by the Board or Members representing a Majority Interest, as applicable, and shall be made only by check, wire transfer, debit memorandum or other written instruction.

 

Article XIII
DISSOLUTION; WINDING-UP; TERMINATION AND CONVERSION

 

13.1           Dissolution .

 

(a) The Company shall dissolve and its affairs shall be wound up on the first to occur of the following events (each a “ Dissolution Event ”): (i) the unanimous consent of the Members; (ii) entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Company under Section 18-802 of the Act; and (iii) at any time there are no Members of the Company, unless the Company is continued in accordance with the Act or this Agreement.

 

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(b) No other event shall cause a dissolution of the Company.

 

(c) Upon the occurrence of any event that causes there to be no Members of the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the personal representative of the last remaining Member is hereby authorized to, and shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of the event that terminated the continued membership of such Member in the Company, agree in writing (i) to continue the Company and (ii) to the admission of the personal representative or its nominee or designee, as the case may be, as a substitute Member of the Company, effective as of the occurrence of the event that terminated the continued membership of such Member in the Company.

 

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Bankruptcy of a Member shall not cause such Member to cease to be a member of the Company and, upon the occurrence of such an event, the Company shall continue without dissolution.

 

13.2           Winding-Up and Termination .

 

(a) On the occurrence of a Dissolution Event, the Members shall act as, or alternatively appoint, a liquidator (which shall be the “liquidating trustee” for purposes of the Act). The liquidator shall proceed diligently to wind up the affairs of the Company and make final distributions as provided herein and in the Act. The costs of winding-up shall be borne as a Company expense. The steps to be accomplished by the liquidator are as follows: (i) as promptly as possible after dissolution and again after final winding-up, the liquidator shall cause a proper accounting to be made by a recognized firm of certified public accountants of the Company’s assets, liabilities, and operations through the last day of the month in which the dissolution occurs or the final winding-up is completed, as applicable; (ii) subject to the Act, the liquidator shall satisfy from Company funds all of the debts, liabilities and obligations of the Company, including all expenses incurred in winding-up, or otherwise make adequate provision for payment and satisfaction thereof (including the establishment of a cash escrow fund for contingent, conditional and unmatured liabilities in such amount and for such term as the liquidator may reasonably determine); and (iii) all remaining assets of the Company shall be distributed to the Members in accordance with Section 6.1 .

 

(b) The distribution of cash or property to a Member in accordance with the provisions of this Section 13.2 constitutes a complete return to the Member of its Capital Contributions and a complete distribution to the Member of all the Company’s property, and constitutes a compromise to which all Members have consented pursuant to Section 18-502(b) of the Act. To the extent that a Member returns funds to the Company, such Member shall have no claim against any other Member for those funds.

 

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13.3           Deficit Capital Accounts . No Member will be required to pay to the Company, to any other Member or to any third party any deficit balance that may exist from time to time in the Member’s capital account.

 

13.4           Certificate of Cancellation . On completion of the winding-up of the Company as provided herein and under the Act, the Members (or such other Person or Persons as the Act may require or permit) shall file a certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and take such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the existence of the Company. Upon the filing of such certificate of cancellation, the existence of the Company shall terminate, except as may be otherwise provided by the Act or by Applicable Law.

 

Article XIV
MERGER; CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION

 

14.1           Authority . Subject to compliance with Section 7.4 , the Company may merge or consolidate with one or more domestic or foreign corporations, limited liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a partnership (whether general or limited (including a limited liability partnership)), or convert into any such domestic or foreign entity, pursuant to a written agreement of merger or consolidation (“ Merger Agreement ”) or a written plan of conversion (“ Plan of Conversion ”), as the case may be, in accordance with this Article 14 . The surviving entity to any such merger, consolidation or conversion is referred to herein as the “ Surviving Business Entity .”

 

14.2           Procedure for Merger; Consolidation or Conversion .

 

(a) The merger, consolidation or conversion of the Company pursuant to this Article 14 requires the prior approval of Members representing a Majority Interest and compliance with this Section 14.2 .

 

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(b) If Members representing a Majority Interest shall determine to consent to a merger or consolidation, then Members representing a Majority Interest shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth: (i) the names and jurisdictions of formation or organization of each of the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate; (ii) the name and jurisdiction of formation or organization of the Surviving Business Entity that is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation; (iii) the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation; (iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (A) if any general or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such general or limited partner interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their interests, securities or rights, and (B) in the case of securities represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates, which cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered; (v) a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership, certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement or other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation; (vi) the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.3 or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement; provided, however, that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of merger and stated therein; and (vii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation as are deemed necessary or appropriate by the Members representing a Majority Interest.

 

(c) If Members representing a Majority Interest shall determine to consent to a conversion of the Company, then Members representing a Majority Interest shall approve and adopt a Plan of Conversion containing such terms and conditions that Members representing such Majority Interest determine to be necessary or appropriate.

 

14.3           Certificate of Merger; Consolidation or Conversion .

 

(a) Upon approval by Members representing a Majority Interest of a Merger Agreement or a Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, a certificate of merger, consolidation or conversion, as applicable, shall be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in conformity with the requirements of the Act and shall have such effect as provided under the Act or other Applicable Law.

 

(b) A merger, consolidation or conversion effected pursuant to this Article 14 shall not (i) to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, be deemed to result in a transfer or assignment of assets or liabilities from one entity to another having occurred or (ii) require the Company (if it is not the Surviving Business Entity) to wind up its affairs, pay its liabilities or distribute its assets as required under Article 13 of this Agreement or under the applicable provisions of the Act.

 

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Article XV
GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

15.1           Offset . Whenever the Company is to pay any sum to any Member, any amounts that Member owes the Company may be deducted from that sum before payment.

 

15.2           Notices . Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, all notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals or other communications (collectively, “ Notices ”) required or permitted to be given hereunder or which are given with respect to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be personally served by hand delivery, delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or transmitted by facsimile or electronic mail, addressed to the address such party shall have specified most recently by written notice. Notice shall be deemed given on the second Business Day following the date of delivery to the air courier, in the case of delivery by air courier. Notice shall be deemed given on the date of service if personally served or the date of transmission if transmitted by facsimile or electronic mail.

 

15.3           Entire Agreement; Superseding Effect . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Members relating to the Company and the transactions contemplated hereby, and supersedes all provisions and concepts contained in all prior contracts or agreements of the Member with respect to the Company, whether oral or written, including the Original Limited Liability Company Agreement.

 

15.4           Effect of Waiver or Consent . Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, a waiver or consent, express or implied, to or of any breach or default by any Member in the performance by that Member of its obligations with respect to the Company is not a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance by that Member of the same or any other obligations of that Member with respect to the Company. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, failure on the part of a Member to complain of any act of any Member or to declare any Member in default with respect to the Company, irrespective of how long that failure continues, does not constitute a waiver by that Member of its rights with respect to that default until the applicable statute-of-limitations period has run.

 

15.5           Amendment or Restatement . This Agreement may be amended or restated only by a written instrument executed by all Members; provided, however , that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, each Member agrees that the Board, without the approval of any Member, may amend any provision of the Company’s Certificate of Formation and this Agreement, and may authorize any Officer to execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record any such amendment and whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect any change that does not require consent or approval (or for which such consent or approval has been obtained) under this Agreement or does not materially adversely affect the rights of the Members.

 

15.6           Binding Effect . Subject to the restrictions on Dispositions set forth in this Agreement, this Agreement is binding on and shall inure to the benefit of the Members and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

28
 

 

15.7           Governing Law; Severability . THIS AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, EXCLUDING ANY CONFLICT-OF-LAWS RULE OR PRINCIPLE THAT MIGHT REFER THE GOVERNANCE OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS AGREEMENT TO THE LAW OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION. In the event of a direct conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and any mandatory, non-waivable provision of the Act, such provision of the Act shall control. If any provision of the Act may be varied or superseded in a limited liability company agreement (or otherwise by agreement of the members or managers of a limited liability company), such provision shall be deemed superseded and waived in its entirety if this Agreement contains a provision addressing the same issue or subject matter. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Member or circumstance is held invalid or unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of that provision to other Members or circumstances is not affected thereby and the Members shall negotiate in good faith to replace that provision with a new provision that is valid and enforceable and that puts the Members in substantially the same economic, business and legal position as they would have been in if the original provision had been valid and enforceable.

 

15.8           Venue . Any and all claims, suits, actions or proceedings arising out of, in connection with or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, to the extent the Court of Chancery lacks jurisdiction, any other state court in the State of Delaware). Each party hereto unconditionally and irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, to the extent the Court of Chancery lacks jurisdiction, any other state court in the State of Delaware) with respect to any such claim, suit, action or proceeding and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, waives any objection that such party may have to the laying of venue of any claim, suit, action or proceeding in the Court of Chancery (or other state court) of the State of Delaware.

 

15.9           Further Assurances . In connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, each Member shall execute and deliver any additional documents and instruments and perform any additional acts that may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate and perform the provisions of this Agreement and those transactions.

 

15.10       Waiver of Certain Rights . Each Member, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, irrevocably waives any right it may have to maintain any action for dissolution of the Company or for partition of the property of the Company.

 

15.11       Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all signing parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and constitute the same instrument. To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the use of facsimile signatures and signatures delivered by email in portable document format affixed in the name and on behalf of a party is expressly permitted by this Agreement.

 

* * *

 

29
 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

 

  Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC  
       
       
       
  By:   /s/ G. Les Austin  
  Name: G. Les Austin  
  Title:    Chief Financial Officer, Vice President,  
    Secretary and Treasurer  

 

 

Signature Page to Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC Limited Liability Company Agreement

 

 
 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

MEMBERS

 

 

 

Member Membership Ratio
   
Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC 100%

 

 

Signature Page to Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC Limited Liability Company Agreement

 

 

 

 

 

CONTRIBUTION, CONVEYANCE AND ASSUMPTION
AGREEMENT

 

By and Among

 

CYPRESS ENERGY HOLDINGS, LLC

 

CYPRESS ENERGY HOLDINGS II, LLC

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, LLC

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS GP, LLC

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS – SBG, LLC

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS – TIR, LLC

 

TULSA INSPECTION RESOURCES, LLC

 

MR. CHARLES C. STEPHENSON, JR.

 

MS. CYNTHIA FIELD

 

MR. G. LES AUSTIN

 

AND

 

MR. RICHARD CARSON

 

Dated as of January 21, 2014

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

CONTRIBUTION, CONVEYANCE AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT

 

This Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated as of January 21, 2014 (this “ Agreement ”), is by and among Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Holdings ”), Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Holdings II ”), Cypress Energy Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ OLLC ”), Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ General Partner ”), Cypress Energy Partners – SBG, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ CEP SBG ”), Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ CEP-TIR ”), Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ TIR ”), Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr., Ms. Cynthia Field, Mr. G. Les Austin and Mr. Richard Carson. The above-named entities and individuals are sometimes referred to in this Agreement each as a “ Party ” and collectively as the “ Parties .” Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in Article I .

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS , the General Partner and Holdings II have formed the Partnership, pursuant to the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “ Delaware LP Act ”), for the purpose of engaging in any business activity that is approved by the General Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware LP Act.

 

WHEREAS , in order to accomplish the objectives and purposes in the preceding recital, each of the following actions has been taken prior to the date hereof:

 

1. Holdings II formed the General Partner under the terms of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “ Delaware LLC Act ”), and contributed to the General Partner $1,000 in exchange for all of the limited liability company interests in the General Partner.

 

2. The General Partner and Holdings II formed the Partnership under the terms of the Delaware LP Act and contributed $0 and $1,000 to the Partnership, respectively, in exchange for a 0% non-economic general partner interest and a 100% limited partner interest, respectively, in the Partnership.

 

3. SBG Disposal, LLC, a North Dakota limited liability company (“ SBG Disposal ”), contributed its working capital and fixed assets, a 25% ownership interest in Alati Arnegard, LLC, a North Dakota limited liability company, and management contracts related to various saltwater disposal facilities to Cypress Energy Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, in exchange for a 49% limited liability company interest in Cypress Energy Services, LLC and $500,000.

 

4. Effective December 23, 2013, all of the employees of SBG Disposal were transferred to and became employees of Cypress Energy Management – Bakken Operations, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

5. Holdings borrowed $52.5 million under the Holdings Credit Facility.

 

 
 

 

6. Holdings contributed $52.2 million to Cypress Energy Investments, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

7. Cypress Energy Investments, LLC contributed $52.2 million to CEP-TIR.

 

8. CEP-TIR formed TIR under the terms of the Delaware LLC Act and contributed to TIR $1,000 in exchange for all of the limited liability company interests in TIR.

 

9. CEP-TIR formed Tulsa Inspection Resources Holdings, LLC (“ TIR Holdings ”) under the terms of the Delaware LLC Act and contributed to TIR Holdings $1,000 in exchange for all of the limited liability company interests in TIR Holdings.

 

10. Tulsa Inspection Resources – Canada, Inc., a corporation organized under the Canada Business Corporations Act, continued as a corporation (“ TIR-Canada Inc. ”) under the Alberta Business Corporations Act (the “ ABC Act ”).

 

11. TIR-Canada Inc. converted to an Alberta unlimited liability corporation named Tulsa Inspection Resources – Canada ULC (“ TIR-Canada ”).

 

12. Tulsa Inspection Resources – Nondestructive Examination, Inc. converted to a Delaware limited liability company named Tulsa Inspection Resources – Nondestructive Examination, LLC (“ TIR-NDE ”).

 

13. Tulsa Inspection Resources, Inc., an Oklahoma corporation (“ TIR Inc. ”), merged with and into TIR with TIR surviving and with, in connection with the merger, (i) certain minority shareholders receiving cash totaling $14.8 million in exchange for 27.88% of the issued and outstanding shares of TIR Inc., (ii) CEP-TIR receiving limited liability company interests representing a 70.43% interest in TIR in exchange for approximately 36.04% of the shares of TIR Inc., (iii) Cynthia Field receiving limited liability company interests representing a 8.10% interest in TIR in exchange for approximately 9.88% of the shares of TIR Inc. and (iv) Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. receiving limited liability company interests representing a 21.47% interest in TIR in exchange for approximately 26.20% of the shares of TIR Inc.

 

14. TIR distributed (i) limited liability company interests representing a 70.43% interest in TIR-NDE and 70.43% of the shares in each of TIR-Canada and Tulsa Inspection Resources – Acquisition Corp. (“ TIR-Acquisition ”), a corporation under the ABC Act to CEP-TIR, (ii) limited liability company interests representing a 8.10% interest in TIR-NDE and 8.10% of the shares in each of TIR-Canada and TIR-Acquisition to Cynthia Field and (iii) limited liability company interests representing a 21.47% interest in TIR-NDE and 21.47% of the shares in each of TIR-Canada and TIR-Acquisition to Charles C. Stephenson, Jr.

 

15. CEP-TIR conveyed its shares in TIR-Canada and TIR-Acquisition to TIR Holdings in exchange for limited liability company interests representing a 72.52% interest in TIR Holdings.

 

 
 

 

16. Cynthia Field conveyed her shares in TIR-Canada and TIR-Acquisition to TIR Holdings in exchange for limited liability company interests representing a 6.01% interest in TIR Holdings.

 

17. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. conveyed his shares in TIR-Canada and TIR-Acquisition to TIR Holdings in exchange for limited liability company interests representing a 21.47% interest in TIR Holdings.

 

18. TIR-Acquisition converted to an Alberta unlimited liability corporation named Tulsa Inspection Resources – Acquisition ULC.

 

19. Foley Inspection Services Inc. converted to an Alberta unlimited liability corporation named Foley Inspection Services ULC (“ Foley ”).

 

20. G. Les Austin conveyed his Class C Interests in the OLLC to Holdings in exchange for limited liability company interests in Holdings equal to the current value of his Class C Interests in the OLLC.

 

21. Richard Carson conveyed his Class C Interests in the OLLC to Holdings in exchange for limited liability company interests in Holdings equal to the current value of his Class C Interests in the OLLC.

 

22. The Partnership, TIR, CEP-TIR and the OLLC entered into (i) a new $65.0 million working capital facility to finance the carrying of accounts receivable, to pay fees and expenses to the agents and the lenders party thereto, to refinance all or a portion of the existing TIR credit facilities and for other corporate purposes (the “ Working Capital Facility ”) and (ii) a new $55.0 million acquisition facility to refinance all or a portion of the existing TIR credit facilities and for making permitted acquisitions and capital expenditures (the “ Acquisition Facility ”).

 

23. TIR borrowed a total of $75 million under the Working Capital Facility and the Acquisition Facility and repaid $59.0 million of indebtedness owed to TIR Capital Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

24. Foley amalgamated with TIR-Acquisition with the surviving entity named Foley Inspection Services ULC.

 

25. Cypress Energy Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ CEM ”), formed Cypress Energy Management – TIR, LLC (“ CEM TIR ”), under the Delaware LLC Act and contributed to CEM TIR $1,000 in exchange for all of the limited liability company interests in CEM TIR.

 

26. TIR formed Tulsa Inspection Resources - PUC, LLC (“ TIR PUC ”), under the Delaware LLC Act and contributed to TIR PUC $1,000 in exchange for all of the limited liability company interests in TIR PUC. TIR PUC’s election with the Internal Revenue Service (“ IRS ”) on Form 8832 to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes became effective on the date of formation of TIR PUC.

 

 
 

 

WHEREAS , concurrently with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, each of the following transactions will occur at the times specified herein:

 

1. CEP SBG will distribute its 100% limited liability company interest in SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, a Montana limited liability company, and Cypress Energy Partners – Prairie Lakes SWD, LLC (“ Prairie Lakes LLC ”), a North Dakota limited liability company (together, the “ SBG Distribution Interest ”), to the OLLC.

 

2. The OLLC will distribute its 100% limited liability company interest in (i) SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, (ii) Prairie Lakes LLC, (iii) Cypress Equipment, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and (iv) Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (together, the “ OLLC Distribution Interest ”), to Holdings II.

 

3. Holdings II will distribute its 100% limited liability company interest in (i) SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, (ii) Prairie Lakes LLC, (iii) Cypress Equipment, LLC, and (iv) Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC (together, the “ Holdings II Distribution Interest ”), to Holdings.

 

4. The Partnership will issue 100% of the Incentive Distribution Rights in the Partnership to the General Partner.

 

5. Holdings II will convey 100% of its Class A Interest in the OLLC to the Partnership, as a capital contribution, in exchange for (i) 671,250 Common Units representing a 5.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership, (ii) 4,939,299 Sub Units representing a 41.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership (excluding Sub Units to be transferred to G. Les Austin and Richard Carson), and (iii) the right to receive $80,212,500 in proceeds of the initial public offering, all of which will reimburse Holdings II for certain capital expenditures incurred with respect to the contributed assets.

 

6. CEP-TIR will convey an approximate 36.2% interest in each of TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings (together, the “ CEP-TIR Contribution Interest ”) to the Partnership, as a capital contribution, in exchange for (i) 673,400 Common Units representing a 5.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership and (ii) 673,400 Sub Units representing a 5.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

 

7. Cynthia Field will convey an approximate 3.0% interest in each of TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings (together, the “ CF Contribution Interest ”) to the Partnership, as a capital contribution, in exchange for (i) 57,450 Common Units representing a 0.50% limited partner interest in the Partnership and (ii) 57,450 Sub Units representing a 0.50% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

 

8. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. will convey an approximate 10.7% interest in each of TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings (together, the “ CS Contribution Interest ”) to the Partnership, as a capital contribution, in exchange for (i) 198,400 Common Units representing a 1.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership and (ii) 198,400 Sub Units representing a 1.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

 

 
 

 

9. The public, through the Underwriters, will contribute $86,250,000 in cash to the Partnership, as a capital contribution, in exchange for 4,312,500 Common Units, including 562,500 Common Units to be issued pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option, representing a 36.4% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

 

10. The Partnership will (i) pay the Structuring Fee, (ii) pay the Underwriters’ discount of $5,606,250 and (iii) distribute $80,212,500 to Holdings II (the “ Holdings II Equity Distribution ”) in satisfaction of its right to a reimbursement of certain capital expenditures incurred with respect to the contributed assets.

 

11. The Partnership will pay transaction expenses related to the offering, estimated to be $3.0 million, out of operating cash flow existing on its balance sheet.

 

12. The Partnership will convey its 50.1% limited liability company interests in each of TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings (together, the “ Partnership TIR Contribution Interest ”) to the OLLC as a capital contribution.

 

13. The Partnership will redeem the initial limited partner interests of Holdings II and will refund Holding II’s initial contribution of $1,000, as well as any interest or other profit that may have resulted from the investment or other use of such initial capital contribution to Holdings II, in proportion to such initial contribution.

 

14. Holdings will convey its 100% limited liability company interest in CEM to Holdings II as a capital contribution.

 

15. Holdings II will convey its 100% limited liability company interest in CEM to the General Partner as a capital contribution.

 

16. Holdings II will distribute 44,451 Sub Units representing an approximate 0.4% limited partner interest in the Partnership to Holdings that will be sufficient for Holdings to redeem all of G. Les Austin’s and Richard Carson’s limited liability company interests in Holdings.

 

17. Holdings will distribute the Sub Units representing limited partner interest in the Partnership received from Holdings II to G. Les Austin in complete redemption of his interest in Holdings.

 

18. Holdings will distribute the Sub Units representing limited partner interest in the Partnership received from Holdings II to Richard Carson in complete redemption of his interest in Holdings.

 

WHEREAS, the members, partners or stockholders of the Parties have taken all partnership, limited liability company or corporate action, as the case may be, required to approve the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

 
 

 

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual covenants, representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

 

The terms set forth below in this Article I shall have the meanings ascribed to them below or in the part of this Agreement referred to below:

 

ABC Act ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

Acquisition Facility ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

CEM ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

CEM Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14 .

 

CEM TIR ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

CEP SBG ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

CEP-TIR ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

CEP-TIR Contribution Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

CES LLC Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2 .

 

CF Contribution Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Class A Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the OLLC Agreement.

 

Class C Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the OLLC Agreement.

 

Commission ” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Common Units ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Partnership Agreement.

 

CS Contribution Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Cypress Equipment Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2 .

 

Delaware LLC Act ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Delaware LP Act ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Effective Time ” means immediately prior to the closing of the initial public offering pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.

 

 
 

 

Foley ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

General Partner ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

Holdings ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

Holdings II ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

Holdings Credit Facility ” means the $35 million credit facility with JPMorgan Bank entered into by Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC on November 6, 2012.

 

Holdings II Distribution Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Holdings II Equity Distribution ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Incentive Distribution Rights ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Partnership Agreement.

 

IRS ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

OLLC ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

OLLC Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5 .

 

OLLC Distribution Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Over-Allotment Option ” means the option given to the Underwriters to purchase Additional Units (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) pursuant to Section 2(b) of the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Partnership ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

Partnership Agreement ” means the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. dated as of January 21, 2014.

 

Partnership TIR Contribution Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Party ” and “ Parties ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

Prairie Lakes Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.

 

Prairie Lakes LLC ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission (Registration No. 333-192328), as amended and effective at the Effective Time.

 

SBG Disposal ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

 
 

 

SBG Distribution Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

SBG Sheridan Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1 .

 

Structuring Fee ” means a fee for certain advisory services equal to $375,000 pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement payable to Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated.

 

Sub Units ” has the meaning assigned to “Subordinated Units” in the Partnership Agreement.

 

TIR ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

 

TIR-Acquisition ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

TIR Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6 .

 

TIR-Canada ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

TIR-Canada Inc. ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

TIR Holdings ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

TIR Holdings Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6 .

 

TIR Inc. ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

TIR-NDE ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

TIR-NDE Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6 .

 

TIR PUC ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

Underwriters ” means those underwriters listed on Schedule A to the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Underwriting Agreement ” means that certain Underwriting Agreement by and among Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated and BMO Capital Markets Corp., as representatives of the Underwriters, the General Partner, the Partnership, CEP-TIR and OLLC, dated as of January 14, 2014.

 

Working Capital Facility ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

 
 

 

ARTICLE II
CONTRIBUTION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

Unless otherwise indicated, the following shall be completed either at the Effective Time or immediately following the Effective Time in the order set forth herein:

 

Section 2.1             Distribution by CEP SBG of the SBG Distribution Interest to the OLLC . CEP SBG hereby distributes, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to the OLLC, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to its (i) 100% limited liability company interest in SBG Sheridan Facility LLC and (ii) 100% limited liability company interest in Prairie Lakes LLC. The OLLC hereby accepts the SBG Distribution Interest. Notwithstanding anything in the Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, dated as of January 1, 2013 (the “ SBG Sheridan Agreement ”), or the Amended and Restated Member Control Agreement of Prairie Lakes LLC, dated as of January 1, 2013 (the “ Prairie Lakes Agreement ”), to the contrary, pursuant to this distribution (i) the OLLC is hereby admitted as the sole member of both SBG Sheridan Facility LLC and Prairie Lakes LLC and agrees that it is bound by the SBG Sheridan Agreement and the Prairie Lakes Agreement, (ii) CEP SBG hereby ceases to be the sole member of both SBG Sheridan Facility LLC and Prairie Lakes LLC immediately following the OLLC’s admission as described in (i), and (iii) SBG Sheridan Facility LLC and Prairie Lakes LLC hereby continue without dissolution with the OLLC as the sole member of each.

 

Section 2.2             Distribution by the OLLC of the OLLC Distribution Interest to Holdings II . The OLLC hereby distributes, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to Holdings II, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to its (i) 100% limited liability company interest in SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, (ii) 100% limited liability company interest in Prairie Lakes LLC, (iii) 100% limited liability company interest in Cypress Equipment, LLC, and (iv) 100% limited liability company interest in Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC. Holdings II hereby accepts the OLLC Distribution Interest. Notwithstanding anything in the SBG Sheridan Agreement, the Prairie Lakes Agreement, the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Cypress Equipment, LLC dated as of March 15, 2013 (the “ Cypress Equipment Agreement ”), or the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC, dated as of March 15, 2012 (the “ CES LLC Agreement ”), to the contrary, as applicable, pursuant to this distribution (i) Holdings II is hereby admitted as a member of each of SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, Prairie Lakes LLC, Cypress Equipment, LLC and Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC and agrees that it is bound by the SBG Sheridan Agreement, the Prairie Lakes Agreement, the Cypress Equipment Agreement and the CES LLC Agreement, (ii) the OLLC hereby ceases to be a member of each of SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, Prairie Lakes LLC, Cypress Equipment, LLC and Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC immediately following Holdings II’s admission to each as described in (i), and (iii) SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, Prairie Lakes LLC, Cypress Equipment, LLC and Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC all hereby continue without dissolution with Holdings II as the sole member of each.

 

 
 

 

Section 2.3             Distribution by Holdings II of the Holdings II Distribution Interest to Holdings . Holdings II hereby distributes, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to Holdings, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to its (i) 100% limited liability company interest in SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, (ii) 100% limited liability company interest in Prairie Lakes LLC, (iii) 100% limited liability company interest in Cypress Equipment, LLC, and (iv) 100% limited liability company interest in Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC. Holdings hereby accepts the Holdings II Distribution Interest. Notwithstanding anything in the SBG Sheridan Agreement, the Prairie Lakes Agreement, the Cypress Equipment Agreement or the CES LLC Agreement to the contrary, as applicable, pursuant to this distribution (i) Holdings is hereby admitted as a member of each of SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, Prairie Lakes LLC, Cypress Equipment, LLC and Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC and agrees that it is bound by the SBG Sheridan Agreement, the Prairie Lakes Agreement, the Cypress Equipment Agreement and the CES LLC Agreement, (ii) Holdings II hereby ceases to be a member of each of SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, Prairie Lakes LLC, Cypress Equipment, LLC and Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC immediately following Holdings’ admission to each as described in (i), and (iii) SBG Sheridan Facility LLC, Prairie Lakes LLC, Cypress Equipment, LLC and Cypress Energy Solutions, LLC all hereby continue without dissolution with Holdings as the sole member of each.

 

Section 2.4             Issuance of Incentive Distribution Rights to the General Partner . The Partnership agrees to issue 100% of its Incentive Distribution Rights to the General Partner.

 

Section 2.5             Contribution by Holdings II of 100% of its Class A Interest in the OLLC to the Partnership . Holdings II hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to the Partnership, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to its 100% Class A Interest in the OLLC, as a capital contribution, in exchange for (i) 671,250 Common Units representing a 5.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership, (ii) 4,983,750 Sub Units representing a 41.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership, of which 30,143 Sub Units will be transferred to G. Les Austin and 14,308 Sub Units will be transferred to Richard Carson, and (iii) the right to receive $80,212,500 in proceeds of the initial public offering, all of which is to reimburse it for certain capital expenditures incurred with respect to the contributed assets. The Partnership hereby accepts the 100% Class A Interest in the OLLC. Notwithstanding anything in the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the OLLC, dated as of December 31, 2012 (the “ OLLC Agreement ”), to the contrary, pursuant to this contribution (i) the Partnership is hereby admitted as a member of the OLLC and agrees that it is bound by the OLLC Agreement, (ii) Holdings II hereby ceases to be a member of the OLLC immediately following the Partnership’s admission as described in (i), and (iii) the OLLC hereby continues without dissolution with the Partnership as the sole member.

 

Section 2.6             Contribution by CEP-TIR of the CEP-TIR Contribution Interest to the Partnership . CEP-TIR hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to the Partnership, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to a (i) 36.3% limited liability company interest in TIR, (ii) 36.3% limited liability company interest in TIR-NDE, and (iii) 36.3% limited liability company interest in TIR Holdings, as a capital contribution, in exchange for (i) 673,400 Common Units representing a 5.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership, and (ii) 673,400 Sub Units representing a 5.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership. The Partnership hereby accepts the CEP-TIR Contribution Interest. Notwithstanding anything in the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC, dated as of November 20, 2013 (the “ TIR Agreement ”), the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of TIR-NDE, dated as of December 20, 2013 (the “ TIR-NDE Agreement ”), or the Limited Liability Company Agreement of TIR Holdings, dated December 3, 2013 (the “ TIR Holdings Agreement ”), to the contrary, as applicable, pursuant to this contribution, (i) the Partnership is hereby admitted as a member of each of TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings and agrees that it is bound by the TIR Agreement, the TIR-NDE Agreement and the TIR Holdings Agreement, and (ii) TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings hereby all continue without dissolution with the Partnership as a member.

 

 
 

 

Section 2.7             Contribution by Cynthia Field of the CF Contribution Interest to the Partnership . Cynthia Field hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to the Partnership, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to a (i) 2.9% limited liability company interest in TIR, (ii) 2.9% limited liability company interest in TIR-NDE, and (iii) 2.9% limited liability company interest in TIR Holdings, as a capital contribution, in exchange for (i) 57,450 Common Units representing a 0.50% limited partner interest in the Partnership, and (ii) 57,450 Sub Units representing a 0.50% limited partner interest in the Partnership. The Partnership hereby accepts the CF Contribution Interest. Notwithstanding anything in the TIR Agreement, the TIR-NDE Agreement or the TIR Holdings Agreement to the contrary, as applicable, pursuant to this contribution, (i) the Partnership is hereby admitted as a member of each of TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings and agrees that it is bound by the TIR Agreement, the TIR-NDE Agreement and the TIR Holdings Agreement, and (ii) TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings hereby all continue without dissolution with the Partnership as a member.

 

Section 2.8             Contribution by Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. of the CS Contribution Interest to the Partnership . Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to the Partnership, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to a (i) 10.8% limited liability company interest in TIR, (ii) 10.8% limited liability company interest in TIR-NDE, and (iii) 10.8% limited liability company interest in TIR Holdings, as a capital contribution, in exchange for (i) 198,400 Common Units representing a 1.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership, and (ii) 198,400 Sub Units representing a 1.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership. The Partnership hereby accepts the CS Contribution Interest. Notwithstanding anything in the TIR Agreement, the TIR-NDE Agreement or TIR Holdings Agreement to the contrary, as applicable, pursuant to this contribution, (i) the Partnership is hereby admitted as a member of each of TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings and agrees that it is bound by the TIR Agreement, the TIR-NDE Agreement and the TIR Holdings Agreement, and (ii) TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings hereby all continue without dissolution with the Partnership as a member.

 

Section 2.9             Public Cash Contribution . The Parties acknowledge that, in connection with the initial public offering, public investors, through the Underwriters, have made a capital contribution to the Partnership of approximately $75 million in cash ($69.75 million net to the Partnership after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions of $5.25 million and the Structuring Fee) in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of 3,750,000 Common Units, representing a 31.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

 

Section 2.10         Payment of Transaction Costs . The Parties acknowledge the payment by the Partnership of transaction expenses in the amount of approximately $3.0 million from operating cash flow on the Partnership’s balance sheet.

 

Section 2.11         Contribution by the Partnership of the Partnership TIR Contribution Interest to the OLLC . The Partnership hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to the OLLC, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to the Partnership’s (i) 50.1% limited liability company interest in TIR, (ii) 50.1% limited liability company interest in TIR-NDE, and (iii) 50.1% limited liability company interest in TIR Holdings. The OLLC hereby accepts the Partnership TIR Contribution Interest, as a capital contribution. Notwithstanding anything in the TIR Agreement, the TIR-NDE Agreement or the TIR Holdings Agreement to the contrary, as applicable, pursuant to this contribution, (i) the OLLC is hereby admitted as a member of each of TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings and agrees that it is bound by the TIR Agreement, the TIR-NDE Agreement and the TIR Holdings Agreement, (ii) the Partnership ceases to be a member of each of TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings immediately following the OLLC’s admission to each as described in (i), and (iii) TIR, TIR-NDE and TIR Holdings hereby all continue without dissolution with the OLLC as a member.

 

 
 

 

Section 2.12         Distribution of Equity Distribution . The Partnership hereby distributes the Holdings II Equity Distribution to Holdings II in satisfaction of its right to a reimbursement of capital expenditures incurred with respect to the contributed assets.

 

Section 2.13         Redemption of Holdings II Initial Limited Partner Interests . For and in consideration of the redemption by the Partnership of $1,000 to Holdings II as a refund of its initial capital contributions to the Partnership, along with 100% of any interest or profit that resulted from the investment or other use of such capital contribution, the Partnership hereby redeems all of the initial limited partner interests of Holdings II.

 

Section 2.14         Contribution by Holdings of its 100% limited liability company interest in CEM to Holdings II . Holdings hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to Holdings II, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to Holdings’ 100% limited liability company interest in CEM. Holdings II hereby accepts the 100% limited liability company interest in CEM, as a capital contribution. Notwithstanding anything in the Limited Liability Company Agreement of CEM, dated as of August 15, 2012 (the “ CEM Agreement ”), to the contrary, as applicable, pursuant to this contribution, (i) Holdings II is hereby admitted as sole member of CEM and agrees that it is bound by the CEM Agreement, as sole member of CEM, (ii) Holdings ceases to be a member of CEM immediately following Holdings II’s admission to each as described in (i), and (iii) CEM hereby continues without dissolution with Holdings II as the sole member.

 

Section 2.15         Contribution by Holdings II of its 100% limited liability company interest in CEM to the General Partner . Holdings II hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to the General Partner, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to Holding II’s 100% limited liability company interest in CEM. The General Partner hereby accepts the 100% limited liability company interest in CEM, as a capital contribution. Notwithstanding anything in the CEM Agreement to the contrary, as applicable, pursuant to this contribution, (i) the General Partner is hereby admitted as sole member of CEM and agrees that it is bound by the CEM Agreement, as sole member of CEM, (ii) Holdings II ceases to be a member of CEM immediately following the General Partner’s admission to each as described in (i), and (iii) CEM hereby continues without dissolution with the General Partner as the sole member.

 

 
 

 

Section 2.16         Distribution by Holdings II of Sub Units in the Partnership to Holdings . Holdings II hereby distributes, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to Holdings, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to 44,451 Sub Units representing an approximate 0.4% limited partner interest in the Partnership, all of which will be used to completely redeem the limited liability company interests in Holdings held by G. Les Austin and Richard Carson. Holdings hereby accepts the 0.4% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

 

Section 2.17         Redemption of G. Les Austin Limited Liability Company Interest in Holdings . Holdings hereby distributes, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to G. Les Austin, his successors and his assigns, for his and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to 30,143 Sub Units representing an approximate 0.3% limited partner interest in the Partnership, in complete redemption of the limited liability company interests in Holdings held by G. Les Austin. G. Les Austin hereby accepts the 0.3% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

 

Section 2.18         Redemption of Richard Carson Limited Liability Company Interest in Holdings . Holdings hereby distributes, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to Richard Carson, his successors and his assigns, for his and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to 14,308 Sub Units representing an approximate 0.1% limited partner interest in the Partnership, in complete redemption of the limited liability company interests in Holdings held by Richard Carson. Richard Carson hereby accepts the 0.1% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

 

Section 2.19         Form 8832 Election by TIR PUC . TIR PUC hereby agrees to file with the IRS an election on Form 8832 electing to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes to be effective prior to the Effective Time.

 

ARTICLE III
ADDITIONAL TRANSACTIONS

 

On January 17, 2014, the Underwriters provided notice that they would exercise the Over-Allotment Option in whole. The Underwriters will contribute additional cash to the Partnership in exchange for an additional 562,500 Common Units on the basis of the initial public offering price per Common Unit set forth in the Registration Statement less the amount of underwriting discounts and the Structuring Fee, and the Partnership shall use all of the net proceeds from that exercise to make a cash distribution to Holdings.

 

ARTICLE IV
FURTHER ASSURANCES

 

From time to time after the Effective Time, and without any further consideration, the Parties agree to execute, acknowledge and deliver all such additional deeds, assignments, bills of sale, conveyances, instruments, notices, releases, acquittances and other documents, and to do all such other acts and things, all in accordance with applicable law, as may be necessary or appropriate (i) more fully to assure that the applicable Parties own all of the properties, rights, titles, interests, estates, remedies, powers and privileges granted by this Agreement, or which are intended to be so granted, (ii) more fully and effectively to vest in the applicable Parties and their respective successors and assigns beneficial and record title to the interests contributed and assigned by this Agreement or intended to be so and (iii) more fully and effectively to carry out the purposes and intent of this Agreement.

 

 
 

 

ARTICLE V
EFFECTIVE TIME

 

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, none of the provisions of Article II of this Agreement shall be operative or have any effect until the Effective Time, at which time all the provisions of Article II of this Agreement shall be effective and operative in accordance with Article VI , without further action by any Party hereto.

 

ARTICLE VI
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 6.1              Order of Completion of Transactions . The transactions provided for in Article II and Article III of this Agreement shall each be completed immediately following the Effective Time.

 

Section 6.2               Headings; References; Interpretation . All Article and Section headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be deemed to control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement, shall refer to this Agreement as a whole, including, without limitation, all Schedules and Exhibits attached hereto, and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. All references herein to Articles, Sections, Schedules and Exhibits shall, unless the context requires a different construction, be deemed to be references to the Articles and Sections of this Agreement and the Schedules and Exhibits attached hereto, and all such Schedules and Exhibits attached hereto are hereby incorporated herein and made a part hereof for all purposes. All personal pronouns used in this Agreement, whether used in the masculine, feminine or neuter gender shall include all other genders, and the singular shall include the plural and vice versa. The use herein of the word “including” following any general statement, term or matter shall not be construed to limit such statement, term or matter to the specific items or matters set forth immediately following such word or to similar items or matters, whether or not non-limiting language (such as “without limitation”, “but not limited to”, or words of similar import) is used with reference thereto, but rather shall be deemed to refer to all other items or matters that could reasonably fall within the broadest possible scope of such general statement, term or matter.

 

Section 6.3              Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and assigns.

 

Section 6.4             No Third Party Rights . The provisions of this Agreement are intended to bind the Parties as to each other and are not intended to and do not create rights in any other person or confer upon any other person any benefits, rights or remedies, and no person is or is intended to be a third party beneficiary of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

 
 

 

Section 6.5             Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all signatory Parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

Section 6.6             Choice of Law . This Agreement shall be subject to and governed by the laws of the state of Delaware. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT THIS AGREEMENT INVOLVES AT LEAST U.S. $100,000 AND THAT THIS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN ENTERED INTO IN EXPRESS RELIANCE UPON 6 Del. C. § 2708. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES (i) TO BE SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE AND OF THE FEDERAL COURTS SITTING IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, AND (ii) TO THE EXTENT SUCH PARTY IS NOT OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, TO APPOINT AND MAINTAIN AN AGENT IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE AS SUCH PARTY’S AGENT FOR ACCEPTANCE OF LEGAL PROCESS AND TO NOTIFY THE OTHER PARTIES OF THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF SUCH AGENT.

 

Section 6.7             Severability . If any of the provisions of this Agreement are held by any court of competent jurisdiction to contravene, or to be invalid under, the laws of any political body having jurisdiction over the subject matter hereof, such contravention or invalidity shall not invalidate the entire Agreement. Instead, this Agreement shall be construed as if it did not contain the particular provisions or provisions held to be invalid and an equitable adjustment shall be made and necessary provision added so as to give effect to the intention of the Parties as expressed in this Agreement at the time of execution of this Agreement.

 

Section 6.8             Amendment or Modification . This Agreement may be amended or modified from time to time only by the written agreement of all the Parties. Each such instrument shall be reduced to writing and shall be designated on its face as an amendment to this Agreement.

 

Section 6.9             Integration . This Agreement and the instruments referenced herein supersede all previous understandings or agreements among the Parties, whether oral or written, with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and such instruments. This Agreement and such instruments contain the entire understanding of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no unwritten oral agreements between the parties. No understanding, representation, promise or agreement, whether oral or written, is intended to be or shall be included in or form part of this Agreement unless it is contained in a written amendment hereto executed by the parties hereto after the date of this Agreement.

 

Section 6.10            Deed; Bill of Sale; Assignment . To the extent required and permitted by applicable law, this Agreement shall also constitute a “deed,” “bill of sale” or “assignment” of the assets and interests referenced herein.

 

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

 

 
 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties to this Agreement have caused it to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

  

  CYPRESS ENERGY HOLDINGS, LLC    
           
           
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin    
    Name: G. Les Austin    
    Title:   Chief Financial Officer    
           
  CYPRESS ENERGY HOLDINGS II, LLC    
           
           
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin    
    Name: G. Les Austin    
    Title: Chief Financial Officer, Vice    
               President, Secretary and Treasurer    
           
  CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, LLC    
           
           
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin    
    Name: G. Les Austin    
    Title: Chief Financial Officer, Vice    
      President and Treasurer    
           
  CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS GP, LLC    
           
           
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin    
    Name: G. Les Austin    
    Title: Vice President and Chief Financial    
               Officer    

 

  CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.  
           
  By: CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS GP, LLC  
    its general partner    
           
    By: /s/ G. Les Austin  
      Name: G. Les Austin  
      Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer  
                    

   

Signature Pages to Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement

 

 
 

 

  CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS – SBG, LLC  
         
         
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin  
    Name: G. Les Austin  
    Title: Chief Financial Officer, Vice  
      President, Secretary and Treasurer  
         
  CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS – TIR, LLC  
         
         
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin  
    Name: G. Les Austin  
    Title: Chief Financial Officer, Vice  
      President, Secretary and Treasurer  
         
  TULSA INSPECTION RESOURCES, LLC  
         
         
  By: /s/ Richard Carson  
    Name: Richard Carson  
    Title:   Secretary  
         
  MR. CHARLES C. STEPHENSON, JR.  
         
         
    /s/ Charles C. Stephenson, Jr.  
         
  MS. CYNTHIA FIELD  
         
         
    /s/ Cynthia Field  
         
  MR. G. LES AUSTIN  
         
         
    /s/ G. Les Austin  
         
  MR. RICHARD CARSON  
         
         
    /s/ Richard Carson  

 

Signature Pages to Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OMNIBUS AGREEMENT

 

among

 

CYPRESS ENERGY HOLDINGS, LLC,

 

CYPRESS ENERGY MANAGEMENT, LLC,

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, LLC

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.,

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS GP, LLC

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS – TIR, LLC

 

FOLEY INSPECTION SERVICES ULC

 

TULSA INSPECTION RESOURCES, LLC

 

TULSA INSPECTION RESOURCES – CANADA ULC

 

TULSA INSPECTION RESOURCES HOLDINGS, LLC

 

TULSA INSPECTION RESOURCES – NONDESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION, LLC

 

MR. CHARLES C. STEPHENSON, JR.

 

AND

 

MS. CYNTHIA FIELD

 

January 21, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

OMNIBUS AGREEMENT

 

This OMNIBUS AGREEMENT is entered into on, and effective as of, the Closing Date (as defined herein) among Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Cypress Holdings”), Cypress Energy Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“CEM”), Cypress Energy Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “OLLC”), Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “General Partner”), Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“CEP TIR”), Foley Inspection Services ULC, an Alberta, Canada unlimited liability corporation (“Foley”), Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“TIR”), Tulsa Inspection Resources – Canada ULC, an Alberta, Canada unlimited liability corporation (“TIR Canada”), Tulsa Inspection Resources Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“TIR Holdings”). Tulsa Inspection Resources –Nondestructive Examination, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“NDE”), Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr. and Ms. Cynthia Field. The above-named entities are sometimes referred to in this Agreement (as defined herein) each as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties.”

 

R E C I T A L S:

 

1.                   The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their understanding, as more fully set forth in Article II, with respect to certain indemnification obligations of the Parties to each other.

 

2.                   The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their understanding, as more fully set forth in Article III, with respect to the amount to be paid (a) by the Partnership for the centralized overhead services to be performed by the General Partner and its Affiliates (as defined herein) for and on behalf of the Partnership Group (as defined herein) and (b) by TIR and the TIR Entities (as defined herein) for certain interest payment and other reimbursements.

 

3.                   The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their understanding, as more fully set forth in Article IV, with respect to the Partnership Group’s right of first offer with respect to the ROFO Assets (as defined herein).

 

4.                   The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their understanding, as more fully set forth in Article V, with respect to the granting of certain licenses between the Parties.

 

1
 

 

In consideration of the premises and the covenants, conditions, and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
Definitions

 

1.1               Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:

 

“Administrative Fee” is defined in Section 3.2(a).

 

“Affiliate” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“Agreement” means this Omnibus Agreement, as it may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

“Assets” means all disposal wells and related facilities and equipment, inspection equipment, storage tanks, offices and related equipment, real estate and other assets, or portions thereof, conveyed, contributed or otherwise transferred or intended to be conveyed, contributed or otherwise transferred pursuant to the Contribution Agreement to any member of the Partnership Group, or owned by, leased by or necessary for the operation of the business, properties or assets of any member of the Partnership Group, prior to or as of the Closing Date.

 

“CEI” is defined in Section 3.4.

 

“CEM” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“CEP TIR” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“Closing Date” means January 21, 2014, the date of the closing of the initial public offering of Common Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership.

 

“Common Unit” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“Conflicts Committee” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“Contribution Agreement” means that certain Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, among the General Partner, the Partnership, Cypress Holdings, Cypress Energy Holdings II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, OLLC, Cypress Energy Partners – SBG, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, CEP TIR, TIR, Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr., Ms. Cynthia Field, Mr. G. Les Austin and Mr. Richard Carson.

 

“control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

 

“Covered Environmental Losses” is defined in Section 2.1(a).

 

“Credit Agreement” means the $120 million secured credit agreement, dated December 24, 2013, by and among the Partnership, the OLLC, CEP TIR, TIR, Deutsche Bank AG, New York Branch, the other lenders party thereto and BMO Harris Bank N.A.

 

2
 

 

“Cypress Entities” means Cypress Holdings and any Person controlled, directly or indirectly, by Cypress Holdings other than the General Partner or a member of the Partnership Group; and “Cypress Entity” means any of the Cypress Entities in their individual capacity.

 

“Cypress Holdings” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“Environmental Deductible” is defined in Section 2.1(a)(iii).

 

“Environmental Laws” means all federal, state, and local laws, statutes, rules, regulations, orders, judgments, ordinances, codes, injunctions, decrees, Environmental Permits and other legally enforceable requirements and rules of common law now or hereafter in effect, relating to (a) pollution or protection of human health, natural resources, wildlife and the environment including, without limitation, the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, the Superfund Amendments Reauthorization Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Air Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Oil Pollution Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, and other environmental conservation and protection laws and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, and any state or local counterparts, each as amended from time to time, and (b) the generation, manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, transport, or handling of any Hazardous Substances.

 

“Environmental Permit” means any permit, approval, identification number, license, registration, certification, consent, exemption, variance or other authorization required under or issued pursuant to any applicable Environmental Law, including applications for renewal of such permits in which the application allows for continued operation under the terms of an expired permit.

 

“Foley” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“General Partner” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“Governmental Authority” means the United States, any foreign country, state, county, city or other incorporated or unincorporated political subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof.

 

“Governmental Requirement” means any law, statute, code, ordinance, order, determination, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, franchise, permit, certificate, license, authorization or other directive or requirement, whether now or hereinafter in effect, including environmental laws, energy regulations and occupational, safety and health standards or controls, of any Governmental Authority.

 

3
 

 

“Hazardous Substance” means (a) any substance, whether solid, liquid, gaseous, semi-solid or any combination thereof, that is designated, defined or classified as a hazardous waste, solid waste, hazardous material, pollutant, contaminant or toxic or hazardous substance, or terms of similar meaning, or that is otherwise regulated under any Environmental Law, including, without limitation, any hazardous substance as defined under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended, and including asbestos and lead-containing paints or coatings, radioactive materials, and polychlorinated biphenyls, and (b) petroleum, oil, gasoline, natural gas, fuel oil, motor oil, waste oil, diesel fuel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum hydrocarbons, solely to the extent regulated under applicable Environmental Laws.

 

“Indemnified Party” means the Partnership Group or the Cypress Entities, as the case may be, in its capacity as the party entitled to indemnification in accordance with Article II.

 

“Indemnifying Party” means either the Partnership Group or Cypress Holdings, as the case may be, in its capacity as the party from whom indemnification may be sought in accordance with Article II.

 

“License” is defined in Section 5.1.

 

“Limited Partner” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“Loan Origination Fee” means the $2.05 million loan origination fee paid in connection with the Fee Letter, dated December 24, 2013 between Deutsche Bank AG, New York Branch and the Partnership.

 

“Losses” means any losses, damages, liabilities, claims, demands, causes of action, judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, court costs and reasonable attorney’s and expert’s fees) of any and every kind or character, known or unknown, fixed or contingent.

 

“Marks” is defined in Section 5.1.

 

“Mediation Notice” is defined in Section 6.3.

 

“NDE” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“OLLC” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“Partnership” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“Partnership Agreement” means the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., dated as of January 21, 2014, as such agreement is in effect on the Closing Date, to which reference is hereby made for all purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Partnership Change of Control” means Cypress Holdings ceases to directly or indirectly control the general partner of the Partnership.

 

“Partnership Group” means the Partnership and any of its Subsidiaries, treated as a single consolidated entity.

 

“Partnership Group Member” means any member of the Partnership Group.

 

“Partnership Indebtedness Interest” means interest expense relating to amounts borrowed under the Credit Agreement.

 

“Partnership Securities” means any equity or debt instrument of the Partnership.

 

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“Party” and “Parties” are defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“Person” means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

 

“Producer Price Index” means the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods, as provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 

“Proposed Transaction” is defined in Section 4.2(a).

 

“Registration Statement” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed by the Partnership with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (Registration No. 333-192328), as amended.

 

“Retained Assets” means all disposal wells and related facilities and equipment, inspection equipment, storage tanks, offices and related equipment, real estate and other assets, or portions thereof, owned by any of the Cypress Entities that were not directly or indirectly conveyed, contributed or otherwise transferred to the Partnership Group pursuant to the Contribution Agreement or the other documents referred to in the Contribution Agreement.

 

“ROFO Assets” means the assets listed on Schedule IV to this Agreement.

 

“ROFO Notice” is defined in Section 4.2(a).

 

“ROFO Period” is defined in Section 4.1(a).

 

“ROFO Response” is defined in Section 4.2(a).

 

“ROFO Response Deadline” is defined in Section 4.2(a).

 

“Subsidiary” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“TIR” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“TIR Canada” is defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

“TIR Entities Non-Controlling Interest Holders” means CEP TIR, Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr., Ms. Cynthia Field and any transferee or other successors in interest thereto, so long as such Person owns, directly or indirectly, an ownership interest in any TIR Entity.

 

“TIR Entities Manager” means the OLLC.

 

“TIR Entity” means collectively TIR, NDE, TIR Canada, TIR Holdings and Foley, and any successor-in-interest thereto.

 

“TIR Majority Interest Holder” means the OLLC.

 

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“TIR Non-Controlling Interest Holders” means CEP TIR, Mr. Charles C. Stephenson, Jr., Ms. Cynthia Field and any transferee or other successors in interest thereto, so long as such person owns, directly or indirectly, an ownership interest in TIR.

 

“TIR Parent” means Tulsa Inspection Resources, Inc., an Oklahoma corporation.

 

“TIR Reorganization” means the purchase of shares of common stock of TIR Parent by CEP TIR and through a series of acquisitions, the merger of TIR Parent with and into TIR, the distribution by TIR of its interest in NDE, TIR Canada and Tulsa Inspection Resources-Acquisition Corp., which directly owned Foley prior to its amalgamation with Foley, to its members, and all other transactions, disputes, claims and expenses related thereto.

 

“TIR Restructuring Indebtedness” means the $10 million of incremental borrowings that would have been required to purchase certain non-controlling interest holders’ interests in TIR, as if such indebtedness had been incurred under the Credit Agreement.

 

“Transfer” means to, directly or indirectly, sell, assign, lease, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of, whether in one or a series of transactions.

 

ARTICLE II
Indemnification

 

2.1               Environmental Indemnification.

 

(a)                 Subject to Section 2.4, Cypress Holdings shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Partnership Group from and against any of the following Losses suffered or incurred by the Partnership Group, directly or indirectly, or as a result of any claim by a third party, by reason of or arising out of the operation or ownership of the Assets prior to the Closing Date:

 

(i)                  any violation or correction of violation of Environmental Laws occurring or arising, in whole or in part, prior to the Closing Date;

 

(ii)                any currently existing environmental event, action, omission, condition or matter or currently pending legal action against the Partnership Group, a true and correct summary of which is described on Schedule I attached hereto; and

 

(iii)              any event, condition, action, omission or matter that has an adverse impact on the environment and is associated with or arising, in whole or in part, from the ownership or operation of the Assets prior to the Closing Date (including, without limitation, the presence of Hazardous Substances on, under, about or migrating to or from the Assets or the disposal or release of Hazardous Substances generated by operation of the Assets at non-Asset locations) including, without limitation, (A) the cost and expense of any required investigation, assessment, evaluation, monitoring, containment, cleanup, repair, restoration, remediation or other corrective action under Environmental Laws, (B) the cost and expense of the preparation and implementation of any closure, remedial, corrective action, or other plans required or necessary under Environmental Laws, and (C) the cost and expense of any environmental or toxic tort pre-trial, trial, or appellate legal or litigation support work; provided, however, Cypress Holdings shall not be obligated to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Partnership Group for a Loss under this Section 2.1(a)(iii) until such time as the aggregate amount of all Losses under this Section 2.1(a)(iii) exceeds $350,000 (the “Environmental Deductible”), at which time Cypress Holdings shall be obligated to indemnify the Partnership Group for the total amount of such Losses in excess of the Environmental Deductible;

 

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provided, however, that with respect to any event, condition or matter under Sections 2.1(a)(iii), Cypress Holdings will be obligated to indemnify the Partnership Group only to the extent that Cypress Holdings is notified in writing of such violation, event, condition or environmental matter on or before the third anniversary of the Closing Date (clauses (i) through (iii) collectively, “Covered Environmental Losses”).

 

(b)                The Partnership Group, jointly and severally, shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Cypress Entities from and against any Losses suffered or incurred by the Cypress Entities, directly or indirectly, or as a result of any claim by a third party, by reason of or arising out of:

 

(i)                  any violation or correction of violation of Environmental Laws associated with or arising, in whole or in part, from the ownership or operation of the Assets occurring on or after the Closing Date; and

 

(ii)                any event, condition or matter associated with or arising, in whole or in part, from the ownership or operation of the Assets on or after the Closing Date (including, but not limited to, the presence of Hazardous Substances on, under, about or migrating to or from the Assets or the disposal or release of Hazardous Substances generated by operation of the Assets at non-Asset locations) that requires investigation, assessment, evaluation, monitoring, containment, cleanup, repair, restoration, remediation or other corrective action under Environmental Laws, including, without limitation, (A) the cost and expense of any such activity, (B) the cost or expense of the preparation and implementation of any closure, remedial, corrective action, or other plans required or necessary under Environmental Laws, and (C) the cost and expense for any environmental or toxic tort pre-trial, trial, or appellate legal or litigation support work, to the extent that any of the foregoing matters under (i) and (ii) are not Covered Environmental Losses for which the Partnership Group is entitled to indemnification from Cypress Holdings under this Article II without giving effect to the Environmental Deductible.

 

2.2               Additional Indemnification.

 

(a)                 In addition to and not in limitation of the indemnification provided under Sections 2.1(a), Cypress Holdings shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Partnership Group from and against any Losses suffered or incurred by the Partnership Group and relating to or arising out of:

 

(i) (A) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement or (B) events, actions, omissions and conditions associated with the ownership or operation of the Assets and occurring prior to the Closing Date (other than Covered Environmental Losses, which are provided for under Section 2.1); provided, however, that such obligation to indemnify will terminate five (5) years after the Closing Date;

 

(ii) any litigation matters attributable to the ownership or operation of the Assets prior to the Closing Date, including the currently pending legal actions against Cypress Holdings set forth on Schedule II attached hereto; provided, however that no indemnification claims may be made against Cypress Holdings for legal matters not identified on Schedule II or otherwise known to Cypress Holdings as of the Closing Date unless the aggregate dollar amount of such Losses suffered or incurred by the Partnership Group exceeds $250,000, after such time Cypress Holdings shall be liable for the full amount of such Losses in excess of $250,000;

 

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(iii) any claims associated with or arising from the Retained Assets following the closing, regardless of whether the events or conditions underlying such claims occurred prior to or following the Closing Date;

 

(iv) all federal, state and local income tax liabilities attributable to the ownership or operation of the Assets prior to the Closing Date, including under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state or local law), and any such income tax liabilities of Cypress Holdings that may result from the consummation of the formation transactions for the Partnership Group and the General Partner occurring on or prior to the Closing Date; provided, however, that such obligation to indemnify will terminate 60 days after the expiration of any applicable statute of limitations;

 

(v) the failure of any Partnership Group Member to have on the Closing Date any title, right of way, consent, license, permit or approval necessary to allow such Partnership Group Member to own or operate the Assets in substantially the same manner that the contributed assets were owned or operated immediately prior to the Closing Date and as described in the Registration Statement; provided, however, that such obligation to indemnify will terminate on the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date; provided, further, no claims may be made against Cypress Holdings for indemnification pursuant this Section 2.2(a)(v) unless the aggregate dollar amount of the Losses suffered or incurred under this Section 2.2(a)(v) by the Partnership Group exceeds $500,000, after such time Cypress Holdings shall be liable for the full amount of such Losses in excess of $500,000; and

 

(vi) any losses suffered or incurred by the Partnership Group and related to, associated with or arising, in whole or part, from the TIR Reorganization.

 

(b)                In addition to and not in limitation of the indemnification provided under Section 2.1(b) or the Partnership Agreement, the Partnership Group, jointly and severally, shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Cypress Entities from and against any Losses suffered or incurred by the Cypress Entities by reason of or arising out of events, actions, omissions and conditions associated with the ownership or operation of the Assets and occurring after the Closing Date (other than Covered Environmental Losses which are provided for under Section 2.1), unless such indemnification would not be permitted under the Partnership Agreement by reason of one of the provisos contained in Section 7.7(a) of the Partnership Agreement.

 

2.3               Indemnification Procedures.

 

(a)                 The Indemnified Party agrees that within a reasonable period of time after it becomes aware of facts giving rise to a claim for indemnification under this Article II, it will provide notice thereof in writing to the Indemnifying Party, specifying the nature of and specific basis for such claim.

 

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(b)                The Indemnifying Party shall have the right to control all aspects of the defense of (and any counterclaims with respect to) any claims brought against the Indemnified Party that are covered by the indemnification under this Article II, including, without limitation, the selection of counsel, determination of whether to appeal any decision of any court and the settling of any such claim or any matter or any issues relating thereto; provided, however, that no such settlement shall be entered into without the consent of the Indemnified Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) unless it includes a full release of the Indemnified Party from such claim or any matter or any issues relating thereto, as the case may be.

 

(c)                 The Indemnified Party agrees to cooperate in good faith with the Indemnifying Party, with respect to all aspects of the defense of and pursuit of any counterclaims with respect to any claims covered by the indemnification under this Article II, including, without limitation, the prompt furnishing to the Indemnifying Party of any correspondence or other notice relating thereto that the Indemnified Party may receive, permitting the name of the Indemnified Party to be utilized in connection with such defense and counterclaims, the making available to the Indemnifying Party of any files, records or other information of the Indemnified Party that the Indemnifying Party considers relevant to such defense and counterclaims, the making available to the Indemnifying Party of any employees of the Indemnified Party and the granting to the Indemnifying Party of reasonable access rights to the properties and facilities of the Indemnified Party; provided, however, that in connection therewith the Indemnifying Party agrees to use reasonable efforts to minimize the impact thereof on the operations of the Indemnified Party and further agrees to maintain the confidentiality of all files, records, and other information furnished by the Indemnified Party pursuant to this Section 2.3. In no event shall the obligation of the Indemnified Party to cooperate with the Indemnifying Party as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence be construed as imposing upon the Indemnified Party an obligation to hire and pay for counsel in connection with the defense of any claims or pursuit of any counterclaims covered by the indemnification set forth in this Article II; provided, however, that the Indemnified Party may, at its own option, cost and expense, hire and pay for counsel in connection with any such defense and counterclaims. The Indemnifying Party agrees to keep any such counsel hired by the Indemnified Party reasonably informed as to the status of any such defense or counterclaim, but the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to retain sole control over such defense and counterclaim so long as the Indemnified Party is still seeking indemnification hereunder.

 

(d)                In determining the amount of any loss, cost, damage or expense for which the Indemnified Party is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, the gross amount of the indemnification will be reduced by (i) any insurance proceeds realized by the Indemnified Party, and such correlative insurance benefit shall be net of any incremental insurance premium that becomes due and payable by the Indemnified Party as a result of such claim and (ii) all amounts recovered by the Indemnified Party under contractual indemnities from third Persons.

 

2.4               Limitations Regarding Indemnification. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING HEREIN TO THE CONTRARY, IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PARTY’S INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATION HEREUNDER COVER OR INCLUDE CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, SPECIAL OR SIMILAR DAMAGES OR LOST PROFITS (INCLUDING ANY DIMINUTION IN VALUE OF ANY PARTY’S RESPECTIVE INVESTMENT IN THE PARTNERSHIP) SUFFERED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, BY ANY OTHER PARTY ENTITLED TO INDEMNIFICATION UNDER THIS AGREEMENT.

 

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ARTICLE III
Services; Indebtedness

 

3.1               Provision of General and Administrative Services. Cypress Holdings agrees to provide, and agrees to cause its Affiliates to provide, on behalf of the General Partner for the Partnership Group’s benefit, all of the centralized overhead services that Cypress Holdings and its Affiliates have traditionally provided in connection with the Assets including, without limitation, the general and administrative services listed on Schedule III to this Agreement, and shall pay on behalf of the Partnership:

 

(a)                 salaries of employees of the General Partner and its Affiliates (other than the Partnership or its Subsidiaries), to the extent such employees perform the foregoing services for the Partnership Group;

 

(b)                the cost of employee benefits relating to employees of the General Partner and its Affiliates (other than the Partnership or its Subsidiaries), including 401(k), pension, bonuses and health insurance benefits (whether through insurance policies provided by third parties or self-insurance), to the extent such employees perform the foregoing services for the Partnership Group;

 

(c)                 all expenses incurred or payments made by the General Partner or its Affiliates for insurance coverage or deductibles with respect to the Assets or the business of the Partnership Group as well as any claims received with respect to the Assets or the business of the Partnership Group; and

 

(d)                all expenses incurred as a result of the Partnership becoming and continuing as a publicly traded entity, including costs associated with filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, independent auditor fees, partnership governance and compliance, registrar and transfer agent fees, tax return and Schedule K-1 preparation and distribution, legal fees and director compensation.

 

3.2               Administrative Fee.

 

(a)                 As consideration for the provision of such services described in Section 3.1 by Cypress Holdings and CEM, the Partnership Group shall pay to Cypress Holdings (i) on or before the tenth business day of the month following the month in which the Closing Date occurs, an amount equal to $10,958.90 a day from and including the Closing Date through the last day of the month in which the Closing Date occurs and (ii) commencing with the first full quarter after the Closing Date, an annual fee (the “Administrative Fee”) of $4,000,000 payable in arrears in equal quarterly installments on or before the tenth business day of each subsequent quarter.

 

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(b)                The Administrative Fee shall be increased annually by the percentage equal to the increase, if any, in the Producer Price Index plus one (1) percent. In the event that (i) the Partnership Group makes any material contribution, acquisition or disposition of assets or businesses, (ii) a change occurs in the scope of services provided to the Partnership Group and the fees related thereto (iii) a change occurs in an applicable Governmental Requirement or (iv) Cypress Holdings and the General Partner (including, if applicable, its Board of Directors or the Conflicts Committee) so agree, then the Administrative Fee shall be appropriately adjusted, after approval by the Conflicts Committee, in order to account for changes in the nature and extent of the general and administrative services provided by Cypress Holdings to the Partnership Group.

 

(c)                 On a quarterly basis, the TIR Entities Manager shall in its sole discretion determine the portion of the Administrative Fee that is allocable to the business of each TIR Entity on the basis of the gross margin contribution of each TIR Entity’s business relative to the other businesses of the Partnership (but excluding the portion of the Administrative Fee that is not related to any business segment of the Partnership), or on such other basis as is determined by the board of directors of the General Partner with the approval of the conflicts committee thereof. Following each such determination, each of the TIR Entities Non-Controlling Interest Holders agrees to pay the TIR Entities Manager the respective share of such fee based on such TIR Entities’ Non-Controlling Interest Holders’ proportionate ownership of the applicable TIR Entity as of the end of the quarter in which the determination is made. Such fee will be paid to the TIR Majority Interest Holder  from cash distributions made by TIR otherwise payable to the TIR Non-Controlling Interest Holders.

 

3.3               Reimbursement and Allocation.

 

(a)                 The Partnership Group shall reimburse Cypress Holdings for all tax costs and expenses incurred or payments made by Cypress Holdings and its Affiliates (other than Partnership Group Members) on behalf of the Partnership Group including all sales, use, excise, value added, margin, franchise or similar taxes, if any, that may be applicable from time to time associated with the ownership and operation of the Assets or with respect to the services provided by the Partnership Group.

 

(b)                Such reimbursements shall be made by the Partnership Group on or before the tenth business day of each quarter following the quarter such costs and expenses are incurred. For the avoidance of doubt, the costs and expenses set forth in this Section 3.3 shall be paid by the Partnership Group in addition to, and not as a part of or included in, the Administrative Fee. As long as the General Partner is an Affiliate of Cypress Holdings, the Partnership and Cypress Holdings may settle the Partnership Group’s financial obligations to Cypress Holdings through Cypress Holdings’ normal inter-affiliate settlement processes.

 

3.4               Limitation on Indebtedness of CEP TIR. Holdings shall not, and shall cause Cypress Energy Investment, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and sole member of CEP TIR (“CEI”) not to, (a) amend, restate, supplement or otherwise modify the purpose of CEP TIR as described in paragraph 4 of the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC dated January 21, 2014 made and entered into by CEI, (b) replace CEI as sole member of CEP TIR or (c) borrow, or cause to be borrowed or receive distributions or cause to be distributed any proceeds from borrowings under any indebtedness incurred by any Partnership Group Member, in each case, without first obtaining Special Approval (as defined in the Partnership Agreement).

 

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3.5               TIR Non-Controlling Interest Holders; Reimbursement. Each of the TIR Non-Controlling Interest Holders agrees to pay to the Partnership a fee equal to each of their (i) pro rata share of interest due on the TIR Restructuring Indebtedness and (ii) the full amount of the amortization expense of the Loan Origination Fee, on the basis of the respective ownership interest in TIR of the TIR Non-Controlling Interest Holders on December 24, 2013. Such fee will be paid to the TIR Majority Interest Holder  in four (4) equal installments from distributions otherwise payable to the TIR Non-Controlling Interest Holders.

 

3.6               TIR Entities Non-Controlling Interest Holders; Reimbursement. On a quarterly basis, the TIR Entities Manager shall in its sole discretion determine the portion of the Partnership Indebtedness Interest that is allocable to the business of each TIR Entity on the basis of the application of the proceeds of such indebtedness, or on such other basis as is determined by the board of directors of the General Partner with the approval of the Conflicts Committee thereof. Following each such determination, each of the TIR Entities Non-Controlling Interest Holders agrees to pay the TIR Entities Manager the share of such interest payment for Partnership Indebtedness Interest that is allocable to the business of each TIR Entity based on such TIR Entities Non-Controlling Interest Holders’ proportionate ownership of the applicable TIR Entity as of the end of the quarter in which the determination is made.

 

ARTICLE IV
Right of First Offer

 

4.1               Right of First Offer to Purchase Certain Assets.

 

(a)                 For the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the earlier of the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date and a Partnership Change of Control (the “ROFO Period”), the Cypress Entities hereby grant to the Partnership Group a right of first offer on any ROFO Asset to the extent that any Cypress Entity proposes to Transfer any ROFO Asset (other than to an Affiliate who agrees in writing that such ROFO Asset remains subject to the provisions of this Article IV and such Affiliate assumes the obligations under this Article IV with respect to such ROFO Asset) or enters into any agreement relating to such Transfer or proposed Transfer of any ROFO Asset during the ROFO Period; provided, however, that Cypress Entities may transfer all or any part of a ROFO Asset to an Affiliate of Cypress Holdings that agrees in writing that such ROFO Asset remains subject to the provisions of this Article IV and such Affiliate assumes in writing the obligations of the Cypress Entities under this Article IV with respect to such ROFO Asset, and such Transfer shall not be subject to the Partnership Group’s right of first offer under this Article IV.

 

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(b)                The Parties acknowledge that any Transfer of ROFO Assets pursuant to the Partnership Group’s right of first offer is subject to the terms of all existing agreements with respect to the ROFO Assets and shall be subject to and conditioned on the obtaining of any and all necessary consents of security holders, governmental authorities, lenders or other third parties.

 

4.2               Procedures.

 

(a)                 In the event a Cypress Entity proposes to Transfer any applicable ROFO Asset (other than to an Affiliate, in accordance with Section 4.1(a)) during the ROFO Period (a “Proposed Transaction”), Cypress Holdings shall, prior to any Cypress Entity entering into any such Proposed Transaction, first give notice in writing to the Partnership Group (the “ROFO Notice”) of the intention to enter into such Proposed Transaction. The ROFO Notice shall include: (i) a description of the ROFO Assets subject to the Proposed Transaction, and (ii) any material terms, conditions and details as would be necessary for a Partnership Group Member to make a responsive offer to enter into the Proposed Transaction with the Cypress Entity, which terms, conditions and details shall at a minimum include any terms, condition or details that Cypress Holdings would propose to provide to non-Affiliates in connection with the Proposed Transaction. If the Partnership Group decides to purchase the ROFO Assets, the Partnership Group shall have 45 days following receipt of the ROFO Notice (the “ROFO Response Deadline”) to propose an offer to enter into the Proposed Transaction with the Cypress Entity (the “ROFO Response”). The ROFO Response shall set forth the terms and conditions (including, without limitation, the purchase price the applicable Partnership Group Member proposes to pay for the ROFO Asset and the other terms of the purchase including, if requested by a Cypress Entity, the terms on which the Partnership Group Member will provide services to the Cypress Entity to enable the Cypress Entity to utilize the applicable ROFO Asset) pursuant to which the Partnership Group would be willing to enter into a binding agreement for the Proposed Transaction. If no ROFO Response is delivered by the Partnership Group by the ROFO Response Deadline, then the Partnership Group shall be deemed to have decided not to purchase the applicable ROFO Assets, and the Partnership Group shall be deemed to have waived its right of first offer with respect to such ROFO Asset, subject to Section 4.2(c).

 

(b)                If Cypress Holdings rejects the ROFO Response or fails to respond to such ROFO Response within 45 days of the receipt thereof, such ROFO Response shall be deemed to have been rejected by Cypress Holdings, and Cypress Holdings shall not be required to enter into an agreement with the applicable Partnership Group Member regarding the Proposed Transaction. If Cypress Holdings accepts the ROFO Response, it will confirm such acceptance in a written notice to the applicable Partnership Group Member upon the terms set forth in the ROFO Response, and, if applicable, the Partnership Group Member shall enter into an agreement with the Cypress Entity setting forth the terms on which the Partnership Group Member will provide services to the Cypress Entity to enable the Cypress Entity to utilize the ROFO Asset. Unless otherwise agreed between Cypress Holdings and the applicable Partnership Group Member, the terms of the purchase and sale agreement will include the following:

 

(i)                  the Partnership Group Member will deliver the agreed purchase price (in cash, Partnership Securities, an interest-bearing promissory note, or any combination thereof);

 

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(ii)                Cypress Holdings will represent that it has title to the ROFO Assets that is sufficient to own and operate the ROFO Assets in accordance with their intended and historical use, subject to all recorded matters and all physical conditions in existence on the closing date for the purchase of the applicable ROFO Asset, plus any other such matters as the Partnership Group Member may approve. If the Partnership Group Member desires to obtain any title insurance with respect to the ROFO Asset, the full cost and expense of obtaining the same (including but not limited to the cost of title examination, document duplication and policy premium) shall be borne by the Partnership Group Member;

 

(iii)              Cypress Holdings will grant to the Partnership Group Member the right, exercisable at the Partnership Group Member’s risk and expense prior to the delivery of the ROFO Response, to make such surveys, tests and inspections of the ROFO Asset as the Partnership Group Member may deem desirable, so long as such surveys, tests or inspections do not damage the ROFO Asset or interfere with the activities of Cypress Holdings;

 

(iv)              Cypress Holdings and the applicable Partnership Group Member shall use commercially reasonable efforts to do or cause to be done all things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to effectuate the consummation of any transactions contemplated by this Section 4.2(b), including causing its respective Affiliates to execute, deliver and perform all documents, notices, amendments, certificates, instruments and consents required in connection therewith; and

 

(v)                neither Cypress Holdings nor the applicable Partnership Group Member shall have any obligation to sell or buy the applicable ROFO Asset if any of the consents referred to in Section 4.1(b) has not been obtained.

 

(c)                 If the Partnership Group has not timely delivered a ROFO Response as specified above with respect to a Proposed Transaction that is subject to a ROFO Notice, or if Cypress Holdings has rejected or is deemed to have rejected a ROFO Response, Cypress Holdings shall be free to enter into a Proposed Transaction with any third party (i) on terms and conditions (excluding those relating to price) that are not more favorable in the aggregate to such third party than those proposed in respect of the Partnership Group in the ROFO Response and (ii) at a price equal to no less than 100% of the price offered by the applicable Partnership Group Member in the ROFO Response to Cypress Holdings; provided, if such Proposed Transaction with a third party shall not have been consummated within the later of (A) 180 days after the ROFO Response Deadline, and (B) 10 days after the satisfaction of all consent, governmental approval or filing requirements, if any, then the ROFO Notice shall be deemed to have lapsed, and Cypress Holdings shall not Transfer any of the ROFO Assets described in the ROFO Notice without complying again with the provisions of this Article IV if and to the extent then applicable.

 

(d)                If requested by the Partnership Group, the Cypress Entities shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any financial statements with respect to any ROFO Assets Transferred pursuant to this Article IV to the extent required under Regulation S-X promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor statute.

 

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ARTICLE V
Licenses of Marks

 

5.1               Grant of License. Upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Article V, Cypress Holdings hereby grants and conveys to the Partnership and each of the entities currently or hereafter comprising a part of the Partnership Group a nontransferable, nonexclusive, royalty-free right and license (the “License”) to use the name “Cypress” and “Tulsa Inspection Resources” and any other associated or related service marks, trademarks, graphics and tradenames owned by Cypress Holdings (collectively, the “Marks”).

 

5.2               Ownership and Quality of Marks. The Partnership, on behalf of itself and the other Partnership Group Members, agrees that ownership of the Marks and the goodwill relating thereto shall remain vested in Cypress Holdings during the term of the License and thereafter. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Partnership agrees, and agrees to cause the other Partnership Group Members, never to challenge, contest or question the validity of Cypress Holdings’ ownership of the Marks or any registration thereof by Cypress Holdings. In connection with the use of the Marks, the Partnership and any other Partnership Group Member shall not in any manner represent that they have any ownership in the Marks or registration thereof. The Partnership, on behalf of itself and the other Partnership Group Members, acknowledges that the use of the Marks shall not create any right, title or interest in or to the Marks, and all use of the Marks by the Partnership or any other Partnership Group Member shall inure to the benefit of Cypress Holdings. The Partnership agrees, and agrees to cause the other Partnership Group Members, to use the Marks in accordance with such quality standards established by Cypress Holdings and communicated to the Partnership Group from time to time, it being understood that the products and services offered by the Partnership Group Members as of the Closing Date are of a quality that is acceptable to Cypress Holdings.

 

5.3               Termination. The License shall terminate upon the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.6.

 

ARTICLE VI
Miscellaneous

 

6.1               Offset; TIR Entities. To the fullest extent permitted by law, at any time when a TIR Entity is to pay or distribute any amount to any of its members, any amounts that a member, in its capacity as a member, then owes to such TIR Entity or another member of such TIR Entity, whether pursuant to this Agreement (including Sections 3.2(c), 3.5 and 3.6), a related agreement or otherwise, may be deducted from the amount to be paid or distributed to each member of such TIR Entity before payment or distribution (with written notice to such member of such offset). To the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event of any amounts that a member of a TIR entity owes to another member of such TIR Entity, the TIR Entities Manager shall promptly distribute such deducted amount to the appropriate member of such TIR Entity.

 

6.2               Choice of Law; Submission to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be subject to and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, excluding any conflicts-of-law rule or principle that might refer the construction or interpretation of this Agreement to the laws of another state. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT THIS AGREEMENT INVOLVES AT LEAST U.S. $100,000 AND THAT THIS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN ENTERED INTO IN EXPRESS RELIANCE UPON 6 Del. C. § 2708. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES (i) TO BE SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE AND OF THE FEDERAL COURTS SITTING IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, AND (ii) TO THE EXTENT SUCH PARTY IS NOT OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, TO APPOINT AND MAINTAIN AN AGENT IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE AS SUCH PARTY’S AGENT FOR ACCEPTANCE OF LEGAL PROCESS AND TO NOTIFY THE OTHER PARTIES OF THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF SUCH AGENT.

 

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6.3               Non-Binding Mediation. If the Parties cannot resolve any dispute or claim arising under this Agreement, then no earlier than 10 days nor more than 60 days following written notice to the other Parties, any Party may initiate mandatory, non-binding mediation hereunder by giving a notice of mediation (a “Mediation Notice”) to the other Parties to the dispute or claim. In connection with any mediation pursuant to this Section 6.3, the mediator shall be jointly appointed by the Parties to the dispute or claim and the mediation shall be conducted in Tulsa, Oklahoma unless otherwise agreed by the Parties to the dispute or claim. All costs and expenses of the mediator appointed pursuant to this Section 6.3 shall be shared equally by the Parties to the dispute or claim. The then-current Model ADR Procedures for Mediation of Business Disputes of the Center for Public Resources, Inc., either as written or as modified by mutual agreement of the Parties to the dispute or claim, shall govern any mediation pursuant to this Section 6.3. In the mediation, each Party to the dispute or claim shall be represented by one or more senior representatives who shall have authority to resolve any disputes. If a dispute or claim has not been resolved within 30 days after the receipt of the Mediation Notice by a Party, then any Party to the dispute or claim may refer the resolution of the dispute or claim to litigation.

 

6.4               Notice. All notices or requests or consents provided for by, or permitted to be given pursuant to, this Agreement must be in writing and must be given by depositing same in the United States mail, addressed to the Person to be notified, postpaid, and registered or certified with return receipt requested or by delivering such notice in person or by facsimile to such Party. Notice given by personal delivery or mail shall be effective upon actual receipt. Notice given by facsimile shall be effective upon actual receipt if received during the recipient’s normal business hours or at the beginning of the recipient’s next business day after receipt if not received during the recipient’s normal business hours. All notices to be sent to a Party pursuant to this Agreement shall be sent to or made at the address set forth below such Party’s signature to this Agreement or at such other address as such Party may stipulate to the other Parties in the manner provided in this Section 6.4.

 

If to the Cypress Entities:

 

Cypress Energy Holdings, LLC
5727 S. Lewis Avenue, Suite 500

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105

Attn: General Counsel and Secretary
Facsimile: (918) 748-3905

 

If to the Partnership Group:

 

Cypress Energy Partners, L.P.
c/o Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, its General Partner
5727 S. Lewis Avenue, Suite 500

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105

Attn: Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Facsimile: (918) 748-3905

 

16
 

 

6.5               Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties relating to the matters contained herein, superseding all prior contracts or agreements, whether oral or written, relating to the matters contained herein.

 

6.6               Termination of Agreement. This Agreement, other than the provisions set forth in Article II hereof, may be terminated by (a) the written agreement of all of the Parties or (b) Cypress Holdings or the Partnership upon a Partnership Change of Control by written notice given to the other Parties to this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Parties’ indemnification obligations under Article II shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, survive the termination of this Agreement in accordance with their respective terms.

 

6.7               Amendment or Modification. This Agreement may be amended or modified from time to time only by the written agreement of all the Parties hereto. Any amendment hereto that the General Partner determines would materially adversely affect the holders of Common Units must be approved by the Conflicts Committee. Each such instrument shall be reduced to writing and shall be designated on its face an “Amendment” or an “Addendum” to this Agreement.

 

6.8               Assignment. No Party shall have the right to assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the consent of the other Parties hereto.

 

6.9               Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all signatory parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission or in portable document format (.pdf) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

 

6.10           Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable by a court or regulatory body of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

6.11           Further Assurances. In connection with this Agreement and all transactions contemplated by this Agreement, each signatory party hereto agrees to execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments and to perform such additional acts as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate, carry out and perform all of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Agreement and all such transactions.

 

17
 

 

6.12           Rights of Limited Partners. The provisions of this Agreement are enforceable solely by the Parties to this Agreement, and no Limited Partner of the Partnership shall have the right, separate and apart from the Partnership, to enforce any provision of this Agreement or to compel any Party to this Agreement to comply with the terms of this Agreement.

 

 

 

[Signature pages follow]

 

18
 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the Parties have executed this Agreement on, and effective as of, the Closing Date.

 

  CYPRESS ENERGY HOLDINGS, LLC  
       
       
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin  
    Name:  G. Les Austin  
    Title:  Chief Financial Officer  
       
       
       
  CYPRESS ENERGY MANAGEMENT, LLC  
       
       
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin  
    Name:  G. Les Austin  
    Title:  Chief Financial Officer, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer  
       
       
       
  CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, LLC  
       
       
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin  
    Name:  G. Les Austin  
    Title:  Chief Financial Officer, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer  
       
       
  CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.  
       
  By: Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC,  
  its general partner  
       
       
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin  
    Name:  G. Les Austin  
    Title:  Vice President and Chief Financial Officer  

 

 

[Signature page to Omnibus Agreement]

 

 
 

 

  CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS GP, LLC  
       
       
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin  
    Name:  G. Les Austin  
    Title:  Vice President and Chief Financial Officer  
       
       
       
  CHARLES C. STEPHENSON, JR.  
       
       
    /s/ Charles C. Stephenson, Jr.  
       
       
       
       
  CYNTHIA FIELD  
       
       
    /s/ Cynthia Field  

 

  

[Signature pages to Omnibus Agreement]

 

 
 

 

  CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS – TIR, LLC  
       
       
  By: /s/ G. Les Austin  
    Name:  G. Les Austin  
    Title:  Chief Financial Officer, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer  
       
       
       
  FOLEY INSPECTION SERVICES ULC  
       
       
  By: /s/ Randall Lorett  
    Name:  Randall Lorett  
    Title:  Chief Executive Officer  
       
       
       
  TULSA INSPECTION RESOURCES, LLC  
       
       
  By: /s/ Richard Carson  
    Name:  Richard Carson  
    Title:  Secretary  
       
       
       
  TULSA INSPECTION RESOURCES – CANADA ULC  
       
       
  By: /s/ Randall Lorett  
    Name:  Randall Lorett  
    Title:  Chief Executive Officer  
       
       
       
  TULSA INSPECTION RESOURCES – HOLDINGS, LLC  
       
       
  By: /s/ Richard Carson  
    Name:  Richard Carson  
    Title:  Secretary  

 

 

[Signature pages to Omnibus Agreement]

  

 
 

 

  TULSA INSPECTION RESOURCES – NONDESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION, LLC  
       
       
  By: /s/ Richard Carson  
    Name:  Richard Carson  
    Title:  Secretary  

 

 

[Signature pages to Omnibus Agreement]

 

 
 

 

Schedule I
Pending Environmental Issues

 

None

 

 
 

 

Schedule II
Pending Litigation

 

None

 

 
 

 

Schedule III
General and Administrative Services

 

(1) Executive services
(2) Financial and administrative services (including, but not limited to, treasury and accounting)
(3) Information technology services
(4) Legal services
(5) Corporate Health, safety and environmental services
(6) Human resources services
(7) Procurement services
(8) Corporate engineering services
(9) Business development services
(10) Investor relations
(11) Tax matters
(12) Insurance coverage

 

 
 

 

Schedule IV
ROFO Assets

 

(1) Any assets used in, or entities engaged primarily in, providing saltwater disposal and other water environmental services to U.S. onshore oil and natural gas producers and trucking companies in the U.S.
(2) Any assets or entities currently owned by or acquired from SBG Energy Services, LLC
(3) Any assets used in, or entities engaged primarily in, providing pipeline inspection and integrity services
(4) Additional equity interest in Cypress Energy Partners – TIR, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources – Nondestructive Examination, LLC, Tulsa Inspection Resources – Canada ULC and Foley Inspection Services ULC.

  

 

 

 

CYPRESS ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.
2013 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

 

SECTION 1. Purpose of the Plan .

 

This Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) has been adopted by Cypress Energy Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”), the general partner of Cypress Energy Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”). The Plan is intended to promote the interests of the Partnership and the Company by providing incentive compensation awards denominated in or based on Units to Employees, Consultants and Directors to encourage superior performance. The Plan is also intended to enhance the ability of the Partnership, the Company and their Affiliates to attract and retain the services of individuals who are essential for the growth and profitability of the Partnership, the Company and their Affiliates and to encourage them to devote their best efforts to advancing the business of the Partnership, the Company and their Affiliates.

 

SECTION 2. Definitions .

 

As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

ASC Topic 718 ” means Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation , or any successor accounting standard.

 

Award ” means an Option, Restricted Unit, Phantom Unit, DER, Substitute Award, Unit Appreciation Right, Unit Award or Profits Interest Unit granted under the Plan.

 

Award Agreement ” means the written or electronic agreement by which an Award shall be evidenced and which agreement may include a separate plan, policy, agreement or other written document.

 

Board ” means the board of directors or board of managers, as the case may be, of the Company.

 

Cause ” means, unless otherwise set forth in an Award Agreement or other written agreement between the Company and the applicable Participant, a finding by the Committee, before or after the Participant’s termination of Service, of: (i) any material failure by the Participant to perform the Participant’s duties and responsibilities under any written agreement between the Participant and the Company or its Affiliate(s); (ii) any act of fraud, embezzlement, theft or misappropriation by the Participant relating to the Company, the Partnership or any of their Affiliates; (iii) the Participant’s commission of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude; (iv) any gross negligence or intentional misconduct on the part of the Participant in the conduct of the Participant’s duties and responsibilities with the Company or any Affiliate(s) of the Company or which adversely affects the image, reputation or business of the Company, the Partnership or their Affiliates; or (v) any material breach by the Participant of any agreement between the Company or any of its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Participant on the other. The findings and decision of the Committee with respect to such matter, including those regarding the acts of the Participant and the impact thereof, will be final for all purposes.

 

 
 

 

Change in Control ” means, and shall be deemed to have occurred upon one or more of the following events:

 

(i) any “person” or “group” within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company (as determined immediately prior to such event), shall become the beneficial owner, by way of merger, acquisition, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or otherwise, of 50% or more of the combined voting power of the equity interests in the Company or the Partnership;

 

(ii) the limited partners of the Partnership approve, in one or a series of transactions, a plan of complete liquidation of the Partnership;

 

(iii) the sale or other disposition by either the Company or the Partnership of all or substantially all of the Company’s or the Partnership’s assets, respectively, in one or more transactions to any Person other than the Company, the Partnership or an Affiliate of the Company or of the Partnership; or

 

(iv) a transaction resulting in a Person other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company (as determined immediately prior to such event) being the sole general partner of the Partnership.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award which provides for the deferral of compensation subject to Section 409A or such compensation would otherwise would be subject to Section 409A, the transaction or event described in subsection (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above with respect to such Award must also constitute a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5), and as relates to the holder of such Award, to the extent required to comply with Section 409A .

 

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Committee ” means the Board, except that it shall mean such committee of the Board as may be appointed by the Board to administer the Plan, or as necessary to comply with applicable legal requirements or listing standards.

 

Consultant ” means an individual who renders consulting services to the Company, the Partnership or any of their Affiliates.

 

DER ” means a distribution equivalent right, representing a contingent right to receive an amount in cash, Units, Restricted Units and/or Phantom Units equal in value to the distributions made by the Partnership with respect to a Unit during the period such Award is outstanding.

 

- 2 -
 

 

Director ” means a member of the board of directors or board of managers, as the case may be, of the Company, the Partnership or any of their Affiliates who is not an Employee or a Consultant (other than in that individual’s capacity as a Director).

 

Disability ” means, unless otherwise set forth in an Award Agreement or other written agreement between the Company, the Partnership or one of their Affiliates and the applicable Participant, as determined by the Committee in its discretion exercised in good faith, a physical or mental condition of a Participant that would entitle him or her to payment of disability income payments under the Company’s, the Partnership’s or one of their Affiliates’ long-term disability insurance policy or plan, as applicable, for employees as then in effect; or in the event that a Participant is not covered, for whatever reason, under any such long-term disability insurance policy or plan for employees of the Company, the Partnership or one of their Affiliates or the Company, the Partnership or one of their Affiliates does not maintain such a long-term disability insurance policy, “Disability” means a total and permanent disability within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code; provided, however, that if a Disability constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award which provides for the deferral of compensation subject to Section 409A or such compensation would otherwise would be subject to Section 409A, then, to the extent required to comply with Section 409A, the Participant must also be considered “disabled” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(C) of the Code. A determination of Disability may be made by a physician selected or approved by the Committee and, in this respect, Participants shall submit to an examination by such physician upon request by the Committee.

 

Employee ” means an employee of the Company, the Partnership or any of their Affiliates.

 

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Fair Market Value ” means, as of any given date, the closing sales price on such date during normal trading hours (or, if there are no reported sales on such date, on the last date prior to such date on which there were sales) of the Units on the New York Stock Exchange or, if not listed on such exchange, on any other national securities exchange on which the Units are listed or on an inter-dealer quotation system, in any case, as reported in such source as the Committee shall select. If there is no regular public trading market for the Units, the Fair Market Value of the Units shall be determined by the Committee in good faith and, to the extent applicable, in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A.

 

Option ” means an option to purchase Units granted pursuant to Section 6(a) of the Plan.

 

Other Unit-Based Award ” means an award granted pursuant to Section 6(f) of the Plan.

 

Participant ” means an Employee, Consultant or Director granted an Award under the Plan and any authorized transferee of such individual.

 

Partnership Agreement ” means the Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership , as it may be amended or amended and restated from time to time.

 

- 3 -
 

 

Person ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) thereof.

 

Phantom Unit ” means a notional interest granted under the Plan that, to the extent vested, entitles the Participant to receive a Unit or an amount of cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a Unit, as determined by the Committee in its discretion.

 

Profits Interest Unit ” means to the extent authorized by the Partnership Agreement, an interest in the Partnership that is intended to constitute a “profits interest” within the meaning of the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, and any published guidance by the Internal Revenue Service with respect thereto.

 

Restricted Period ” means the period established by the Committee with respect to an Award during which the Award remains subject to forfeiture and is either not exercisable by or payable to the Participant, as the case may be.

 

Restricted Unit ” means a Unit granted pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Plan that is subject to a Restricted Period.

 

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor thereto.

 

Section 409A ” means Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury Regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be amended or issued after the Effective Date (as defined in Section 9 below).

 

Service ” means service as an Employee, Consultant or Director. The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to terminations of Service, including, without limitation, the questions of whether and when a termination of Service occurred and/or resulted from a discharge for Cause, and all questions of whether particular changes in status or leaves of absence constitute a termination of Service. The Committee, in its sole discretion, subject to the terms of any applicable Award Agreement, may determine that a termination of Service has not occurred in the event of (a) a termination where there is simultaneous commencement by the Participant of a relationship with the Partnership, the Company or any of their Affiliates as an Employee, Director or Consultant or (b) a termination which results in a temporary severance of the service relationship.

 

Substitute Award ” means an award granted pursuant to Section 6(g) of the Plan.

 

Unit ” means a Common Unit of the Partnership.

 

Unit Appreciation Right ” or “ UAR ” means a contingent right that entitles the holder to receive the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Unit on the exercise date of the UAR over the exercise price of the UAR.

 

- 4 -
 

 

Unit Award ” means an award granted pursuant to Section 6(d) of the Plan.

 

SECTION 3. Administration .

 

(a) The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, subject to subsection (b) below; provided, however, that in the event that the Board is not also serving as the Committee, the Board, in its sole discretion, may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee under the Plan. The governance of the Committee shall be subject to the charter, if any, of the Committee as approved by the Board. Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, the Committee shall have full power and authority to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of Units to be covered by Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, or forfeited; (vi) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to an Award made under the Plan; (vii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and (viii) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan. The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or an Award Agreement in such manner and to such extent as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all Persons, including the Company, the Partnership, any of their Affiliates, any Participant and any beneficiary of any Participant.

 

(b) To the extent permitted by applicable law and the rules of any securities exchange on which the Units are listed, quoted or traded, the Board or Committee may from time to time delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board or one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant or amend Awards or to take other administrative actions pursuant to Section 3(a); provided, however, that in no event shall an officer of the Company be delegated the authority to grant awards to, or amend awards held by, the following individuals: (i) individuals who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, or (ii) officers of the Company (or Directors) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder; provided, further, that any delegation of administrative authority shall only be permitted to the extent that it is permissible under applicable provisions of the Code and applicable securities laws and the rules of any securities exchange on which the Units are listed, quoted or traded. Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to such restrictions and limitations as the Board or Committee, as applicable, specifies at the time of such delegation, and the Board or Committee, as applicable, may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint a new delegatee. At all times, the delegatee appointed under this Section 3(b) shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Board and the Committee.

 

- 5 -
 

 

SECTION 4. Units .

 

(a) Limits on Units Deliverable . Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c), the number of Units that may be delivered with respect to Awards under the Plan is One Million One Hundred Eighty Two Thousand Six Hundred (1,182,600). If any Award is forfeited, cancelled, exercised, paid, or otherwise terminates or expires without the actual delivery of Units pursuant to such Award (for the avoidance of doubt, the grant of Restricted Units is not a delivery of Units for this purpose unless and until such Restricted Units vest and any restrictions placed upon them under the Plan lapse), the Units subject to such Award that are not actually delivered pursuant to such Award shall again be available for Awards under the Plan. To the extent permitted by applicable law and securities exchange rules, Substitute Awards and Units issued in assumption of, or in substitution for, any outstanding awards of any entity (including an existing Affiliate of the Partnership) that is (or whose securities are) acquired in any form by the Partnership or any Affiliate thereof shall not be counted against the Units available for issuance pursuant to the Plan. There shall not be any limitation on the number of Awards that may be paid in cash.

 

(b) Sources of Units Deliverable Under Awards . Any Units delivered pursuant to an Award shall consist, in whole or in part, of Units acquired in the open market, from the Partnership, any Affiliate thereof or any other Person, or Units otherwise issuable by the Partnership, or any combination of the foregoing, as determined by the Committee in its discretion.

 

(c) Anti-dilution Adjustments .

 

(i) Equity Restructuring . With respect to any “equity restructuring” event (within the meaning of ASC Topic 718) that could result in an additional compensation expense to the Company or the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of ASC Topic 718 if adjustments to Awards with respect to such event were discretionary, the Committee shall equitably adjust the number and type of Units covered by each outstanding Award and the terms and conditions, including the exercise price and performance criteria (if any), of such Award to equitably reflect such event and shall adjust the number and type of Units (or other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan after such event. With respect to any other similar event that would not result in an ASC Topic 718 accounting charge if the adjustment to Awards with respect to such event were subject to discretionary action, the Committee shall have complete discretion to adjust Awards and the number and type of Units (or other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan in such manner as it deems appropriate with respect to such other event.

 

(ii) Other Changes in Capitalization . In the event of any non-cash distribution, Unit split, combination or exchange of Units, merger, consolidation or distribution (other than normal cash distributions) of Partnership assets to unitholders, or any other change affecting the Units of the Partnership, other than an “equity restructuring,” the Committee may make equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to (A) the aggregate number and kind of Units that may be issued under the Plan; (B) the number and kind of Units (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards; (C) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and (D) the grant or exercise price per Unit for any outstanding Awards under the Plan.

 

- 6 -
 

 

SECTION 5. Eligibility .

 

Any Employee, Consultant or Director shall be eligible to be designated a Participant and receive an Award under the Plan.

 

SECTION 6. Awards .

 

(a) Options and UARs . The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Options and/or UARs shall be granted, the number of Units to be covered by each Option or UAR, the exercise price therefor, the Restricted Period and other conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of the Option or UAR, including the following terms and conditions and such additional terms and conditions, as the Committee shall determine, that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan. Options which are intended to comply with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(i)(A) and UARs which are intended to comply with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(i)(B) or, in each case, any successor regulation, may be granted only if the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii), or any successor regulation, are satisfied. Options and UARs that are otherwise exempt from or compliant with Section 409A may be granted to any eligible Employee, Consultant or Director.

 

(i) Exercise Price . The exercise price per Unit purchasable under an Option or subject to a UAR shall be determined by the Committee at the time the Option or UAR is granted but, except with respect to a Substitute Award, may not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Unit as of the date of grant of the Option or UAR.

 

(ii) Time and Method of Exercise . The Committee shall determine the exercise terms and any applicable Restricted Period with respect to an Option or UAR, which may include, without limitation, provisions for accelerated vesting upon the achievement of specified performance goals and/or other events, and the method or methods by which payment of the exercise price with respect to an Option or UAR may be made or deemed to have been made, which may include, without limitation, cash, check acceptable to the Company, withholding Units having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the relevant exercise price from the Award, a “cashless” exercise through procedures approved by the Company, or any combination of the foregoing methods.

 

(iii) Exercise of Options and UARs on Termination of Service . Each Option and UAR Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to exercise the Option or UAR following a termination of the Participant’s Service. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, if the Participant’s Service is terminated for Cause, the Participant’s right to exercise the Option or UAR shall terminate as of the start of business on the effective date of the Participant’s termination. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, to the extent the Option or UAR is not vested and exercisable as of the termination of Service, the Option or UAR shall terminate when the Participant’s Service terminates.

 

- 7 -
 

 

(iv) Term of Options and UARs . The term of each Option and UAR shall be stated in the Award Agreement, provided , that the term shall be no more than ten (10) years from the date of grant thereof.

 

(b) Restricted Units and Phantom Units . The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Restricted Units and/or Phantom Units shall be granted, the number of Restricted Units or Phantom Units to be granted to each such Participant, the applicable Restricted Period, the conditions under which the Restricted Units or Phantom Units may become vested or forfeited and such other terms and conditions, including, without limitation, restrictions on transferability, as the Committee may establish with respect to such Awards.

 

(i) Payment of Phantom Units . The Committee shall specify, or permit the Participant to elect in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A, the conditions and dates or events upon which the cash or Units underlying an award of Phantom Units shall be issued, which dates or events shall not be earlier than the date on which the Phantom Units vest and become nonforfeitable and which conditions and dates or events shall be subject to compliance with Section 409A (unless the Phantom Units are exempt therefrom).

 

(ii) Vesting of Restricted Units . Upon or as soon as reasonably practicable following the vesting of each Restricted Unit, subject to satisfying the tax withholding obligations of Section 8(b), the Participant shall be entitled to have the restrictions removed from his or her Unit certificate (or book-entry account, as applicable) so that the Participant then holds an unrestricted Unit.

 

(c) DERs . The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and/or Directors to whom DERs are granted, whether such DERs are tandem or separate Awards, whether the DERs shall be paid directly to the Participant, be credited to a bookkeeping account (with or without interest in the discretion of the Committee), any vesting restrictions and payment provisions applicable to the DERs, and such other provisions or restrictions as determined by the Committee in its discretion, all of which shall be specified in the applicable Award Agreements. Distributions in respect of DERs shall be credited as of the distribution dates during the period between the date an Award is granted to a Participant and the date such Award vests, is exercised, is distributed or expires, as determined by the Committee. Such DERs shall be converted to cash, Units, Restricted Units and/or Phantom Units by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Committee. Tandem DERs may be subject to the same or different vesting restrictions as the tandem Award, or be subject to such other provisions or restrictions as determined by the Committee in its discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, DERs shall only be paid in a manner that is either exempt from or in compliance with Section 409A.

 

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(d) Unit Awards . Awards of Units may be granted under the Plan (i) to such Employees, Consultants and/or Directors and in such amounts as the Committee, in its discretion, may select, and (ii) subject to such other terms and conditions, including, without limitation, restrictions on transferability, as the Committee may establish with respect to such Awards.

 

(e) Profits Interest Units . Any Award consisting of Profits Interest Units may be granted to an Employee, Consultant or Director for the performance of services to or for the benefit of the Partnership (i) in the Participant’s capacity as a partner of the Partnership, (ii) in anticipation of the Participant becoming a partner of the Partnership, or (iii) as otherwise determined by the Committee. At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify the date or dates on which the Profits Interest Units shall vest and become nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate. Profits Interest Units shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose.

 

(f) Other Unit-Based Awards . Other Unit-Based Awards may be granted under the Plan to such Employees, Consultants and/or Directors as the Committee, in its discretion, may select. An Other Unit-Based Award shall be an award denominated or payable in, valued in or otherwise based on or related to Units, in whole or in part. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of any Other Unit-Based Award. Upon vesting, an Other Unit-Based Award may be paid in cash, Units (including Restricted Units) or any combination thereof as provided in the Award Agreement.

 

(g) Substitute Awards . Awards may be granted under the Plan in substitution of similar awards held by individuals who are or who become Employees, Consultants or Directors in connection with a merger, consolidation or acquisition by the Partnership or an Affiliate of another entity or the securities or assets of another entity (including in connection with the acquisition by the Partnership or one of its Affiliates of additional securities of an entity that is an existing Affiliate of the Partnership). Such Substitute Awards that are Options or UARs may have exercise prices less than the Fair Market Value of a Unit on the date of the substitution if such substitution complies with Section 409A and other applicable laws and securities exchange rules.

 

(h) General .

 

(i) Award Agreements . Each Award shall be evidenced in writing in an Award Agreement that shall reflect any vesting conditions or restrictions imposed by the Committee covering a period of time specified by the Committee and shall also contain such other terms, conditions and limitations as shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Where signature or electronic acceptance of the Award Agreement by the Participant is required, any such Awards for which the Award Agreement is not signed or electronically accepted shall be forfeited.

 

(ii) Forfeitures . Except as otherwise provided in the terms of an Award Agreement, upon termination of a Participant’s Service for any reason during an applicable Restricted Period, all outstanding, unvested Awards held by such Participant shall be automatically forfeited by the Participant. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, the Committee may, in its discretion, waive in whole or in part such forfeiture with respect to any such Award; provided , that any such waiver shall be effective only to the extent that such waiver will not cause (i) any Award intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A to fail to satisfy such requirements or (ii) any Award intended to be exempt from Section 409A to become subject to and to fail to satisfy such requirements.

 

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(iii) Awards May Be Granted Separately or Together . Awards may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution for any other Award granted under the Plan or any award granted under any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or awards granted under any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.

 

(iv) Limits on Transfer of Awards .

 

(A) Except as provided in paragraph (C) below, each Option and UAR shall be exercisable only by the Participant (or the Participant’s legal representative in the case of Participant’s Disability or incapacitation) during the Participant’s lifetime, or by the person to whom the Participant’s rights shall pass by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

 

(B) Except as provided in paragraph (C) below, no Award and no right under any such Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company, the Partnership or any Affiliate.

 

(C) The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement or in its discretion that an Award may, on such terms and conditions as the Committee may from time to time establish, be transferred by a Participant without consideration to any “family member” of the Participant, as defined in the instructions to use of the Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act, as applicable, or any other transferee specifically approved by the Committee after taking into account any state, federal, local or foreign tax and securities laws applicable to transferable Awards. In addition, vested Units may be transferred to the extent permitted by the Partnership Agreement and not otherwise prohibited by the Award Agreement or any other agreement or policy restricting the transfer of such Units.

 

(v) Term of Awards . Subject to Section 6(a)(iv) above, the term of each Award, if any, shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee.

 

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(vi) Unit Certificates . Unless otherwise determined by the Committee or required by any applicable law, rule or regulation, neither the Company nor the Partnership shall deliver to any Participant certificates evidencing Units issued in connection with any Award and instead such Units shall be recorded in the books of the Partnership (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or equity plan administrator). All certificates for Units or other securities of the Partnership delivered under the Plan and all Units issued pursuant to book entry procedures pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations, and/or other requirements of the SEC, any securities exchange upon which such Units or other securities are then listed, and any applicable federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be inscribed on any such certificates or book entry to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

 

(vii) Consideration for Grants . To the extent permitted by applicable law, Awards may be granted for such consideration, including services, as the Committee shall determine.

 

(viii) Delivery of Units or other Securities and Payment by Participant of Consideration . Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, subject to compliance with Section 409A, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates or make any book entries evidencing Units pursuant to the exercise or vesting of any Award, unless and until the Board or the Committee has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance of such Units is in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations of governmental authorities and, if applicable, the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Units are listed or traded, and the Units are covered by an effective registration statement or applicable exemption from registration. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Board or the Committee may require that a Participant make such reasonable covenants, agreements, and representations as the Board or the Committee, in its discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with any such laws, regulations, or requirements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the delivery of Units pursuant to the exercise or vesting of an Award may be deferred for any period during which, in the good faith determination of the Committee, the Company is not reasonably able to obtain or deliver Units pursuant to such Award without violating applicable law or the applicable rules or regulations of any governmental agency or authority or securities exchange. No Units or other securities shall be delivered pursuant to any Award until payment in full of any amount required to be paid pursuant to the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement (including, without limitation, any exercise price or tax withholding) is received by the Company.

 

SECTION 7. Amendment and Termination; Certain Transactions .

 

Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law:

 

(a) Amendments to the Plan . Except as required by applicable law or the rules of the principal securities exchange, if any, on which the Units are traded and subject to Section 7(b) below, the Board or the Committee may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan in any manner at any time for any reason or for no reason without the consent of any partner, Participant, other holder or beneficiary of an Award, or any other Person. The Board shall obtain securityholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary to comply with applicable law or securities exchange listing standards or rules.

 

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(b) Amendments to Awards . Subject to Section 7(a) above, the Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter any Award theretofore granted, provided that no change, other than pursuant to Section 7(c) below, in any Award shall materially reduce the rights or benefits of a Participant with respect to an Award without the consent of such Participant.

 

(c) Actions Upon the Occurrence of Certain Events . Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, any transaction or event described in Section 4(c) above, any change in applicable laws or regulations affecting the Plan or Awards hereunder, or any change in accounting principles affecting the financial statements of the Company or the Partnership, the Committee, in its sole discretion, without the consent of any Participant or holder of an Award, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, which need not be uniform with respect to all Participants or all Awards, may take any one or more of the following actions:

 

(i) provide for either (A) the termination of any Award in exchange for a payment in an amount, if any, equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights under such Award (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of such transaction or event, the Committee determines in good faith that no amount would have been payable upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment) or (B) the replacement of such Award with other rights or property selected by the Committee in its sole discretion having an aggregate value not exceeding the amount that could have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights had such Award been currently exercisable or payable or fully vested;

 

(ii) provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor entity, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or be exchanged for similar options, rights or awards covering the equity of the successor or survivor, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of equity interests and prices;

 

(iii) make adjustments in the number and type of Units (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, the number and kind of outstanding Awards, the terms and conditions of (including the exercise price), and/or the vesting and performance criteria included in, outstanding Awards;

 

(iv) provide that such Award shall vest or become exercisable or payable, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement; and

 

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(v) provide that the Award cannot be exercised or become payable after such event and shall terminate upon such event.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) with respect to an above event that constitutes an “equity restructuring” that would be subject to a compensation expense pursuant to ASC Topic 718, the provisions in Section 4(c) above shall control to the extent they are in conflict with the discretionary provisions of this Section 7, provided, however , that nothing in this Section 7(c) or Section 4(c) above shall be construed as providing any Participant or any beneficiary of an Award any rights with respect to the “time value,” “economic opportunity” or “intrinsic value” of an Award or limiting in any manner the Committee’s actions that may be taken with respect to an Award as set forth in this Section 7 or in Section 4(c) above; and (ii) no action shall be taken under this Section 7 which shall cause an Award to result in taxation under Section 409A, to the extent applicable to such Award.

 

SECTION 8. General Provisions .

 

(a) No Rights to Award . No Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants, including the treatment upon termination of Service or pursuant to Section 7(c). The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient.

 

(b) Tax Withholding . Unless other arrangements have been made that are acceptable to the Company, the Company or any Affiliate thereof is authorized to deduct or withhold, or cause to be deducted or withheld, from any Award, from any payment due or transfer made under any Award, or from any compensation or other amount owing to a Participant the amount (in cash or Units, including Units that would otherwise be issued pursuant to such Award or other property) of any applicable taxes payable in respect of an Award, including its grant, its exercise, the lapse of restrictions thereon, or any payment or transfer thereunder or under the Plan, and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy its withholding obligations for the payment of such taxes. In the event that Units that would otherwise be issued pursuant to an Award are used to satisfy such withholding obligations, the number of Units which may be so withheld or surrendered shall be limited to the number of Units which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding equal to the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income.

 

(c) No Right to Employment or Services . The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ of the Company, the Partnership or any of their Affiliates, or to continue to serve as a Consultant or a Director, as applicable. Furthermore, the Company, the Partnership and/or an Affiliate thereof may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment or consulting free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, any Award Agreement or other written agreement between any such entity and the Participant.

 

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(d) No Rights as Unitholder . Except as otherwise provided herein, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a unitholder with respect to Units covered by any Award unless and until the Participant becomes the record owner of such Units.

 

(e) Section 409A . To the extent that the Committee determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall be drafted with the intention to include the terms and conditions required by Section 409A. To the extent applicable, the Plan and Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date (as defined in Section 9 below), the Committee determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A, the Committee may adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), and/or take any other actions that the Committee determines are necessary or appropriate to preserve the intended tax treatment of the Award, including without limitation, actions intended to (i) exempt the Award from Section 409A, or (ii) comply with the requirements of Section 409A; provided, however, that nothing herein shall create any obligation on the part of the Committee, the Partnership, the Company or any of their Affiliates to adopt any such amendment, policy or procedure or take any such other action, nor shall the Committee, the Partnership, the Company or any of their Affiliates have any liability for failing to do so. If any termination of Service constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award which provides for the deferral of compensation and is subject to Section 409A, such termination of Service must also constitute a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the time of payment with respect to any Award that is subject to Section 409A shall not be accelerated, except as permitted under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(j)(4). Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, if a Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A as of the date of such Participant’s termination of Service and the Company determines that immediate payment of any amounts or benefits under this Plan would cause a violation of Section 409A, then any amounts or benefits which are payable under this Plan upon the Participant’s “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A that: (i) are subject to the provisions of Section 409A; (ii) are not otherwise exempt under Section 409A; and (iii) would otherwise be payable during the first six-month period following such separation from service, shall be paid, without interest, on the first business day next following the earlier of: (1) the date that is six months and one day following the date of termination; or (2) the date of the Participant’s death. Each payment or amount due to a Participant under this Plan shall be considered a separate payment, and a Participant’s entitlement to a series of payments under this Plan is to be treated as an entitlement to a series of separate payments.

 

(f) Lock-Up Agreement . Each Participant shall agree, if so requested by the Company or the Partnership and any underwriter in connection with any public offering of securities of the Partnership or any Affiliate, not to directly or indirectly offer, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of or otherwise dispose of or transfer any Units held by it for such period, not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days following the effective date of the relevant registration statement filed under the Securities Act in connection with such public offering, as such underwriter shall specify reasonably and in good faith. The Company or the Partnership may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to securities subject to the foregoing restrictions until the end of such 180-day period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the 180-day period may be extended for up to such number of additional days as is deemed necessary by such underwriter or the Company or Partnership to continue coverage by research analysts in accordance with FINRA Rule 2711 or any successor rule.

 

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(g) Compliance with Laws . The Plan, the granting and vesting of Awards under the Plan and the issuance and delivery of Units and the payment of money under the Plan or under Awards granted or awarded hereunder are subject to compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules and regulations (including but not limited to state, federal and foreign securities law and margin requirements), the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Units are listed, quoted or traded, and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company or the Partnership, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. Any securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such restrictions, and the Person acquiring such securities shall, if requested by the Company or the Partnership, provide such assurances and representations to the Company or the Partnership as the Company or the Partnership may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all applicable legal requirements. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. In the event an Award is granted to or held by a Participant who is employed or providing services outside the United States, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, modify the provisions of the Plan or of such Award as they pertain to such Participant to comply with applicable foreign law or to recognize differences in local law, currency or tax policy. The Committee may also impose conditions on the grant, issuance, exercise, vesting, settlement or retention of Awards in order to comply with such foreign law and/or to minimize the Company’s or the Partnership’s obligations with respect to tax equalization for Participants employed outside their home country.

 

(h) Governing Law . The validity, construction, and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its conflicts of laws principles.

 

(i) Severability . If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes, or is deemed to be, invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable law or, if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(j) Other Laws . The Committee may refuse to issue or transfer any Units or other consideration under an Award if, in its sole discretion, it determines that the issuance or transfer of such Units or such other consideration might violate any applicable law or regulation, the rules of the principal securities exchange on which the Units are then traded, or entitle the Partnership or an Affiliate to recover the same under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, and any payment tendered to the Company by a Participant, other holder or beneficiary in connection with the exercise of such Award shall be promptly refunded to the relevant Participant, holder or beneficiary.

 

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(k) No Trust or Fund Created . Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company, the Partnership or any of their Affiliates, on the one hand, and a Participant or any other Person, on the other hand. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any general unsecured creditor of the Partnership or any participating Affiliate of the Partnership.

 

(l) No Fractional Units . No fractional Units shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash, other securities, or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Units or whether such fractional Units or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated, or otherwise eliminated.

 

(m) Headings . Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision hereof.

 

(n) No Guarantee of Tax Consequences . None of the Board, the Committee, the Company or the Partnership provides or has provided any tax advice to any Participant or any other Person or makes or has made any assurance, commitment or guarantee that any federal, state, local or other tax treatment will (or will not) apply or be available to any Participant or other Person and assumes no liability with respect to any tax or associated liabilities to which any Participant or other Person may be subject.

 

(o) Clawback . To the extent required by applicable law or any applicable securities exchange listing standards, or as otherwise determined by the Committee, Awards and amounts paid or payable pursuant to or with respect to Awards shall be subject to the provisions of any clawback policy implemented by the Company or the Partnership, which clawback policy may provide for forfeiture, repurchase and/or recoupment of Awards and amounts paid or payable pursuant to or with respect to Awards. Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, the Company and the Partnership reserve the right, without the consent of any Participant, to adopt any such clawback policies and procedures, including such policies and procedures applicable to this Plan or any Award Agreement with retroactive effect.

 

(p) Unit Retention Policy . The Committee may provide in its sole and absolute discretion, subject to applicable law, that any Units received by a Participant in connection with an Award granted hereunder shall be subject to a unit ownership, unit retention or other policy restricting the sale or transfer of units, as the Committee may determine to adopt, amend or terminate in its sole discretion from time to time.

 

(q) Limitation of Liability . No member of the Board or the Committee or Employee to whom the Board or the Committee has delegated authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of this Plan shall be liable for anything done or omitted to be done by him or her by any member of the Board or the Committee or by any Employee in connection with the performance of any duties under this Plan, except for his or her own willful misconduct or as expressly provided by statute.

 

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(r) Facility Payment . Any amounts payable hereunder to any Person under legal disability or who, in the judgment of the Committee, is unable to manage properly his or her financial affairs, may be paid to the legal representative of such Person, or may be applied for the benefit of such Person in any manner that the Committee may select, and the Partnership, the Company and all of their Affiliates shall be relieved of any further liability for payment of such amounts.

 

SECTION 9. Term of the Plan .

 

The Plan shall be effective on the date on which the Plan is adopted by the Board (the “ Effective Date ”) and shall continue until the date terminated by the Board. However, any Award granted prior to such termination, and the authority of the Board or the Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under such Award, shall extend beyond such termination date. The Plan shall, within twelve (12) months after the date of the Board’s initial adoption of the Plan, be submitted for approval by a majority of the outstanding Units of the Partnership entitled to vote.

 

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