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): May 16, 2012

 

 

ROWAN COMPANIES plc

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

England and Wales   1-5491   98-1023315

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

2800 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 5450

Houston, Texas

  77056
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(713) 621-7800

(Registrant’s 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:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ 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.

Underwriting Agreement

On May 16, 2012, Rowan Companies, Inc. (the “Company”) and its parent company, Rowan Companies plc (“Rowan UK”), entered into an underwriting agreement with Citigroup Global Markets Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representative of the several underwriters, relating to the issuance and sale in an underwritten public offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 4.875% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “Notes”), along with the related guarantee of Rowan UK of the Notes on a full and unconditional basis (the “Guarantee” and with the Notes, the “Securities”). The offer and sale of the Securities was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Company’s and Rowan UK’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-181455-01 and 333-181455), which became effective upon filing with the Commission on May 16, 2012. The material terms of the offering are described in the prospectus supplement dated May 16, 2012, which was filed by the Company with the Commission on May 18, 2012.

The underwriting agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements by the Company, Rowan UK and the underwriters, and customary conditions to closing, indemnification obligations of the Company, Rowan UK and the underwriters, including for liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, other obligations of the parties and termination provisions. The foregoing description of the underwriting agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the underwriting agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 1.1 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

The underwriters and certain of their affiliates have provided from time to time, and may provide in the future, certain investment and commercial banking and financial advisory services to Rowan UK and its subsidiaries and affiliates in the ordinary course of business, for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions.

Supplemental Indenture

The information included in Item 2.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation Under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant

On May 21, 2012, the Company and Rowan UK completed the public offering of the Securities. The Notes constitute a new series of debt securities under an indenture dated as of July 21, 2009 (the “Base Indenture”) between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, as amended and supplemented by the fourth supplemental indenture dated as of May 21, 2012 (the “Fourth Supplemental Indenture” and with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”) between the Company, Rowan UK and U.S. Bank National Association, setting forth the specific terms applicable to the Notes and the Guarantee. The description of the Base Indenture and Fourth Supplemental Indenture contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Base Indenture, a copy of which was filed as Exhibit 4.4 of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed on May 16, 2012 and is incorporated by reference herein, and the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 4.2 and is incorporated by reference herein.

Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually on June 1 and December 1 of each year, commencing December 1, 2012. The Notes will mature on June 1, 2022.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of approximately $492.2 million, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses, to replenish cash recently applied to repay approximately $140.2 million aggregate principal amount, associated make-whole premiums and accrued interest under its secured notes guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration, or MarAd, under the Title XI Federal Ship Financing Program and for general corporate purposes, including the repayment in full of the approximately $110.3 million aggregate principal amount, associated make-whole premium and accrued interest under its sole remaining secured note guaranteed by MarAd.

The Company may, at its option, redeem all or part of the Notes at any time or from time to time. At any time prior to March 1, 2022, the Company may redeem any or all of the Notes for an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus a make-whole premium, if any, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. At any time on and after March 1, 2022, the Company may redeem any or all of the Notes for an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.

The Notes are the Company’s senior unsecured obligations and rank senior in right of payment to all of the subordinated indebtedness of the Company and pari passu in right of payment with any of the Company’s existing and future senior indebtedness, including the Company’s 5% Senior Notes due 2017, 7.875% Senior Notes due 2019 and any indebtedness under the Company’s senior revolving credit facility. The Notes rank effectively junior to the Company’s existing and future secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of its assets constituting collateral securing that indebtedness and to all existing and future indebtedness of the Company’s subsidiaries (other than indebtedness and liabilities owed to the Company). The Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by Rowan UK.


The following are events of default with respect to the Notes:

(1) default in the payment of any interest upon the Notes when due and payable that continues for 30 days;

(2) default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on the Notes when due at its maturity, declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise;

(3) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant set forth in Article Ten of the Indenture (other than a covenant for which default or breach is specifically addressed within these events of default) that continues for 60 days after there has been given written notice from the trustee or holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes outstanding specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” under the Indenture;

(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant of the Indenture (other than a covenant in Article Ten of the Indenture and any other covenant for which default or breach is specifically addressed within these events of default) that continues for 120 days after there has been given written notice from the trustee or holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes outstanding specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” under the Indenture;

(5) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization with respect to the Company;

(6) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when due; or

(7) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any current or future debt of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries (as such term is defined in Article I, Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, if such default (a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of or premium, if any, or interest on such debt prior to the expiration of the grace period for such debt on the date of such default, or payment default, or (b) results in the acceleration of such debt prior to its express maturity and in each case described in (a) or (b), the principal amount of such debt, together with the principal amount of any other such debt under which that has been a payment default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates at least $35.0 million.

If an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Notes outstanding may declare the principal amount of the Notes to be due and payable. Upon such a declaration, such principal amount will become due and payable immediately. If an event of default relating to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing, the principal amount of the Notes outstanding will become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holders of the Notes. Under certain circumstances, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes outstanding may rescind any such acceleration with respect to the Notes and its consequences.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit 1.1    Underwriting Agreement dated as of May 16, 2012 among Rowan Companies, Inc., Rowan Companies plc and the underwriters listed therein.
Exhibit 4.1    Indenture for Senior Debt Securities dated as of July 21, 2009 between Rowan Companies, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (included as Exhibit 4.4 of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed on May 16, 2012).
Exhibit 4.2    Fourth Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 21, 2012, among Rowan Companies, Inc., Rowan Companies plc and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.
Exhibit 4.3    Form of 4.875% Senior Note due 2022 (included in Exhibit 4.2 of this Current Report on Form 8-K).
Exhibit 5.1    Opinion of Andrews Kurth LLP.
Exhibit 5.2    Opinion of Baker & McKenzie LLP.


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.

 

Rowan Companies plc
By:   /s/ William H. Wells
 

 

Name:   William H. Wells
Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Date: May 21, 2012


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit 1.1    Underwriting Agreement dated as of May 16, 2012 among Rowan Companies, Inc., Rowan Companies plc and the underwriters listed therein.
Exhibit 4.1    Indenture for Senior Debt Securities dated as of July 21, 2009 between Rowan Companies, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (included as Exhibit 4.4 of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed on May 16, 2012).
Exhibit 4.2    Fourth Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 21, 2012, among Rowan Companies, Inc., Rowan Companies plc and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.
Exhibit 4.3    Form of 4.875% Senior Note due 2022 (included in Exhibit 4.2 of this Current Report on Form 8-K).
Exhibit 5.1    Opinion of Andrews Kurth LLP.
Exhibit 5.2    Opinion of Baker & McKenzie LLP.

Exhibit 1.1

$500,000,000

Rowan Companies, Inc.

4.875% Senior Notes due 2022

Underwriting Agreement

 

 

May 16, 2012

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC


$500,000,000

Rowan Companies, Inc.

4.875% Senior Notes due 2022

Underwriting Agreement

May 16, 2012

C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .

388 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10013

RBC C APITAL M ARKETS , LLC

3 World Financial Center

200 Vesey Street

New York, NY 10281

W ELLS F ARGO S ECURITIES , LLC

301 S. College Street

Charlotte, NC 28288

As Representatives of the several Underwriters

named in Schedule I hereto

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Rowan Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), proposes to issue and sell $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 4.875% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “ Notes ”), guaranteed pursuant to the guarantee (the “ Guarantee ”, and together with the Notes, the “ Securities ”) provided by Rowan Companies plc, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Parent ” and together with the Company, the “ Obligors ”), to the several underwriters named on Schedule I hereto (the “ Underwriters ”), for which Citigroup Global Markets Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as representatives (the “ Representatives ”). The Securities will (i) have terms and provisions that are summarized in the Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time and the Prospectus dated as of the date hereof (each as defined in Section 1(a) hereof) and (ii) be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of July 21, 2009 (the “ Base Indenture ”) between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (the “ Trustee ”), as amended and supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture thereto to be dated as of May 21, 2012 (the “ Supplemental Indenture ”) among the Obligors and the Trustee (such Base Indenture, as so amended and supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture being referred to herein as the “ Indenture ”). This agreement (this “ Agreement ”) is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the Securities from the Obligors by the Underwriters.

1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Obligors . Each of the Obligors jointly and severally represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that:

 

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(a) An “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”)), on Form S-3 in respect of the Securities (File No. 333-181455) (i) has been prepared by the Obligors in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations (the “ Rules and Regulations ”) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) thereunder, in all material respects, (ii) has been filed with the Commission under the Securities Act not earlier than the date that is three years prior to the Closing Date (as defined in Section 2 hereof) and (iii) upon its filing with the Commission, automatically became and is effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto (excluding exhibits to such registration statement but including all documents incorporated by reference in each prospectus contained therein) have been delivered or made available by the Company to the Representatives; and no other document with respect to such registration statement or any such document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the specified meanings:

Applicable Time ” means 3:30 PM (New York City time) on the date of this Agreement;

Base Prospectus ” means the base prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement, in the form in which it has most recently been amended on or prior to the date hereof, relating to the Securities;

Disclosure Package ” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Obligors on or before the Applicable Time and identified on Schedule II hereto, other than a road show that is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus under Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations;

Effective Date ” means any date as of which any part of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto relating to the Securities became, or is deemed to have become, effective under the Securities Act in accordance with the Rules and Regulations (including pursuant to Rule 430B of the Rules and Regulations);

Final Term Sheet ” means the term sheet prepared pursuant to Section 5(a) of this Agreement and substantially in the form as filed on May 16, 2012 pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act;

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus ” means each “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations) prepared by or on behalf of the Obligors or used or referred to by the Company or the Parent in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the Final Term Sheet;

Preliminary Prospectus ” means any preliminary prospectus relating to the Securities, including the Base Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus supplement thereto, included in the Registration Statement or as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations and provided to the Representatives for use by the Underwriters;

 

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Prospectus ” means the final prospectus relating to the Securities, including the Base Prospectus and the final prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Securities, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations and provided to the Representatives for use by the Underwriters; and

Registration Statement ” means, collectively, the various parts of the above-referenced registration statement, each as amended as of the Effective Date for such part, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and all exhibits to such registration statement.

Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” will be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations prior to or on the date hereof (including, for purposes of this Agreement, any documents incorporated by reference therein prior to or on the date of this Agreement). Any reference to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus will be deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Form S-3 under the Securities Act as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. Any reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus will be deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement will be deemed to include any annual report of the Parent on Form 10-K or other report filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the Effective Date that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

(b) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus; and no proceeding for any such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against either Obligor or related to the offering of the Securities has been instituted or threatened by the Commission. The Commission has not issued any order directed to any document incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, and no proceeding has been instituted or threatened by the Commission with respect to any document incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus. The Commission has not notified either Obligor of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration Statement.

(c) The Obligors have been, and continues to be, a “well-known seasoned issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations) and each of the Obligors has not been, and continues not to be, an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations), in each case at all times relevant under the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.

 

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(d) The Registration Statement conformed on the Effective Date and conforms as of the date hereof, and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform when filed, in each case in all material respects, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The most recent Preliminary Prospectus conforms on the date hereof, and the Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, will conform as of its date and as of the Closing Date, in each case in all material respects, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The documents incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the Rules and Regulations, and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the Rules and Regulations.

(e) The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company or the Parent through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein (which information is specified in Section 13 hereof).

(f) The Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company or the Parent through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein (which information is specified in Section 13 hereof).

(g) The Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, will not, as of its date and on the Closing Date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company or the Parent through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein (which information is specified in Section 13 hereof).

(h) The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus did not, and any further documents incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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(i) Each of the Parent and the Parent’s Significant Subsidiaries (as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act) has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing as a public limited company, a corporation or other business entity under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, with all power and authority necessary to conduct the business in which it is engaged or to own or lease its properties; and each of the Parent and the Parent’s Significant Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business and in good standing as a foreign corporation or other business entity in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on (i) the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties or business of the Parent and its Subsidiaries (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations) taken as a whole or (ii) the ability of the Obligors to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture or the Securities, as applicable (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”).

(j) All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary of the Parent that is a corporation have been duly authorized and validly issued, and are fully paid and nonassessable. Except as disclosed in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, all of the outstanding shares of capital stock, partnership interests or other ownership interests of each such Significant Subsidiary are owned directly or indirectly by the Parent, free and clear of any claim, lien, encumbrance, security interest, restriction upon voting or transfer, preemptive rights or any other claim of any third party, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(k) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Obligors.

(l) The Base Indenture has been duly authorized and executed by the Company, and upon execution of the Supplemental Indenture by the Obligors and the Trustee, the Indenture shall be a valid and binding agreement of the Obligors, enforceable against the Obligors in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). The Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized by the Obligors, and upon execution thereof by the Obligors and the Trustee, will be a valid and binding agreement of the Obligors, enforceable against the Obligors in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). The Indenture (i) has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”), (ii) complies as to form with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and (iii) conforms to the description thereof in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(m) The Notes have been duly authorized by the Company and, when executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and delivered

 

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to the Underwriters against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued and delivered, and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and the Notes conform, or will conform, to the description thereof in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Guarantee has been duly authorized by the Parent, and upon execution of the Supplemental Indenture by the Obligors and the Trustee, execution of the Notes by the Company, authentication of the Notes by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and delivery of the Notes to the Underwriters against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Guarantee will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Parent entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Parent in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

(n) None of the execution or delivery of this Agreement by the Company or the Parent, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the execution and delivery of the Indenture and the Notes by the Company, the execution and delivery of the Supplemental Indenture by the Parent, or compliance by the Obligors with all of the provisions of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities, as applicable, will result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any claim, lien, encumbrance or security interest upon any property or asset of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries under, (i) the articles of association, certificate of incorporation, by-laws, partnership agreement or other constitutive documents of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) any loan agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of their properties is subject, or (iii) any law or any rule, regulation, order or decree of any governmental agency or body or court having jurisdiction over the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, except in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) and (iii) to the extent any such violation, breach or default would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(o) Neither the filing of the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus nor the offer or sale of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than those which have been duly waived or satisfied, for or relating to the registration of any securities of the Company or the Parent.

(p) Neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) is in violation or breach of its articles of association, certificate of incorporation, by-laws, partnership agreement or other constitutive documents, except any such violation or breach by any subsidiaries that are not Significant Subsidiaries to the extent any such violation or breach would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) is in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or

 

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observance of any loan agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject, (iii) is in violation of any law or any rule, regulation, order or decree of any governmental agency or body or court having jurisdiction over the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets or (iv) has failed to obtain any license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or permit necessary for the conduct of its business or the ownership or holding of its property, except in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), to the extent any such violation, breach, default or failure would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(q) No consent, approval, order or authorization of any governmental agency or body or court is required in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Indenture or the Notes, except for consents, approvals, orders and authorizations required under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of certain jurisdictions, and except, further, for such consents, approvals, orders and authorizations that have been obtained and are in full force and effect.

(r) There is no contract or document required to be described in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or to a document incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus that is not described or filed as required.

(s) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, management , business or prospects of the Parent and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

(t) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Parent and its Subsidiaries have not (i) incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business or (iii) declared or paid any dividend on capital stock of the Parent.

(u) The industry data and estimates set forth in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Obligors believe to be reliable or represent the Obligor’s good faith estimates based on data derived from such sources.

(v) The financial statements and the notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated and comply as to form in all material respects

 

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with the Rules and Regulations, except as otherwise noted therein; and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all materials respects the information required to be stated therein.

(w) Deloitte & Touche LLP, which have audited certain consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries and which have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and management’s assessment thereof, are an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(x) The Parent and its Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect thereto. The Parent’s internal control over financial reporting is effective, and there are no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in its internal control over financial reporting.

(y)  (i) The Parent and its Subsidiaries have established and maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Parent and its Subsidiaries in the reports they file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management of the Parent and its Subsidiaries, including their respective principal executive officers and principal financial officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure to be made; and (iii) such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.

(z) Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries reviewed or audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP and the audit committee of the board of directors of the Company, (i) neither the Parent nor the Company has been advised of (A) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that could adversely affect the ability of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to record, process, summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal controls and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Parent and each of its Subsidiaries, and (ii) since that date, there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

(aa) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Obligors or any of their respective directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.

 

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(bb) Neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is, and on the Closing Date, after giving effect to the offering of the Securities and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in each of the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, will be, an “ investment company ” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(cc) There is no litigation or legal or governmental proceeding to which the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or to which any property or assets of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is subject or which is pending or, to the knowledge of the Parent, threatened against the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries that (i) if adversely determined, would, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, except as disclosed in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, or (ii) is required to be disclosed in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and is not disclosed.

(dd) Neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or which might cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(ee) The Notes will be pari passu with all existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company. The Guarantee will be pari passu with all existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Parent.

(ff) No labor disturbance by the employees of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Parent, is threatened that would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(gg)  (i) Each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”)) for which each of the Company or any member of the Company’s “ Controlled Group ” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”)) would have any liability (each, a “ Plan ”), has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code; (ii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA, (a) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (b) no “accumulated funding deficiency” (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (c) the fair market value of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan) and (d) neither the Company or any member of the Company’s Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the PBGC in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA); and (iii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, that would cause the loss of such qualification.

 

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(hh) The Parent and its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due thereon, and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, nor does the Parent have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that, if determined adversely to the Parent, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ii) The Parent and its Subsidiaries have such permits, licenses, patents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“ Permits ”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and each of the Parent and its Subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to the Permits, and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder or any such Permits, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(jj) The Parent and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses and have no reason to believe that the conduct of their respective businesses will conflict with, and have not received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of others, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(kk) There has been no storage, disposal, generation, manufacture, refinement, transportation, handling or treatment of toxic wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of the Obligors, any of their predecessors-in-interest) at, upon or from any of the properties now or previously owned or leased by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or that could result in the imposition of liability under any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, except for any violation or remedial action that would not have, and could not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such violations and remedial actions, a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection, escape, dumping or release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic wastes, solid wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances due to or caused by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or with respect to which the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has knowledge, except for any such spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection, escape, dumping or release that would not have, and could not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such spills, discharges, leaks, emissions, injections, escapes, dumpings and releases, a Material Adverse Effect; and the terms “hazardous wastes,” “toxic wastes,” and “hazardous substances” shall have the meanings specified in any applicable local, state, federal and foreign laws or regulations with respect to environmental protection.

 

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(ll) Neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Obligors, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

(mm) The operations of the Parent and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “ Money Laundering Laws ”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Obligors, threatened.

(nn) Neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Obligors, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“ OFAC ”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use, and the Parent will not permit the Company to use, the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

(oo) Except as described in the Disclosure Package, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Disclosure Package, neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has (i) sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, (ii) incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iii) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business, and (iv) since such date, there has not been any change in the long-term debt of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, properties, management, business or prospects of the Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(pp) The Parent and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, except such liens, encumbrances and defects as are described in the Disclosure Package and such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Parent and its Subsidiaries. All assets held under

 

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lease by the Parent or its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such assets by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.

(qq) There are no legal or governmental proceedings or contracts or other documents that would be required to be described in a registration statement filed under the Securities Act or, in the case of documents, would be required to be filed as exhibits to a registration statement of the Obligors pursuant to Item 601(10) of Regulation S-K that have not been described in the Disclosure Package. Neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has knowledge that any other party to any such contract, agreement or arrangement has any intention not to render full performance as contemplated by the terms thereof; and that statements made in the Disclosure Package under the captions “Description of Notes” “Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Guarantees” and “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations”, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of statutes, rules or regulations, legal or governmental proceedings or contracts and other documents, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such statutes, rules and regulations, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents in all material respects.

(rr) The Parent and its Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance from insurers of recognized financial responsibility in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. All policies of insurance of the Parent and its Subsidiaries are in full force and effect; the Parent and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects; and neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance. There are no claims by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; and neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ss) No relationship, direct or indirect, that would be required to be described in a registration statement of the Obligors pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K, exists between or among the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Parent or any of Parent’s Subsidiaries, on the other hand, that has not been described in the Disclosure Package.

(tt) No Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company.

 

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(uu) Neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that could give rise to a valid claim against any of them or the Underwriters for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

(vv) None of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities), will violate or result in a violation of Section 8 of the Exchange Act, or any regulation promulgated thereunder, including, without limitation, Regulations T, U and X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

(ww) The Obligors have not taken any action or omitted to take any action (such as issuing any press release relating to any Securities without an appropriate legend) which may result in the loss by any of the Underwriters of the ability to rely on any stabilization safe harbor provided by the Financial Services Authority under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “ FSMA ”).

(xx) The Obligors acknowledge that, in accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Obligors, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

(yy) The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly present the information called for in all material respects and have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

For purposes of this Section 1, as well as for Section 6 hereof, references to “the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus” or “the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus” are to each of the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, as the case may be, and the Prospectus as separate or stand-alone documentation (and not the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, as the case may be, and the Prospectus taken together), so that representations, warranties, agreements, conditions and legal opinions will be made, given or measured independently in respect of each of the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, as the case may be, and the Prospectus.

2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters . Subject to the terms and conditions and upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a price equal to 98.683% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from May 21, 2012, the principal amount of the Notes (and the related Guarantee) set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.

3. Delivery of and Payment for the Securities . Delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of Mayer Brown LLP, 700 Louisiana, Suite 3400, Houston, Texas 77002,

 

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or at such place or places as mutually may be agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriters, at 10:00 A.M., Houston, Texas time, on May 21, 2012 or on such later date not more than seven Business Days after such date as may be determined by the Representatives and the Company (the “ Closing Date ”).

Delivery of the Securities will be made to the Representatives by or on behalf of the Obligors against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of immediately available funds. Delivery of the Securities will be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives otherwise instruct. Delivery of the Securities at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of each Underwriter.

4. Covenants of the Obligors . The Obligors, jointly and severally, covenant and agree with each Underwriter that:

(a) The Obligors (i) will prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and file the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations within the time period prescribed by such Rule; (ii) will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or file any document under the Exchange Act before the termination of the offering of the Securities by the Underwriters if such document would be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, which filing is not consented to by the Representatives after reasonable notice thereof (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); (iii) will advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been filed and will furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; (iv) will prepare the Final Term Sheet approved by the Representatives and file the Final Term Sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations with required legending and within the time period prescribed by such Rule; (v) will advise the Representatives promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission or any state or other regulatory body of any stop order or any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, suspending or preventing the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or suspending the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act, of receipt by the Company or the Parent from the Commission of any notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information; and (vi) will use their best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or other such order or any such notice of objection and, if a stop order or other such order is issued or any such notice of objection is received, to obtain as soon as possible the lifting or withdrawal thereof.

(b) The Obligors will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the request of the Representatives, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that, in the opinion of the Representatives, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the offering of the Securities.

 

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(c) The Obligors will furnish to the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters such number of conformed copies of the Registration Statement, as originally filed and each amendment thereto (excluding exhibits other than this Agreement), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Term Sheet and any other Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to any of such documents (including any document filed under the Exchange Act and deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus), in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request.

(d) During the period in which the Prospectus relating to the Securities (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Rules and Regulations) is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, the Obligors will comply with all requirements imposed upon them by the Securities Act and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in force, so far as is necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities as contemplated by the provisions of this Agreement and by the Prospectus. If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or file any document to comply with the Securities Act, the Company or the Parent will promptly notify the Representatives and will, subject to Section 4(a) hereof, amend the Registration Statement, amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, or file any document (in each case, at the expense of the Obligors) so as to correct such statement or omission or to effect such compliance, and will furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many written and electronic copies of any such amendment or supplement as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request.

(e) As soon as practicable, the Company or the Parent will make generally available to its security holders and the Underwriters an earnings statement (which need not be audited) satisfying the requirements of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations.

(f) The Obligors will, whether or not this Agreement is terminated or the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters is consummated, pay all fees, expenses, costs and charges in connection with: (i) the preparation, printing, filing, registration, delivery and shipping of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto; (ii) the printing, producing, copying and delivering this Agreement, the Indenture, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other agreements, memoranda, correspondence and other documents printed and delivered in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) the services of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm; (iv) the services of the Company’s counsel; (v) the qualification of the Securities under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 4(l) hereof and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters); (vi) any rating of the Notes by rating agencies; (vii) any required review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority of the terms

 

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of the sale of the Securities (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters); (viii) the services of the Trustee and any agent of the Trustee (including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee); (ix) any “road show” or other investor presentations relating to the offering of the Securities (including, without limitation, for meetings, travel and one-half the cost of private aircraft rental); and (x) otherwise incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section 4(f). It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section 4(f) or Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters and any advertising expenses incurred in connection with the offering of the Securities as well as one-half the cost of private aircraft rental for the “road show” or other investor presentations. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated by reason of acts of the Company or the Parent or changes in circumstances of the Company or the Parent pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, or by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company or the Parent to perform any agreement on their part to be performed or because any other condition of the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder is not fulfilled or if the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement (other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters pursuant to Section 9 hereof), the Company or the Parent will reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable out-of-pocket disbursements (including fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with any investigation or preparation made by them in respect of the marketing of the Securities or in contemplation of the performance by them of their obligations hereunder.

(g) Until completion of the distribution of the Securities, the Company will timely file all reports, documents and amendments to previously filed documents required to be filed by it pursuant to Section 12, 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

(h) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as set forth in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(i) Until 30 days following the Closing Date, the Obligors will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer to sell, pledge, grant any option for the sale of or otherwise dispose of, any debt securities that are substantially similar to the Notes (including, without limitation, with respect to the maturity, currency, interest rate and other material terms thereof).

(j) The Company or the Parent will pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1) of the Rules and Regulations and in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Rules and Regulations.

(k) If required by Rule 430B(h) of the Rules and Regulations, the Obligors will prepare a prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and file such prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations not later than may be required by such Rule; and the Obligors will make no further amendment or supplement to such prospectus that will be disapproved by the Representatives promptly after reasonable notice thereof.

 

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(l) The Obligors will cooperate with the Underwriters and with counsel to the Underwriters in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale by the Underwriters and by dealers under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may designate and will file such consents to service of process or other documents necessary or appropriate in order to effect such qualification and to permit the continuance of sales and dealings in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that in no event will the Company or the Parent be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action which would subject it to service of process in suits, other than for actions or proceedings arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

(m) The Obligors will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that might cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(n) The Company will comply with all agreements set forth in the representation letters of the Company to DTC relating to the acceptance of the Securities for “book- entry” transfer through the facilities of DTC.

5. Free Writing Prospectuses .

(a) The Obligors represent and warrant to, and agree with, each Underwriter that (i) the Obligors have not made, and will not make, any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior consent of the Representatives (which consent being deemed to have been given with respect to (A) the Final Term Sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(a) hereof and (B) any other Issuer Free Writing Prospectus identified on Schedule II hereto); (ii) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations on the date of first use, and the Obligors have complied with any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations; (iii) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus will not, as of its issue date and through the time the Securities are delivered pursuant to Section 3 hereof, include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus; and (iv) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the information contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, did not, as of the Applicable Time, does not, as of the date hereof, and will not, as of the Closing Date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(b) Each Underwriter represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Obligors and each other Underwriter that it has not made, and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations) required to be filed with the Commission, without the prior consent of the Obligors and the Representatives, other than one or more term sheets relating to the Securities containing customary information and conveyed to purchasers of Securities.

 

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(c) The Obligors agree that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Representatives and, if requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document that will correct such conflict, statement or omission.

6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and the Closing Date (as if made at the Closing Date), of the representations and warranties of the Obligors contained herein, to the performance by the Obligors of their obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in a timely fashion in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; all filings (including, without limitation, the Final Term Sheet) required by Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations shall have been made within the time periods prescribed by such Rules, and no such filings will have been made without the consent of the Representatives; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or suspending the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction shall have been issued; no proceedings for the issuance of any such order shall have been initiated or threatened pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; no notice of objection of the Commission to use the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have been received by the Company or the Parent; and any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the Representatives and complied with to the Representatives’ reasonable satisfaction.

(b) No Underwriter shall have been advised by the Company or the Parent, or shall have discovered and disclosed to the Company or the Parent, that the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the opinion of the Representatives or of counsel to the Underwriters, is material, or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of the Representatives or of counsel to the Underwriters, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(c) The Representatives shall have received from Mayer Brown LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, addressed to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, with respect to the Securities, Indenture, Registration Statement, Prospectus and Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Obligors shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

 

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(d) The Representatives shall have received from Andrews Kurth LLP, counsel for the Company, the opinion or opinions, addressed to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date and substantially in the form of Annex A hereto. The Representatives shall have received from Baker & McKenzie LLP, counsel for the Company, the opinion or opinions, addressed to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date and substantially in the form of Annex B hereto.

(e) The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date, signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and by the Chief Financial Officer or the Chief Accounting Officer of the Company and signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Parent and by the Chief Financial Officer or the Chief Accounting Officer of the Parent to the effect that: (i) the representations and warranties of each of the Obligors in this Agreement are true and correct, as if made at and as of the Closing Date, and the Obligors have complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be complied with or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date; (ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, no proceedings for any such purpose have been initiated or, to the knowledge of such officers, threatened; and the Commission has not notified the Company or the Parent of any objection to the use of the form of Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto; (iii) all filings required by Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations have been made within the time periods prescribed by such Rules; (iv) since the initial Effective Date of the Registration Statement, there has occurred no event required to be set forth in an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus that has not been so set forth and there has been no document required to be filed under the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations or the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder that upon such filing would be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus that has not been so filed; and (v) no event contemplated by Section 6(f) hereof has occurred.

(f) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, business or prospects of the Parent and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, in the judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Securities or on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

 

19


(g) Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, a “comfort” letter (the “ initial comfort letter ”) addressed to the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, dated the date hereof, and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

(h) The Representatives shall have received a “bring-down comfort” letter (the “ bring-down comfort letter ”) from Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, addressed to the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the bring-down comfort letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date of the bring-down comfort letter), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the initial comfort letter and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the initial comfort letter.

(i) Prior to or on the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have been furnished by the Company such additional documents and certificates as the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters may reasonably request.

(j) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) there shall not have occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, properties, management, business or prospects of the Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded to the debt securities of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as that term is defined in Rule 436(g)(2) of the Rules and Regulations), and (iii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has any such debt securities under surveillance or review with possible negative implications.

(k) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been

 

20


suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have been materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction; (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities; (iii) a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services shall have occurred, (iv) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States; or (v) there shall have occurred any other calamity or crisis or change in general economic, political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such) as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Securities or on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

All opinions, certificates, letters and documents referred to in this Section 6 will be in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement only if they are satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters. The Obligors will furnish to the Representatives conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents in such number as the Representatives will reasonably request.

7. Covenants of the Underwriters . The Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, with the Company to conduct the offering of the Securities in accordance with the Prospectus Supplement.

8. Indemnification and Contribution . (a) The Obligors will jointly and severally indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability (or any action in respect thereof), joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement or Prospectus as amended or supplemented, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including any road show, or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, or the Registration Statement or Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any such issuer information, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter promptly after receipt of invoices from such Underwriter for any legal or other expenses as reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending against or appearing as a third-party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action, notwithstanding the possibility that payments for such expenses might later be held to be improper, in which case such payments will be promptly refunded; provided, however, that the Obligors will not be liable under this Section 8(a) in any such case to the extent, but only to the extent, that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance

 

21


upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company or the Parent by the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, expressly for use therein (which information is specified in Section 13 hereof).

(b) Each Underwriter, severally, but not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Obligors against any loss, claim, damage or liability (or any action in respect thereof) to which the Company or the Parent may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement or Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement or Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Obligors promptly after receipt of invoices from the Company, as the case may be, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or the Parent in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending against or appearing as a third-party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action notwithstanding the possibility that payments for such expenses might later be held to be improper, in which case such payments will be promptly refunded; provided, however, that such indemnification or reimbursement will be available in each such case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company or the Parent by the Representatives, on behalf of such Underwriter, expressly for use therein (which information is specified in Section 13 hereof).

(c) Promptly after receipt by any indemnified party under Section 8(a) or 8(b) above of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against one or more indemnifying parties under such subsection, notify each indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to so notify each such indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been prejudiced in any material respect by such failure or from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or action will be brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies each indemnifying party thereof, each such indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with each other similarly notified indemnifying party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from each indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, each such indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party under Section 8(a) or 8(b) above for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation, except that the Underwriters will have the right to employ counsel to represent the Underwriters who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the Underwriters against the Company or the Parent under Section 8(a) if (i) the employment thereof

 

22


has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Underwriters have been advised by counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to the Underwriters that are different from or additional to those available to the Company or the Parent and in the judgment of such counsel it is advisable for the Underwriters to employ separate counsel or (iii) the Obligors have failed to assume the defense of such action and employ counsel satisfactory to the Underwriters, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel will be paid by the Obligors. No indemnifying party will (i) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder unless such settlement, compromise or judgment includes (A) an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and (B) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party, or (ii) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent, but if settled with the consent of each indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment of the plaintiff in any such action, each such indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or 8(b) above, then each indemnifying party will, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in Section 8(a) or 8(b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Obligors on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company or the Parent on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, or actions in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Obligors on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand will be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. Relative fault will be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Parent or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company, the Parent and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this Section 8(d). The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to in the first sentence of this Section 8(d) will be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending against any action or claim which is the subject

 

23


of this Section 8(d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), no Underwriter will be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to investors were offered to investors exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this Section 8(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. Each party entitled to contribution agrees that upon the service of a summons or other initial legal process upon it in any action instituted against it in respect to which contribution may be sought, it will promptly give written notice of such service to the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission so to notify such party or parties of any such service will not relieve the party from whom contribution may be sought for any obligation it may have hereunder or otherwise (except as specifically provided in Section 8(c) above).

(e) The obligations of the Obligors under this Section 8 will be in addition to any liability that the Company or the Parent may otherwise have, and will extend, upon the same terms and conditions set forth in this Section 8, to the respective officers and directors of the Underwriters and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 8 will be in addition to any liability that the respective Underwriters may otherwise have, and will extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each director of the Company or the Parent (including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the Company or the Parent), to each officer of the Obligors who has signed the Registration Statement and to each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Parent within the meaning of the Securities Act.

9. Substitution of Underwriters . If any Underwriter defaults in its obligation to purchase the principal amount of the Notes that it has agreed to purchase under this Agreement, the non-defaulting Underwriters will be obligated to purchase (in the respective proportions that the principal amount of the Notes set forth opposite the name of each non- defaulting Underwriter in Schedule I hereto bears to the total principal amount of the Notes less the principal amount of the Notes the defaulting Underwriter agreed to purchase set forth in Schedule I hereto) the principal amount of the Notes that the defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase; except that the non-defaulting Underwriters will not be obligated to purchase any of the Notes if the total principal amount of the Notes that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase exceed 9.09% of the total principal amount of the Notes, and any non-defaulting Underwriters will not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of the principal amount of the Notes set forth opposite its name in Schedule I hereto. If the foregoing maximums are exceeded, the non-defaulting Underwriters, and any other underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives who so agree, will have the right, but will not be obligated, to purchase (in such proportions as may be agreed upon among them) all of the Notes. If the non-defaulting Underwriters or the other underwriters satisfactory to the Underwriters do not elect to purchase the Notes that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company or the Parent, except for the indemnity and

 

24


contribution agreements of the Company, the Parent and the Underwriters contained in Section 8 of this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter pursuant to this Section 9.

If the non-defaulting Underwriters or the other underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives are obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, the Representatives may postpone the Closing Date for up to seven full Business Days in order that the Obligors may effect any changes that may be necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any other document or agreement, and the Obligors agree to file promptly any amendments or any supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that, in the opinion of the Representatives, may thereby be made necessary.

Nothing contained herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have for damages caused by its default.

10. Termination . Until the Closing Date, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters by giving notice as hereinafter provided to the Company if (i) the Obligors have failed, refused or been unable, at or prior to the Closing Date, to perform any agreement on its part to be performed hereunder, (ii) any of the events described in Sections 6(j) and 6(k) of this Agreement, shall have occurred, or (iii) any other condition to the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder is not fulfilled. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 will be without liability on the part of the Company, the Parent or any Underwriter, except as otherwise provided in Sections 4(f) and 8 hereof.

Any notice referred to above may be given at the address specified in Section 12 of this Agreement in writing or by telegraph or telephone, and if by telegraph or telephone, will be immediately confirmed in writing.

11. Survival of Certain Provisions . The agreements contained in Section 8 of this Agreement, the representations, warranties and agreements of the Obligors contained in Sections 1 and 4 of this Agreement will survive the delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters hereunder and will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

12. Notices . Except as otherwise provided in the Agreement, (a) whenever notice is required by the provisions of this Agreement to be given to the Company or the Parent, such notice will be in writing by mail, telex or facsimile transmission addressed to the Company at 2800 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 5450, Houston, Texas 77056, Attention: John Buvens (Fax: 713-960-7658) with a copy to Andrews Kurth LLP, 600 Travis, Suite 4200, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention: Robert V. Jewell (Fax: 713-238-7135), and (b) whenever notice is required by the provisions of this Agreement to be given to the several Underwriters, such notice will be in writing by mail, telex or facsimile transmission addressed to each of the Representatives at Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, Attention: General Counsel (Fax: 212-816-7912), RBC Capital Markets, LLC, 3 World Financial Center, 200 Vesey Street, 8 th Floor, New York, New York 10281, Attention: Transaction Management Group/Scott Primrose (Fax: 212-658-6137) and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 301 S. College Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28288, Attention: Transaction Management (Fax: 704-383-9165), respectively, with a copy to Mayer Brown LLP, 700 Louisiana, Suite 3400, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention: Robert F. Gray, Jr. (Fax: 713-238-4600).

 

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13. Information Furnished by Underwriters . The Underwriters severally confirm that the statements in the third paragraph, the statements in the second sentence of the fifth paragraph and the statements in the sixth paragraph, in each case, under the caption “Underwriting” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, constitute the only written information furnished to the Company or the Parent by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, referred to in Sections 1(e), 1(f), 1(g), 8(a) and 8(b) of this Agreement.

14. Research Analyst Independence . The Obligors acknowledge that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the Parent and/or the offering of the Securities that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Obligors hereby waive and release, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Obligors may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company or the Parent by such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. The Obligors acknowledge that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

15. Nature of Relationship . The Obligors acknowledge and agree that in connection with the offering and the sale of the Securities or any other services the Underwriters may be deemed to be providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriters: (i) no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Company, the Parent and any other person, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, exists; (ii) the Underwriters are not acting as advisors, experts or otherwise, to the Company or the Parent, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the public offering price of the Securities, and such relationship between the Obligors, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, is entirely and solely a commercial relationship, based on arms-length negotiations; (iii) any duties and obligations that the Underwriters may have to the Company or the Parent shall be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (iv) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Company or the Parent. The Obligors hereby waive any claims that the Company or the Parent may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.

16. Parties . This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the several Underwriters, the Obligors and their respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (a) the

 

26


representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Obligors contained in this Agreement will also be deemed to be for the benefit of the person or persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and (b) the indemnification agreement of the Underwriters contained in Section 8 of this Agreement will be deemed to be for the benefit of directors of the Company, the Parent, officers of the Obligors who signed the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Company or the Parent within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in this Agreement will be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this paragraph, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.

17. Definition of “ Business Day . For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading, other than any day on which commercial banks are authorized or required to be closed in New York City.

18. Governing Law . This Agreement will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

19. Headings . The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

20. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . THE OBLIGORS AND EACH OF THE UNDERWRITERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

21. Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which will constitute an original and all of which together will constitute one and the same agreement.

( Signature Page Follows )

 

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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among the Obligors and the several Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.

 

Very truly yours,
R OWAN C OMPANIES , I NC .
By:   /s/ William H. Wells
  William H. Wells
  Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

R OWAN C OMPANIES PLC
By:   /s/ William H. Wells
  William H. Wells
  Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement


Confirmed and accepted as of

the date first above mentioned

C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .

RBC C APITAL M ARKETS , LLC

W ELLS F ARGO S ECURITIES , LLC

As Representatives and on behalf of the several Underwriters

named in Schedule I hereto

C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .

 

By:   /s/ Jack D. McSpadden, Jr.
Name:   Jack D. McSpadden, Jr.
Title:   Managing Director

RBC C APITAL M ARKETS , LLC

 

By:   /s/ Scott G. Primrose
Name:   Scott G. Primrose
Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

W ELLS F ARGO S ECURITIES , LLC
By:   /s/ Carolyn Hurley
Name:   Carolyn Hurley
Title:   Director

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriter

   Principal Amount of
Securities to be Purchased
 

RBC C APITAL M ARKETS , LLC

   $ 100,000,000   

C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .

   $ 95,000,000   

W ELLS F ARGO S ECURITIES , LLC

   $ 95,000,000   

B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC

   $ 35,000,000   

DNB M ARKETS , I NC .

   $ 35,000,000   

G OLDMAN , S ACHS & CO.

   $ 35,000,000   

M ERRILL L YNCH , P IERCE , F ENNER & S MITH I NCORPORATED

   $ 35,000,000   

M ITSUBISHI UFJ S ECURITIES (USA), I NC .

   $ 35,000,000   

M ORGAN S TANLEY & C O . LLC

   $ 35,000,000   
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 500,000,000   

 

Schedule I


SCHEDULE II

ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES

 

   

Final Term Sheet, dated May 16, 2012, relating to the Securities, as filed pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

 

Schedule II


ANNEX A

May [__], 2012

To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

 

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10013

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

3 World Financial Center

200 Vesey Street

New York, NY 10281

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

301 S. College Street

Charlotte, NC 28288

Re: 4.875% Senior Notes due 2022 issued by Rowan Companies, Inc .

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Rowan Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”), and Rowan Companies plc, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Guarantor ” and together with the Issuer, the “ Obligors ”), in connection with the Underwriting Agreement dated May [__], 2012 (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) among (i) the Obligors and (ii) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “ Underwriters ”), relating to the sale by the Issuer to the Underwriters of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Issuer’s 4.875% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “ Securities ”), which shall be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor.

The Securities are being issued under an Indenture dated as of July 21, 2009 (the “ Base Indenture ”) between the Issuer and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), as amended and supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of May [__], 2012 (the “ Supplemental Indenture ”), among the Obligors and the Trustee (the Base Indenture, as amended and supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, being referenced herein as the “ Indenture ”).

We are furnishing this opinion letter to you pursuant to Section 5(d) of the Underwriting Agreement.

 


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 3

 

In rendering the opinions set forth herein, we have examined and relied on originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following:

the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-181455) relating to securities to be issued by the Issuer or the Guarantor from time to time including the Securities, filed by the Obligors, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) on May [__], 2012, including the base prospectus included in such registration statement (the “ Base Prospectus ”) and the other information set forth in the Incorporated Documents (as defined below) and incorporated by reference in such registration statement and therefore deemed to be a part thereof (such registration statement, including the Base Prospectus and such other information incorporated by reference in such registration statement, being referred to herein as the “ Registration Statement ”);

the preliminary prospectus supplement dated May [__], 2012, relating to the Securities (and the guarantee thereof by the Guarantor) in the form filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the General Rules and Regulations (the “ Rules and Regulations ”) under the Securities Act (such preliminary prospectus supplement, together with the Base Prospectus, being referred to herein as the “ Preliminary Prospectus ”);

the prospectus supplement dated May [__], 2012, relating to the Securities (and the guarantee thereof by the Guarantor) in the form filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations (such prospectus supplement, together with the Base Prospectus, being referred to herein as the “ Prospectus ”);

the Pricing Supplement dated May [__], 2012 relating to the Securities (and the guarantee thereof by the Guarantor) and filed by the Issuer with the SEC on May 16, 2012 as a free writing prospectus (the “ Pricing Term Sheet ” and together with the Preliminary Prospectus, being referenced herein as the “ Disclosure Package ”);

each of the reports of the Issuer or of the Guarantor that has been filed with the SEC and is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement (collectively, the “ Incorporated Documents ”);

the Indenture;

the form of the Securities;

the global note executed by the Issuer pursuant to the Indenture, in the aggregate principal amount of $500,000,000, representing the Securities purchased and sold pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement;


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 4

 

the Underwriting Agreement;

the Certificate of Incorporation of the Issuer, certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as in effect on May [__], 2012, and certified by the Secretary of the Issuer as in effect on each of the dates of the adoption of the resolutions specified in paragraph (l) below, the date of the Underwriting Agreement and the date hereof (the “ Issuer Certificate of Incorporation ”);

the Bylaws of the Issuer, certified by the Secretary of the Issuer as in effect on each of the dates of the adoption of the resolutions specified in paragraph (l) below, the date of the Underwriting Agreement and the date hereof (the “ Issuer Bylaws ”);

resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Issuer dated [                  ] [__], 2012, certified by the Secretary of the Issuer;

a certificate from the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware dated May [__], 2012 as to the good standing and legal existence under the laws of the State of Delaware of the Issuer;

a certificate dated the date hereof (the “ Opinion Support Certificate ”), executed by the President and Chief Executive Officer and by the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Guarantor, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A ;

each of the Applicable Orders (as defined below); and

each of the Applicable Agreements (as defined below).

We have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records of the Obligors and such agreements, certificates of public officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of the Obligors and others, and such other documents, certificates and records, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth herein. In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies. As to any facts material to the opinions and statements expressed herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied, to the extent we deem appropriate, upon (i) oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Obligors (including without limitation the facts certified in the Opinion Support Certificate), (ii) representations made by the Obligors and (iii) statements and certifications of public officials and others.

As used herein the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 5

 

Applicable Agreements ” means those agreements and other instruments identified on Schedule 1 to the Opinion Support Certificate.

Applicable Orders ” means those orders or decrees of governmental authorities identified on Schedule 2 to the Opinion Support Certificate.

Issuer Organizational Documents ” means, collectively, the following instruments, each in the form reviewed by us, as indicated above: (i) the Issuer Certificate of Incorporation and (ii) the Issuer Bylaws.

Person ” means a natural person or a legal entity organized under the laws of any jurisdiction.

Transaction Documents ” means collectively, the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities.

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

The Issuer is validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

The Issuer has the corporate power and corporate authority under the laws of the State of Delaware to (i) execute and deliver, and incur and perform all of its obligations under, Transaction Documents and (ii) carry on its business and own its properties as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

Each of the Transaction Documents has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Issuer.

None of (i) the execution and delivery of, or the incurrence or performance by each of the Obligors of its obligations under each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, each in accordance with its terms, (ii) the offering, issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement or (iii) the issuance of the guarantee of the Securities by the Guarantor (A) constituted, constitutes or will constitute a violation of any of the Issuer Organizational Documents, (B) constituted, constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default), under any Applicable Agreement, (C) resulted, results or will result in the creation of any security interest in, or lien upon, any of the property or assets of the Obligors pursuant to any Applicable Agreement, (D) resulted, results or will result in any violation of (i) applicable laws of the State of New York, (ii) applicable laws of the State of Texas, (iii) applicable laws of the


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 6

 

United States of America, (iii) the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or (iv) Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or (E) resulted, results or will result in the contravention of any Applicable Order.

No Governmental Approval, which has not been obtained or made and is not in full force and effect, is required to authorize, or is required for the execution and delivery by each of the Obligors of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party or the incurrence or performance of its obligations thereunder, or the enforceability of any of such Transaction Documents against each of the Obligors that is a party thereto. As used in this paragraph, “ Governmental Approval ” means any consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, any executive, legislative, judicial, administrative or regulatory body of the State of New York, the State of Texas or the State of Delaware or the United States of America, pursuant to (i) applicable laws of the State of New York, (ii) applicable laws of the State of Texas, (iii) applicable laws of the United States of America, or (iv) the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

The statements under the captions “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description Of Guarantees” in the Base Prospectus and “Description of Notes” and “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus, as supplemented by the Pricing Term Sheet, and in the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of documents referred to therein and reviewed by us as described above, accurately and fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects, subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated therein.

The statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as they refer to statements of law or legal conclusions, fairly summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects, subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated therein.

The Indenture constitutes a valid and binding obligation of each of the Obligors, enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms, under applicable laws of the State of New York.

When authenticated by the Trustee in the manner provided in the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, the Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Issuer, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Issuer in accordance with their terms, under applicable laws of the State of New York.

When the Securities have been authenticated by the Trustee in the manner provided in the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, the guarantee of the Securities included in the Indenture will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Guarantor, enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, under applicable laws of the State of New York.


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 7

 

Each of the Obligors is not, and immediately after giving effect to the issuance and sale of the Securities occurring today and the application of proceeds therefrom as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, an “ investment company ” within the meaning of said term as used in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

In addition, we have participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Obligors, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Obligors, your counsel and your representatives at which the contents of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the Incorporated Documents) and related matters were discussed and, although we have not independently verified and are not passing upon, and do not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (except as and to the extent set forth in paragraphs 6 and 7 above), on the basis of the foregoing (relying with respect to factual matters to the extent we deem appropriate upon statements by officers and other representatives of the Obligors), (a) we confirm to you that, in our opinion, each of the Registration Statement, as of its effective date, the Preliminary Prospectus, as of its date, and the Prospectus, as of its date, appeared on its face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations (except that we express no statement or belief as to Regulation S-T), (b) we have not become aware of any documents that are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or any of the Incorporated Documents and are not so filed or of any documents that are required to be summarized in the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any of the Incorporated Documents, and are not so summarized and (c) furthermore, no facts have come to our attention that have led us to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Disclosure Package (including the Incorporated Documents), as of [                  ] p.m. New York City time, on May [__], 2012 (which you have informed us is a time prior to the time of the first sale of the Securities by any Underwriter), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (iii) the Prospectus (including the Incorporated Documents), as of its date and as of the date hereof, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, it being understood that we did not participate in the preparation of the Incorporated Documents and that we express no opinion, statement or belief in this letter with respect to (i) the financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 8

 

thereto and the auditor’s report thereon, (ii) any other financial or accounting data, included or incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in, or excluded from, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, and (iii) the Form T-1 included as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and representations and warranties and other statements of fact included in the exhibits to the Registration Statement or Incorporated Documents.

Furthermore, we advise you that (i) the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and (ii) the Registration Statement became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act. In addition, we have been orally advised by the SEC that no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued. To our knowledge based solely upon such oral communication with the SEC, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the SEC.

We express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than (i) applicable laws of the State of New York, (ii) applicable laws of the State of Texas, (iii) applicable laws of the United States of America, (iv) certain other specified laws of the United States of America to the extent referred to specifically herein, and (v) the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. References herein to “applicable laws” mean those laws, rules and regulations that, in our experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Transaction Documents, without our having made any special investigation as to the applicability of any specific law, rule or regulation, and that are not the subject of a specific opinion herein referring expressly to a particular law or laws; provided however , that such references (including without limitation those appearing in paragraphs 4 and 5 above) do not include any municipal or other local laws, rules or regulations, or any antifraud, environmental, labor, securities, tax, insurance or antitrust laws, rules or regulations.

Our opinions expressed herein are subject to the following additional assumptions and qualifications:

The opinion set forth in paragraph 1 above as to the valid existence and good standing of the Issuer is based solely upon our review of certificates and other communications from the appropriate public officials.

In rendering the opinions set forth in paragraph 4 above regarding Applicable Agreements, we do not express any opinion, however, as to whether the execution or delivery by the Obligors of the Transaction Documents, or the incurrence or performance by each of the Obligors of its obligations thereunder, will constitute a violation of, or a default under or as a result of, any covenant, restriction or provision with respect to any financial ratio or test or any aspect of the financial condition or results of operation of the Obligors.


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 9

 

The opinion set forth in paragraph 7 above with respect to United States federal income tax consequences is based upon our interpretations of current United States federal income tax law, including court authority and existing final and temporary U.S. Treasury regulations, which are subject to change both prospectively and retroactively, and upon the assumptions and qualifications discussed herein. We note that such opinion represents merely our best legal judgment on the matters presented and that others may disagree with our conclusion. Such opinion is not binding upon the Internal Revenue Service or courts, and there is no guarantee that the Internal Revenue Service will not successfully challenge our conclusions. No assurance can be given that future legislative, judicial or administrative changes, on either a prospective or retroactive basis, would not adversely affect the accuracy of our conclusions.

Treasury Circular 230 Disclosure . This disclosure is provided to comply with Treasury Circular 230. The opinion set forth in paragraph 7 of this letter is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by any person for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed on the person. Such opinion was written to support the promoting, marketing or recommending of the transactions or matters addressed by this written advice, and the taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayer’s particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. No limitation has been imposed by our firm on disclosure of the tax treatment or tax structure of the transaction.

Our opinions in paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 above may be:

limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or transfer or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally;

subject to the application of general principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), including, without limitation, the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief or any other equitable remedy and concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing; and

limited by public policy and the possible judicial application of foreign laws or governmental action affecting the rights of creditors.

Our opinions in paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 above, insofar as they pertain to the choice of law provisions of the instruments referred to in such paragraphs, are rendered solely in reliance upon New York General Obligations Law Section 5-1401, and are expressly conditioned upon the assumption that the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability of said provisions will be determined by a court of the State of New York or a United States federal court sitting in New York and applying New York choice of law rules, including said Section 5-1401. We express no opinion as to any such provision if such legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability is


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 10

 

determined by any other court, and we call your attention to the decision of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in Lehman Brothers Commercial Corp. v. Minmetals Int’l Non-Ferrous Metals Trading Co. , 179 F. Supp. 2d 119 (S.D.N.Y. 2000), which, among other things, contains dicta relating to possible constitutional limitations upon said Section 5-1401. We express no opinion as to any such constitutional limitations upon said Section 5-1401 or their effect, if any, upon any opinion herein expressed.

We express no opinion as to the validity, effect or enforceability of any provisions:

purporting to establish evidentiary standards or limitations periods for suits or proceedings to enforce such documents or otherwise, to establish certain determinations (including determinations of contracting parties and judgments of courts) as conclusive or conclusive absent manifest error, to commit the same to the discretion of any Person or permit any Person to act in its sole judgment or to waive rights to notice;

providing that the assertion or employment of any right or remedy shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy, or that each and every remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other remedy or that any delay or omission to exercise any right or remedy shall not impair any other right or remedy or constitute a waiver thereof;

relating to severability or separability;

purporting to limit the liability of, or to exculpate, any Person, including without limitation any provision that purports to waive liability for violation of securities laws;

that constitute an agreement to agree in the future on any matter;

that relate to indemnification, contribution or reimbursement obligations to the extent any such provisions (i) would purport to require any Person to provide indemnification, contribution or reimbursement in respect of the negligence, recklessness, willful misconduct or unlawful or wrongful behavior of any Person, (ii) violate any law, rule or regulation (including any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation) or (iii) are determined to be contrary to public policy;

purporting to establish any obligation of any party as absolute or unconditional regardless of the occurrence or non-occurrence or existence or non-existence of any event or other state of facts;


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 11

 

purporting to obligate any party to conform to a standard that may not be objectively determinable or employing items that are vague or have no commonly accepted meaning in the context in which used;

purporting to require that all amendments, waivers and terminations be in writing or the disregard of any course of dealing or usage of trade;

relating to consent to jurisdiction insofar as such provisions purport to confer subject matter jurisdiction upon any court that does not have such jurisdiction, whether in respect of bringing suit, enforcement of judgments or otherwise; or

purporting to limit the obligations of any party to the extent necessary to avoid such obligations constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance.

In making our examination of executed documents, we have assumed (except to the extent that we expressly opine above) (1) the valid existence and good standing of each of the parties thereto, (2) that such parties had the power and authority, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or other, to enter into and to incur and perform all their obligations thereunder, (3) the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or other, and the due execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and (4) to the extent such documents purport to constitute agreements, that each of such documents constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of each party thereto, enforceable against such party in accordance with its terms. In this paragraph (viii), all references to parties to documents shall be deemed to mean and include each of such parties, and each other person (if any) directly or indirectly acting on its behalf.

Except to the extent that we expressly opine above, we have assumed that the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents, and the incurrence and performance of the obligations thereunder of the parties thereto do not and will not contravene, breach, violate or constitute a default under (with the giving of notice, the passage of time or otherwise) (a) the certificate or articles of incorporation, certificate of formation, charter, bylaws, limited liability company agreement, limited partnership agreement or similar organic document of any such party, (b) any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument, (c) any statute, law, rule, or regulation, (d) any judicial or administrative order or decree of any governmental authority, or (e) any consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, any governmental authority, in each case, to which any party to the Transaction Documents or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties may be subject, or by which any of them may be bound or affected. Further, we have assumed the compliance by each such party, other than the Obligors, with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to it, as well as the compliance by each of the Obligors, and each other person (if any) directly or indirectly acting on its behalf, with all laws, rules and


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 12

 

regulations that may be applicable to it by virtue of the particular nature of the business conducted by it or any goods or services produced or rendered by it or property owned, operated or leased by it, or any other facts pertaining specifically to it. In this paragraph (ix), all references to parties to the Transaction Documents, other than the first such reference, shall be deemed to mean and include each of such parties, and each other person (if any) directly or indirectly acting on its behalf.

We express no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any jurisdiction in which any holder of any Security is located (other than the State of New York) that limit the interest, fees or other charges such holder may impose for the loan or use of money or other credit.

Except to the extent that we expressly opine above, we have assumed that no authorization, consent or other approval of, notice to or registration, recording or filing with any court, governmental authority or regulatory body (other than routine informational filings, filings under the Securities Act and filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) is required to authorize, or is required in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the execution or delivery thereof by or on behalf of any party thereto or the incurrence or performance by any of the parties thereto of its obligations thereunder.

With respect to our opinions expressed above as they relate to provisions of the Base Indenture relating to debt securities denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, we note that (i) a New York statute provides that a judgment rendered by a court of the State of New York in respect of an obligation denominated in any such other currency would be rendered in such other currency and would be converted into Dollars at the rate of exchange prevailing on the date of entry of the judgment, and (ii) a judgment rendered by a federal court sitting in the State of New York in respect of an obligation denominated in any such other currency may be expressed in Dollars, but we express no opinion as to the rate of exchange such federal court would apply.

We express no opinion as to Section 1.17 of the Indenture or any other provision of any Transaction Document providing for indemnity or reimbursement by any party against any loss in obtaining the currency due to such party under any of the Transaction Documents from a court judgment in another currency.

[We express no opinion as to Section [__] of the [Supplemental] Indenture or any other provision of any Transaction Document providing for indemnity or reimbursement by any party against any loss in obtaining the currency due to such party under any of the Transaction Documents from a court judgment in another currency.]

[We point out that the submission to the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the [Southern] District of New York and the waivers of objection to venue contained in the [Supplemental] Indenture cannot supersede a federal court’s discretion in determining whether to transfer an action to another court.]


To each of the Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o     Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

          RBC Capital Markets, LLC

          Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

May [__], 2012

Page 13

 

We advise you that certain of the guaranty and surety waivers contained in the Indenture may be unenforceable in whole or in part.

This opinion is being furnished only to you in connection with the sale of the Securities under the Underwriting Agreement occurring today and is solely for your benefit and is not to be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise referred to for any other purpose or relied upon by any other Person, including any purchaser of any Security from you and any subsequent purchaser of any Security, without our express written permission. The opinions expressed herein are as of the date hereof only and are based on laws, orders, contract terms and provisions, and facts as of such date, and we disclaim any obligation to update this opinion letter after such date or to advise you of changes of facts stated or assumed herein or any subsequent changes in law.

Very truly yours,


ROWAN COMPANIES, INC.

Officers’ Certificate

                May [__], 2012

Reference is made to the Underwriting Agreement dated May [__], 2012 (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) among (i) Rowan Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”) and Rowan Companies plc, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Parent ”) and (ii) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “ Underwriters ”). The undersigned, W. Matt Ralls and William H. Wells, hereby certify that they are (i) the President and Chief Executive Officer and (ii) the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, respectively, of the Parent.

Such officers understand that pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, Andrews Kurth LLP (“ AK ”), special counsel to the Issuer and the Parent, is delivering to the Underwriters an opinion letter dated the date hereof (the “ Opinion Letter ”). Such officers further understand that AK is relying on this certificate and the statements made herein in rendering certain of the opinions expressed in the Opinion Letter.

With regard to the foregoing, the undersigned certify that they have made due inquiry of all persons necessary or appropriate to verify or confirm the statements contained herein and they further certify the following:

1. Attached as Schedule 1 to this Officers’ Certificate is a true, accurate and complete list of every indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan, purchase or credit agreement, lease or other agreement (collectively, “ Applicable Agreements ”) that is both (i) material in relation to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets, or properties of the Parent and its subsidiaries, considered as a single enterprise and (ii) an instrument by which the Parent or any of its subsidiaries is bound or by which the Parent or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected.

2. Attached as Schedule 2 to this Officers’ Certificate is a true, accurate and complete list of every order or decree (collectively, “ Applicable Orders ”) of any governmental authority by which the Parent or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties is bound, that is material in relation to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets, or properties of the Parent and its subsidiaries, considered as a single enterprise.

3. The Parent and its subsidiaries are engaged in businesses other than that of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading in Securities. Furthermore, the Parent and its subsidiaries:

(a) are not engaged primarily, nor does any of them hold itself out as being engaged primarily, nor does any of them propose to engage primarily, in the business of investing, reinvesting, or trading in Securities;

(b) are not engaged, nor do any of them propose to engage, in the business of issuing Face-Amount Certificates of the Installment Type, nor has any of them been engaged in such business and has any such certificates outstanding;

 

Exhibit A – Page 1


(c) are not engaged, nor does any of them propose to engage, in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading in Securities (other than Securities of its respective subsidiaries); and

(d) do not own, nor does any of them propose to acquire, Investment Securities having a value exceeding 40 percent of the value of its total assets (exclusive of Government Securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis.

As used in paragraph 3 of this certificate:

Face-Amount Certificate of the Installment Type ” means any certificate, investment contract or other Security which represents an obligation on the part of its issuer to pay a stated or determinable sum or sums at a fixed or determinable date or dates more than twenty-four months after the date of issuance, in consideration of the payment of periodic installments of a stated or determinable amount;

Government Security ” means any Security issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the United States, or by an entity controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the Government of the United States pursuant to authority granted by the Congress of the United States; or any certificate of deposit for any of the foregoing;

Investment Securities ” means all Securities except (i) Government Securities and (ii) Securities issued by majority-owned subsidiaries of the owner, which subsidiaries: (A) are not themselves engaged in any activity described in clauses (a)-(c) of paragraph 3 of this certificate; and (B) do not own or propose to own Investment Securities having a value exceeding 40 percent of the value of each such subsidiary’s total assets (exclusive of Government Securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis; and

Security ” or “ Securities ” means any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement, collateral-trust certificate, preorganization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a security, fractional undivided interest in oil, gas or other mineral rights, any put, call, straddle, option or privilege on any security (including a certificate of deposit) or on any group or index of securities (including any interest therein or based on the value thereof), or any put, call, straddle, option or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating to foreign currency, or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a “security,” or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing.

4. Each of the Parent and its subsidiaries does not own, and none of the proceeds from the offering of notes contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement will be used directly or indirectly to purchase or carry, any “margin stock” as defined in Regulation U promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

(Signature page follows)

 

Exhibit A – Page 2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have executed this Officers’ Certificate as of the date first written above.

 

   
W. Matt Ralls
President and Chief Executive Officer
 
William H. Wells

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and

Treasurer

 

Exhibit A – Page 3


Applicable Agreements

 

1. Indenture, dated as of July 21, 2009 between Rowan Companies, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.

 

2. First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 21, 2009, between Rowan Companies, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.

 

3. Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of August 30, 2010, between Rowan Companies, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.

 

4. Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 4, 2012, between Rowan Companies, Inc., Rowan Companies plc and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.

 

5. Credit Agreement, dated as of September 16, 2010, by and among Rowan Companies, Inc. (as Borrower) the Lenders party hereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (as Issuing Lender, Swingline Lender and Administrative Agent).

 

6. Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of June 30, 2011, by and among Rowan Companies, Inc. (as Borrower) the Lenders party hereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (as Issuing Lender, Swingline Lender and Administrative Agent).

 

7. Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement, dated effective as of May 4, 2012, by and among Rowan Companies, Inc., (as Existing Borrower), Rowan Companies plc (as Borrower), the Lenders party hereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (as Issuing Lender, Swingline Lender and Administrative Agent).

 

8. Parent Guaranty, dated as of May 4, 2012, by Rowan Companies plc in favor of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (as Administrative Agent).

 

9. Subsidiary Guaranty, dated as of May 4, 2012, by Rowan Companies, Inc. in favor of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (as Administrative Agent).

 

10. Participation Agreement, dated December 1, 1984 between Rowan Companies, Inc. and Textron Financial Corporation et al. and Bareboat Charter, dated December 1, 1984 between Rowan Companies, Inc. and Textron Financial Corporation et al.

 

11. Election and acceptance letters with respect to the exercise of the Fixed Rate Renewal Option set forth in the Bareboat Charter, dated December 1, 1984 between Rowan Companies, Inc. and Textron Financial Corporation et al.

 

12. Commitment to Guarantee Obligation and First Preferred Ship Mortgage, both dated May 23, 2001, between Rowan Companies, Inc. and the Maritime Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation, relating to Bob Palmer.

 

Schedule 1 – Page 1


13. Credit Agreement and Trust Indenture, both dated May 23, 2001, between Rowan Companies, Inc. and Citibank, N.A., relating to Bob Palmer.

 

14. Amendment No. 1 dated November 24, 2009, to the Commitment to Guarantee Obligations between Rowan Companies, Inc. and the Maritime Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation, relating to the Bob Palmer.

 

15. Supplement No. 2 dated November 24, 2009 to the Trust Indenture between Rowan Companies, Inc. and Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company, relating to the Bob Palmer.

 

Schedule 1 – Page 2


Applicable Orders

 

1. Plea Agreement, dated November 8, 2007, by and between the Issuer and the U.S. Department of Justice, as amended, relating to the operations on the Rowan-Midland between 2002 and 2004.

 

Schedule 2


ANNEX B

 

  

Our ref: CBH

Your ref:

Direct line: +44 (0)20 7919 1309

[•] May 2012

  

To each of the Underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement referenced herein

c/o RBC Capital Markets, LLC

3 World Financial Center

200 Vessey Street

New York, NY 10281

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10013

c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

301 S. College Street

Charlotte, NC 28288

Dear Sirs

4.875% Senior Notes due 2022 issued by Rowan Companies, Inc. and guaranteed by Rowan Companies plc

INTRODUCTION

We have acted as special English legal advisers to Rowan Companies plc, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the “ Guarantor ”), in connection with the Underwriting Agreement dated May 16 2012 (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) among (i) the Guarantor and Rowan Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a subsidiary of the Guarantor (the “ Issuer ” and, together with the Guarantor, the “ Obligors ”) and (ii) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “ Underwriters ”), relating to the sale by the Issuer to the Underwriters of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Issuer’s 4.875% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “ Securities ”), which shall be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor.

The Securities are being issued under an Indenture dated as of July 21, 2009 (the “ Base Indenture ”) between the Issuer, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), as amended and supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture to the Base Indenture, dated as of May [•], 2012 (the “ Supplemental Indenture ”), among the Obligors and the Trustee, providing for the issuance of the Notes and the guarantee thereof by the Guarantor.


SCOPE

This letter is limited to English law as applied by the English courts as at the date of this letter and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law. We have made no investigation of the laws of any jurisdiction other than those of England and we do not express or imply any opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than those of England. We do not express any opinion on European Community law as it affects any jurisdiction other than England. We express no opinion as to matters of fact.

The opinions in this letter are limited to the matters stated herein and do not extend to, and are not to be read, as extending by implication to, any other matter.

DOCUMENTS

For the purpose of giving this opinion we have examined the following documents:

the registration statement of the Guarantor on Form S-3 relating to the Securities (the “ Registration Statement ”);

the Preliminary Prospectus dated [•] May 2012 relating to the Securities (the “ Preliminary Prospectus ”)

the Prospectus dated [•] May 2012 relating to the Securities (the “ Prospectus ”);

executed copies of the Underwriting Agreement, the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture;

copies of the certificate of incorporation and the articles of association of the Guarantor, certified as being true and correct copies as at [•] by the company secretary of the Guarantor;

a copy of the minutes of a meeting of the board of directors of the Guarantor held on 30 April 2012, signed by the chairman of the meeting, recording resolutions approving the execution of the Transaction Documents, certified as being a true and correct copy as at [•] by the company secretary of the Guarantor;

a certificate addressed to us from the company secretary of the Guarantor as to the meeting referred to in paragraph 3.6 above and certain other matters; and

the results of our agents’ search on [•] of the public records of the Guarantor on file and available for inspection by the public at the Companies Registry.

We have also made an enquiry by telephone of the Central Index of Winding-Up and Administration Petitions in respect of the Guarantor on [•] at [•].

Except for the documents listed above, we have not examined any contracts or other documents entered into by or affecting any party to the Transaction Documents nor any corporate records of the Guarantor and (except for the oral enquiry referred to above) we have not made any other enquiries or searches concerning the Guarantor.


In this opinion, the Underwriting Agreement, the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture are referred to as the “ Transaction Documents ”.

ASSUMPTIONS

For the purpose of this opinion we have assumed (without making any investigation) that:

all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and complete;

all documents submitted to us in electronic form or via facsimile transmission or as photocopies or other copies of originals conform to the originals and all such originals are authentic and complete;

any signatures and seals on the documents reviewed by us are genuine, were duly applied to the relevant documents and where necessary were properly witnessed;

all statements contained in the certificate referred to in paragraph 3.7 above are accurate and not misleading;

there have been no amendments to the articles of association of the Guarantor in the form examined by us;

the resolutions of the directors of the Guarantor referred to in paragraph 3.6 above were duly passed by duly appointed directors of the Guarantor at a meeting of the directors, properly convened and held, at which a quorum was present throughout and have not been amended or rescinded and are in full force and effect; due disclosure was made by each director of any interest he or she might have in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in accordance with sections 177 or 182 of the Companies Act 2006 (as the case may be) and the articles of association of the Guarantor and no director of the Guarantor has any interest in such transactions except to the extent permitted by the articles of association of the Guarantor or any board or shareholder resolutions under the Act;

the Transaction Documents have been executed by the persons authorised to execute them by the resolutions of the directors of the Guarantor referred to in paragraph 3.6 above and have been duly delivered by or on behalf of the Guarantor;

 

(a) the Transaction Documents were entered into by the Guarantor in good faith and for the purpose of carrying on its business; and

 

  (b) the directors of the Guarantor acted in good faith, with a view to promoting the success of the Guarantor for the benefit of its members and no director of the Guarantor acted in breach of his or her other duties in agreeing to the resolutions approving them; and

 

  (c) the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents by the Guarantor and the exercise of its rights and performance of its obligations thereunder will materially benefit the Guarantor; and


  (d) the Guarantor was not at the time the Transaction Documents were entered into unable to pay its debts within the meaning of section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (for which purpose account is to be taken of its contingent and prospective liabilities) and has not become so unable to pay its debts in consequence of entering into or performing its obligations under the Transaction Documents;

the Guarantor has not passed a voluntary winding-up resolution, no petition has been presented or order made by a court for the winding-up or dissolution of the Guarantor, no application has been presented or order made by a court for the administration of the Guarantor, no documents have been filed with the court for the appointment of an administrator in respect of the Guarantor nor has any notice of intention to appoint an administrator been given in respect of the Guarantor and no receiver, trustee, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer has been appointed in relation to the Guarantor or any of its assets or revenues which, in any such case, has not been revealed by the search and enquiry referred to in paragraph 3 above;

the results of the search referred to in paragraph 3.8 above as produced to us are a true and complete copy of the file of records maintained at the Companies Registry concerning the Guarantor as reproduced on microfiche for public inspection, such file was complete, accurate and up-to-date at the time of that search and there has been no alteration in the status or condition of the Guarantor as represented by the microfiche file so produced;

the information disclosed in response to our telephone enquiry at the Central Index of Winding-Up and Administration Petitions was accurate at the time of such enquiry and such response did not fail to disclose any matters which it should have disclosed and which are relevant for the purposes of this opinion and since the time of such enquiry there has been no alteration in the status or condition of the Guarantor as represented in such response;

all parties other than the Guarantor had the capacity, power and authority to enter into the Transaction Documents and the Transaction Documents were duly authorised, executed and delivered by such parties, in each case under all applicable laws;

each of the Transaction Documents constitutes valid, legally binding and enforceable obligations of the parties thereto (including the Guarantor) under the laws of the State of New York, by which they are expressed to be governed;

each of the Transaction Documents accurately records all terms agreed between the parties thereto and has not been terminated, modified, superseded or varied and no obligation thereunder has been waived;

the documents listed in paragraph 3 above contain all information which is relevant for the purposes of our opinion and there is no other agreement, undertaking, representation or warranty (oral or written) and no other arrangement (whether legally binding or not) between all or any of the parties or any other matter which renders such information inaccurate, incomplete or misleading or which affects the conclusions stated in this opinion;

all copies certified and all documents dated earlier than the date of this letter on which we have expressed reliance remain accurate, complete and in full force and effect at the date of this letter; none of the parties is or will be seeking to achieve any purpose not apparent from the Transaction Documents which might render any of the Transaction Documents illegal or void;

 


there are no provisions of the laws of any jurisdiction outside England which would have any implication for the opinions we express;

each of the parties to the Transaction Documents who is carrying on, or purporting to carry on, a regulated activity in the United Kingdom is an authorised person or an exempt person under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“ FSMA ”); and

each of the parties to the Transaction Documents has complied with all applicable provisions of FSMA and any applicable secondary legislation made under it with respect to anything done by any of them in relation to the offering of the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom including, without limitation, section 19 ( the general prohibition on carrying on regulated activities ) and section 21 ( restrictions on financial promotion ) thereof.

OPINIONS

Based upon and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set out in this opinion and having regard to such legal considerations as we have deemed relevant, we are of the opinion that:

the Guarantor is duly incorporated and validly existing as a public limited company under the laws of England;

the Guarantor has corporate power and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents;

the Guarantor has taken all necessary corporate action to authorise the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance by the Guarantor of its obligations thereunder;

the Transaction Documents have been duly executed by the Guarantor;

the execution and delivery by the Guarantor of the Transaction Documents and the performance by the Guarantor of its obligations thereunder do not:

contravene any provisions of the articles of association of the Guarantor as in force today; or

violate or contravene any law of England of general application in force today;

no registration or filing is required with, and no authorisations, consents or approvals are required from, any governmental, judicial or public body or authority in England in connection with:

the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents by the Guarantor, or the performance by the Guarantor of the obligations expressed to be undertaken by it therein; or

 


the offering and sale by the Underwriters of the Securities or the distribution by it of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus provided that the Underwriters comply at all material times with the restrictions described under “Underwriting—Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area” and “Underwriting—Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom” in the Prospectus Supplement and that no public offer by the Issuer, the Guarantor or the Underwriters (or any person acting on their behalf) is made in the United Kingdom other than in the circumstances set out in section 86 of FSMA and that no request has been or will be made for the Securities to be admitted to trading on a regulated market in the United Kingdom.

QUALIFICATIONS

The opinions expressed in this letter are subject to the following qualifications:

It should be noted that:

a search at the Companies Registry is not capable of revealing whether or not a winding-up petition or an application for the making of an administration order has been presented or whether or not any documents have been filed with the court for the appointment of an administrator or any notice of intention to appoint an administrator has been given;

notice of a winding-up order or resolution, notice of an administration order and notice of the appointment of a receiver or administrator may not be filed at the Companies Registry immediately and there may be a delay in the relevant notice appearing on the file of the company concerned; and

a telephone enquiry of the Central Index of Winding-Up and Administration Petitions relates only to compulsory winding-up and to the appointment of an administrator by an administration order of the court and is not conclusively capable of revealing whether or not a petition in respect of a compulsory winding up, or an application for an administration order, has been presented since there may be a delay in notice of such a petition or, as the case may be, application being entered on the records of the Central Index and a petition or application presented to a County Court may not have been notified to the Central Index and so may not appear on the records at all.

We express no opinion on the effectiveness of any of the provisions of the Transaction Documents, since they are governed by the laws of the State of New York.

The opinions in paragraph 5 are subject to the effect of laws relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, administration, arrangement, moratorium or re-organisation or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally (as to which laws we express no opinion).

In respect of any agreement which has a connection with a single country other than the country whose law governs that agreement, Regulation (EC) No 593/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 on the law applicable to contractual obligations may in certain circumstances displace the governing law chosen by the parties in favour of (i) the mandatory laws of the European Community or the relevant country or (ii) the laws of the state where the performance of the contract is to take place.


In any action brought in the English courts English law as to matters of evidence and procedure would be applied.

English courts may in their discretion render judgments for a monetary amount in a currency other than sterling if they consider that it is the currency which most fairly expresses the plaintiff’s loss, but such monetary amount may have to be converted into sterling for enforcement purposes.

We express no opinion as to whether any waiver by any party of its rights to immunity from legal proceedings in respect of its obligations under the Transaction Documents would be effective.

If a person is (or is controlled by or otherwise connected with another person which is) resident in, incorporated in or constituted under the laws of a country which is the subject of United Nations, European Community or United Kingdom sanctions implemented or effective in the United Kingdom, or is otherwise the target of any such sanctions, then obligations owed to or by that person may be unenforceable or void.

DISCLOSURE AND RELIANCE

This opinion is given only by Baker & McKenzie LLP, an English limited liability partnership, and not by or on behalf of Baker & McKenzie International (a Swiss Verein) or any other member or associated firm thereof. In this opinion the expressions “ we ”, “ us ”, “ our ” and like expressions should be construed accordingly.

This opinion is being furnished only to you in connection with the sale of the Securities under the Underwriting Agreement occurring today and is solely for your benefit and is not to be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise referred to for any other purpose or relied upon by any other person, including any purchaser of any Security from you and any subsequent purchaser of any Security, without our express written permission.

Yours faithfully

 

 

Exhibit 4.2

Execution Version

ROWAN COMPANIES, INC.

as the Company

ROWAN COMPANIES PLC

as Guarantor

and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee

FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

Dated as of May 21, 2012

to

INDENTURE

Dated as of July 21, 2009

4.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2022

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ARTICLE ONE Relation to Indenture; Definitions

     1   

SECTION 1.01. Relation to Indenture

     1   

SECTION 1.02. Definitions

     1   

SECTION 1.03. General References

     1   
ARTICLE TWO The Series of Securities   

SECTION 2.01. The Form and Title of the Securities

     2   

SECTION 2.02. Amount

     2   

SECTION 2.03. Stated Maturity

     2   

SECTION 2.04. Interest and Interest Rates

     2   

SECTION 2.05. Place of Payment

     2   

SECTION 2.06. Optional Redemption

     2   

SECTION 2.07. Defeasance and Discharge; Covenant Defeasance

     3   

SECTION 2.08. Global Securities

     3   

SECTION 2.09. Rowan UK Guarantee

     3   

ARTICLE THREE Amendments to Original Indenture

     3   

SECTION 3.01. Defined Terms

     3   

SECTION 3.02. Additional Event of Default

     7   

SECTION 3.03. Release of Securities Guarantee

     7   
ARTICLE FOUR Additional Covenants      8   

SECTION 4.01. Limitation on Liens

     8   

SECTION 4.02. Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

     8   
ARTICLE FIVE Miscellaneous      9   

SECTION 5.01. Certain Trustee Matters

     9   

SECTION 5.02. Continued Effect

     9   

SECTION 5.03. Governing Law

     9   

SECTION 5.04. Counterparts

     9   

EXHIBITS

  
Exhibit A: Form of Note   

 

    Fourth Supplemental Indenture


FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE , dated as of May 21, 2012 (this “Supplemental Indenture”), by and among ROWAN COMPANIES, INC. , a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), ROWAN COMPANIES PLC , a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (“Rowan UK”), and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION , a nationally chartered banking association, as trustee under the Indenture referred to below (in such capacity, the “Trustee”).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee have heretofore entered into an Indenture dated as of July 21, 2009 (the “Original Indenture”) (the Original Indenture, as supplemented from time to time, including without limitation pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture, being referred to herein as the “Indenture”); and

WHEREAS, under the Original Indenture, a new series of Securities may at any time be established by an indenture supplemental to the Original Indenture; and

WHEREAS, the Company proposes to create under the Indenture a new series of Securities; and

WHEREAS, Rowan UK proposes to fully and unconditionally guarantee such new series of Securities; and

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, agreements and obligations set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes (as defined below), as follows:

ARTICLE ONE

R ELATION TO I NDENTURE ; D EFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01. Relation to Indenture.

With respect to the Notes, this Supplemental Indenture constitutes an integral part of the Indenture.

SECTION 1.02. Definitions.

For all purposes of this Supplemental Indenture, capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Original Indenture.

SECTION 1.03 . General References.

Unless otherwise specified or unless the context otherwise requires, (i) all references in this Supplemental Indenture to Articles and Sections refer to the corresponding Articles and Sections of this Supplemental Indenture and (ii) the terms “ herein ”, “ hereof ”, “ hereunder ” and any other word of similar import refer to this Supplemental Indenture.

 

    Fourth Supplemental Indenture


ARTICLE TWO

T HE S ERIES OF S ECURITIES

SECTION 2.01. The Form and Title of the Securities.

There is hereby established a new series of Securities to be issued under the Indenture and to be designated as the Company’s 4.875% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “Notes”). The Notes shall be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by the Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate or as may be required or appropriate to comply with any laws or with any rules made pursuant thereto or with the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Notes may be listed or traded, or to conform to general usage, or as may, consistently with the Indenture, be determined by the officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution thereof.

The Notes shall be executed, authenticated and delivered in accordance with the provisions of, and shall in all respects be subject to, the terms, conditions and covenants of the Original Indenture as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture (including the form of Note attached as Exhibit A hereto (the terms of which are incorporated in and made a part of this Supplemental Indenture for all intents and purposes)).

SECTION 2.02. Amount.

The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be authenticated and delivered pursuant hereto is unlimited. The Trustee shall initially authenticate and deliver Notes for original issue in an initial aggregate principal amount of up to $500,000,000, upon delivery to the Trustee of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Notes. The aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be issued hereunder may be increased at any time hereafter and the series may be reopened for issuances of Additional Notes, upon Company Order, without the consent of any Holder and without any further supplement or amendment to the Original Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture. The Notes issued on the date hereof and any such Additional Notes that may be issued hereafter shall be part of the same series of Securities for all purposes under the Indenture.

SECTION 2.03. Stated Maturity.

The Notes may be issued on any Business Day on or after May 21, 2012, and the Stated Maturity of the Notes shall be June 1, 2022.

SECTION 2.04. Interest and Interest Rates.

The rate or rates at which the Notes shall bear interest, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date for any interest payable on any Interest Payment Date, in each case, shall be as set forth in the form of Note attached as Exhibit A hereto.

SECTION 2.05. Place of Payment.

As long as any Notes are Outstanding, the Company shall maintain an office or agency in the United States where Notes may be presented for payment. Such office or agency shall initially be the office or agency of the Trustee in Houston, Texas.

SECTION 2.06. Optional Redemption.

At its option, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, in principal amounts of $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, at any time or from time to time, at the applicable Redemption Price determined as set forth in the form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A , in accordance with the terms set forth in the Notes and in accordance with Article Eleven of the Original Indenture.

 

  2   Fourth Supplemental Indenture


SECTION 2.07. Defeasance and Discharge; Covenant Defeasance.

Article Thirteen of the Original Indenture (as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture) shall apply to the Notes. Furthermore, the additional Event of Default specified in Section 3.02. of this Supplemental Indenture, each of the covenants set forth in ARTICLE Four of this Supplemental Indenture, and the Events of Default specified in Sections 5.1(c) and 5.1(d) of the Original Indenture, shall, in each case, constitute “Additional Defeasible Provisions” (as such term is used in the Original Indenture).

SECTION 2.08. Global Securities.

The Notes shall initially be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities. Such Global Securities (i) shall be deposited with, or on behalf of, the Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, which shall act as Depositary with respect to the Notes, (ii) shall bear the legends applicable to Global Securities set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.4 of the Original Indenture, (iii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in definitive form upon the terms and subject to the conditions provided in Section 3.5 of the Original Indenture and in this Supplemental Indenture and (iv) shall otherwise be subject to the applicable provisions of the Indenture.

SECTION 2.09. Rowan UK Guarantee.

Article Fourteen of the Original Indenture (as amended and supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, including without limitation Section 3.03 hereof) shall apply to the Notes. For the purposes of this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes (including without limitation the provisions of the Original Indenture to the extent applicable thereto), the term “Guarantor” shall mean Rowan UK. Rowan UK hereby agrees to be bound by a Securities Guarantee with respect to the Notes and that Rowan UK shall be a Guarantor of the Notes in accordance with Article Fourteen of the Indenture; provided , however , that the Securities Guarantee granted hereby shall not apply to any obligations under any series of Securities other than the Notes. Rowan UK hereby agrees that its Securities Guarantee of the Notes will remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each Note a notation of such Securities Guarantee.

ARTICLE THREE

A MENDMENTS TO O RIGINAL I NDENTURE

With respect to the Notes, the Original Indenture is hereby amended as set forth below in this ARTICLE Three; provided , however , that each such amendment shall apply only to the Notes and not to any other series of Securities issued under the Indenture.

SECTION 3.01. Defined Terms.

Subject to the limitations set forth in the preamble to ARTICLE Three of this Supplemental Indenture, Section 1.1 of the Original Indenture is hereby amended by inserting or restating, as the case may be, each of the following defined terms in its appropriate alphabetical position:

“Additional Defeasible Provisions” means the provisions of Sections 5.1(c), 5.1(d), 5.1(h), 10.7 and 10.8 of the Indenture.

“Additional Notes” means an unlimited maximum aggregate principal amount of Notes (other than the Notes issued on the date hereof) issued under the Indenture pursuant to Section 2.02. of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

  3   Fourth Supplemental Indenture


“Attributable Indebtedness,” when used with respect to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction, means, as at the time of determination, the present value (discounted at the rate set forth or implicit in the terms of the lease included in such transaction) of the rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale and Leaseback Transaction (other than amounts required to be paid on account of taxes, maintenance, repairs, insurance, assessments, utilities, operating and labor costs and other items that do not constitute payments for property rights), including any period for which such lease has been extended. In the case of any lease which is terminable by the lessee upon the payment of a penalty, such net amount shall be the lesser of the net amount determined assuming termination upon the first date such lease may be terminated (in which case the net amount shall also include the amount of the penalty, but no rent shall be considered as required to be paid under such lease subsequent to the first date upon which it may be so terminated) or the net amount determined assuming no such termination.

“Capital Lease Obligation” means, at the time any determination is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would at that time be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP, and the stated maturity thereof shall be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date upon which such lease may be prepaid by the lessee without payment of a penalty.

“Capital Stock” means:

(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;

(2) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;

(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or membership interests; and

(4) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person.

“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” of any Person means the total amount of assets (after deducting applicable reserves and other properly deductible items) of such Person and its consolidated Subsidiaries minus all current liabilities (excluding liabilities that are extendable or renewable at the option of such Person or any of its consolidated Subsidiaries to a date more than 12 months after the date of calculation and excluding current maturities of long-term indebtedness) and all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized indebtedness discount and expense and other like intangible assets. Consolidated Net Tangible Assets of any Person shall be based on the most recently available consolidated quarterly balance sheet of such Person, and shall be calculated in accordance with GAAP.

“Funded Indebtedness” means all Indebtedness that matures on or is renewable to a date more than one year after the date the Indebtedness is incurred.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, which are in effect from time to time. All computations based on GAAP contained in this Indenture will be computed in conformity with GAAP. At any time after the Issue Date, the Company may elect to apply International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) accounting principles in lieu of GAAP and, upon any such election, references herein to GAAP shall thereafter be construed to mean IFRS; provided that any such election, once made, shall be irrevocable; provided , further , that any calculation or determination in the Indenture that requires the application of GAAP for periods that include fiscal quarters ended prior to the Company’s election to apply IFRS shall remain as previously calculated or determined in accordance with GAAP. The Company shall give notice of any such election made in accordance with this definition to the Trustee.

 

  4   Fourth Supplemental Indenture


“Indebtedness” of any Person means:

(1) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money (whether full or limited recourse);

(2) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments;

(3) all obligations of such Person under letters of credit or other similar instruments, other than standby letters of credit, performance bonds and other obligations issued in the ordinary course of business, to the extent not drawn or, to the extent drawn, if such drawing is reimbursed not later than the third business day following demand for reimbursement;

(4) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property or services, except trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(5) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person;

(6) all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person: provided that if the obligations so secured have not been assumed in full or are not otherwise fully such Person’s legal liability, then such obligations may be reduced to the value of the asset or the liability of such Person; and

(7) all Indebtedness of others (other than endorsements in the ordinary course of business) guaranteed by such Person to the extent of such guarantee.

“Issue Date” means the first date on which any Notes are issued, authenticated and delivered under the Indenture.

“Joint Venture” means any partnership, corporation or other entity in which up to and including 50% of the partnership interests, outstanding Voting Stock or other equity interests is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company and/or one or more Subsidiaries of the Company.

“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, regardless of whether filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in any asset and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction).

“Notes” means a series of Securities designated as the Company’s 4.875% Senior Notes due 2022, issued pursuant to this Indenture, as amended and supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture hereto dated as of May 21, 2012.

“Permitted Liens” means:

(1) Liens existing on the Issue Date;

(2) Liens on any Person’s property or assets existing at the time the Company acquires such Person or its property or assets, or at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Company;

(3) intercompany Liens in favor of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company;

 

  5   Fourth Supplemental Indenture


(4) Liens on assets either (a) securing all or part of the cost of acquiring, constructing, improving, developing or repairing the assets or (b) securing Indebtedness incurred to finance the acquisition of the assets or the cost of constructing, improving, developing, expanding or repairing the assets and commencing commercial operation of the assets if the applicable Indebtedness was incurred prior to, at the time of or within 24 months after the acquisition, or completion of construction, improvement, development, expansion or repair of the assets or their commencing commercial operation;

(5) Liens in favor of governmental entities to secure (a) payments under any contract or statute to secure progress or advance payments or (b) industrial development, pollution control or similar indebtedness;

(6) governmental Liens under contracts for the sale of products or services;

(7) Liens imposed by law, such as mechanic’s or workmen’s Liens;

(8) Liens under workers’ compensation laws or similar legislation;

(9) Liens in connection with legal proceedings or securing taxes or other assessments;

(10) statutory or other Liens arising in the ordinary course of business of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company and relating to amounts that are not yet delinquent or that the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company is contesting in good faith;

(11) Liens on stock, partnership or other equity interests of the Company in any Joint Venture or of any Subsidiary of the Company that owns an equity interest in a Joint Venture to secure Indebtedness contributed or advanced solely to that Joint Venture;

(12) good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts or leases;

(13) deposits made in connection with maintaining self-insurance, to obtain the benefits of laws, regulations or arrangements relating to unemployment insurance, old age pensions, social security or similar matters or to secure surety, appeal or customs bonds; and

(14) any extensions, substitutions, renewals or replacements of the above-described Liens.

“Principal Property” means any drilling rig, or integral portion thereof, owned or leased by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company and used for drilling offshore oil and gas wells, which, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Company, is of material importance to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as a whole; provided, however that no such drilling rig, or portion thereof, shall be deemed of material importance if its net book value (after deducting accumulated depreciation) is less than 2% of the Consolidated Net Tangible Assets of the Company.

“Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means any arrangement with any Person under which the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company leases any Principal Property that the Company or that Subsidiary has or will sell or transfer to that Person; provided, however , that each of the following shall be deemed not to be a Sale and Leaseback Transaction:

(1) temporary leases for a term of not more than five years;

 

  6   Fourth Supplemental Indenture


(2) intercompany leases between the Company and a Subsidiary or between two or more Subsidiaries of the Company; and

(3) leases of a Principal Property executed by the time of or within 12 months after the acquisition, the completion of construction, alteration, improvement or repair, or the commencement of commercial operation of such Principal Property.

“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation is in effect on the Issue Date.

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person,

(1) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person; and

(2) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or an entity described in clause (1) and related to such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are such Person or of one or more entities described in clause (1) and related to such Person (or any combination thereof ).

“Voting Stock” of any specified Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors (or similar governing body) of such Person.

SECTION 3.02. Additional Event of Default.

With respect to the Notes, the occurrence of any of the following events shall, in addition to the other events or circumstances described as Events of Default in Section 5.1 of the Original Indenture, constitute an Event of Default: default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or guarantee now exists or is created after the date of issuance of the Notes, if (a) that default (x) is caused by a failure to pay principal of or premium, if any, or interest on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness on the date of such default (a “Payment Default”), or (y) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity, and (b) in each case described in clauses (x) or (y) above, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $35.0 million or more.

SECTION 3.03. Release of Securities Guarantee.

Subject to the limitations set forth in the preamble to ARTICLE Three of this Supplemental Indenture, Article Fourteen of the Original Indenture is hereby amended by adding the following Sections 14.4 thereto:

Section 14.4     Releases .

(a) Rowan UK will be released and relieved of any obligations under its Securities Guarantee immediately upon (i) Legal Defeasance in accordance with Article Thirteen of this Indenture or satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture in accordance with Article Four of this Indenture or (ii) the merger of Rowan UK with and into the Company.

 

  7   Fourth Supplemental Indenture


ARTICLE FOUR

A DDITIONAL C OVENANTS

With respect to the Notes, Article Ten of the Original Indenture is hereby amended as set forth below in this ARTICLE Four; provided , however , that each such amendment shall apply only to the Notes and not to any other series of Securities issued under the Indenture.

SECTION 4.01. Limitation on Liens.

Subject to the limitations set forth in the preamble to ARTICLE Four of this Supplemental Indenture, Article Ten of the Original Indenture is hereby further amended by adding the following Section 10.6 thereto:

Section 10.6     Limitation on Liens .

(a) The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, issue, assume or guarantee any Indebtedness for borrowed money secured by any Lien upon any Principal Property without making effective provision whereby the Notes (together with, if the Company shall so determine, any other Indebtedness or other obligation of the Company or any Subsidiary) shall be secured equally and ratably with (or, at the option of the Company, prior to) the Indebtedness so secured for so long as such Indebtedness is so secured. The foregoing restrictions will not, however, apply to Indebtedness secured by Permitted Liens.

(b) Notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph (a), without securing the Notes, the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company may issue, assume or guarantee Indebtedness that such paragraph (a) would otherwise restrict or prohibit, in a total principal amount that, when added to all of other outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries that such paragraph (a) would otherwise restrict or prohibit and the total amount of Attributable Indebtedness outstanding for Sales and Leaseback Transactions (other than any such Attributable Indebtedness for outstanding Sale and Leaseback Transactions in connection with which the Company has voluntarily retired debt securities issued under this Indenture, Indebtedness of equal rank or Funded Indebtedness (in each case as described in clause (3) of Section 10.7)), does not exceed 15% of the Consolidated Net Tangible Assets of the Company.

SECTION 4.02. Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions.

Subject to the limitations set forth in the preamble to ARTICLE Four of this Supplemental Indenture, Article Ten of the Original Indenture is hereby further amended by adding the following Section 10.7 thereto:

Section 10.7     Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions .

The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, unless one of the following applies:

(1) the Company or such Subsidiary of the Company could incur Indebtedness in a principal amount equal to the Attributable Indebtedness for that Sale and Leaseback Transaction and, without violating Section 10.6, could secure that Indebtedness by a Lien on the property to be leased without equally or ratably securing the Notes;

 

  8   Fourth Supplemental Indenture


(2) after the issuance of the Notes and within the period beginning nine months before the closing of the Sale and Leaseback Transaction and ending nine months after such closing, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have expended for property used or to be used in the ordinary course of business an amount equal to all or a portion of the net proceeds of the transaction, and the Company has elected to designate that amount as a credit against that transaction (with any amount not so designated to be applied as set forth in clause (3) below or as otherwise permitted); or

(3) during the nine-month period after the effective date of the Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the Company has applied to the voluntary defeasance or retirement of any debt securities under the Indenture, any Indebtedness of equal rank to the Notes or any Funded Indebtedness, an amount equal to the net proceeds of the sale or transfer of the property leased in the Sale and Leaseback Transaction (or, if greater, the fair value of that property at the time of the Sale and Leaseback Transaction as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company) adjusted to reflect the remaining term of the lease and any amount expended as set forth in the immediately preceding clause (2).

ARTICLE FIVE

M ISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 5.01. Certain Trustee Matters.

The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness.

The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes or the proper authorization or the due execution hereof or thereof by the Company.

Except as expressly set forth herein, nothing in this Supplemental Indenture shall alter the duties, rights or obligations of the Trustee set forth in the Original Indenture.

The Trustee makes no representation or warranty as to the validity or sufficiency of the information contained in the prospectus supplement related to the Notes, except such information which specifically pertains to the Trustee itself, or any information incorporated therein by reference.

SECTION 5.02. Continued Effect.

Except as expressly supplemented and amended by this Supplemental Indenture, the Original Indenture shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with the provisions thereof, and the Original Indenture (as supplemented and amended by this Supplemental Indenture) is in all respects hereby ratified and confirmed. This Supplemental Indenture and all its provisions shall be deemed a part of the Original Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided.

SECTION 5.03. Governing Law.

This Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

SECTION 5.04. Counterparts.

This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

( Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank )

 

  9   Fourth Supplemental Indenture


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed and delivered, all as of the date first written above.

 

    THE COMPANY:
    ROWAN COMPANIES, INC.
    By:   /s/ William H. Wells
    Name:   William H. Wells
    Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

    GUARANTOR:
    ROWAN COMPANIES PLC
    By:   /s/ William H. Wells
    Name:   William H. Wells
    Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

    Fourth Supplemental Indenture


    TRUSTEE:
    U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
    By:   /s/ Steven Finklea
    Name:   Steven Finklea
    Title:   Vice President

 

    Fourth Supplemental Indenture


EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]

[If a Global Security, insert—THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED TO, OR REGISTERED OR EXCHANGED FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF, ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF AND NO SUCH TRANSFER MAY BE REGISTERED, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE. EVERY SECURITY AUTHENTICATED AND DELIVERED UPON REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER OF, OR IN EXCHANGE FOR OR IN LIEU OF, THIS SECURITY SHALL BE A GLOBAL SECURITY SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING, EXCEPT IN SUCH LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.]

[If a Global Security, insert—UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY SECURITY ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]

ROWAN COMPANIES, INC.

4.875% Senior Note due 2022

 

No.                 

   U.S.$                    

CUSIP: 779382 AP5

 

ISIN: US779382AP57

  

ROWAN COMPANIES, INC., a Delaware corporation (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor or resulting Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to                 , or registered assigns, the principal sum of                  United States Dollars on June 1, 2022, and to pay interest thereon from May 21, 2012, or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on June 1 and December 1 in each year, commencing on December 1, 2012, at the rate of 4.875% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment and at the rate of 4.875% per annum on any overdue principal and premium and on any overdue installment of interest (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable). The amount of interest payable for any period shall be computed on the basis of twelve 30-day months and a 360-day year. The amount of interest payable for any partial period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months and the days elapsed in any partial month. In the event that any date on which interest is payable on this Security is not a Business Day, then a payment of the interest payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay) with the same force and effect as if made on the date the payment was originally payable. A “ Business Day ” shall mean, when used with respect to any Place of Payment, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law, executive order or regulation to close. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the “ Regular Record Date ” for such interest, which shall be the May 15 or November 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice of which shall be given to Holders of

 

    Fourth Supplemental Indenture


Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Securities of this series may be listed or traded, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange or automated quotation system, all as more fully provided in such Indenture.

[If a Global Security, insert—Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on this Security will be made by transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account in the United States of America designated by the Holder in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.]

[If a Definitive Security, insert—Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, the City and State of New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts or subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto and to the right of the Company (as provided in the Indenture) to rescind the designation of any such Paying Agent, at the offices of                  in the Borough of Manhattan, The City and State of New York, or at such other offices or agencies as the Company may designate, by United States Dollar check drawn on, or transfer to a United States Dollar account maintained by the payee with, a bank in The City of New York (so long as the applicable Paying Agent has received proper transfer instructions in writing at least 10 days prior to the payment date); provided, however , that payment of interest may be made at the option of the Company by United States Dollar check mailed to the addresses of the Persons entitled thereto as such addresses shall appear in the Security Register or by transfer to a United States Dollar account maintained by the payee with a bank in The City of New York (so long as the applicable Paying Agent has received proper transfer instructions in writing by the Record Date prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date).]

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

Dated:                ,         

 

    ROWAN COMPANIES, INC.
    By:    
    Name:   William H. Wells
    Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

This is one of the Securities of the series designated 4.875% Senior Notes due 2022 referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee

By:    
  Authorized Signatory


[REVERSE OF NOTE]

ROWAN COMPANIES, INC.

4.875% Senior Note due 2022

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of senior securities of the Company (the “ Securities ”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of July 21, 2009, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, as Trustee (the “ Trustee ,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), as amended and supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of May 21, 2012 by and among the Company, Rowan UK and the Trustee (such Indenture, as so amended and supplemented being referred to herein as the “ Indenture ”), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, any Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof.

This Security is the general, unsecured, senior obligation of the Company and is guaranteed pursuant to a guarantee by each person named as a Guarantor in the Indenture. The Securities Guarantee of each such Guarantor is the general, unsecured, senior obligation of such Guarantor.

This Security is redeemable, in whole or in part, at the Company’s option at any time and from time to time prior to maturity. The redemption price for such redemption at any time on or after March 1, 2022 will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of this Security or portion hereof to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the redemption date. The redemption price for such redemption at any time prior to March 1, 2022 will be equal to the greater of (a) 100% of the principal amount of this Security or portion hereof to be redeemed, and (b) as determined by the Quotation Agent (as defined below), the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest in respect of this Security or portion hereof to be redeemed (not including any portion of those payments of interest accrued as of the date of redemption) discounted to the date of redemption on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus 50 basis points, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date of redemption.

For purposes of determining any redemption price, the following definitions shall apply:

Adjusted Treasury Rate ” means, with respect to any date of redemption, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue (as defined below), assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price (as defined below) for the date of redemption. The Adjusted Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third Business Day preceding the redemption date.

Comparable Treasury Issue ” means the United States Treasury security selected by the applicable Quotation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of this Security that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of this Security.

Comparable Treasury Price ” means, with respect to any date of redemption, (a) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations (as defined below) for the date of redemption, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (b) if the Company obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations.

Quotation Agent ” means the Reference Treasury Dealer (as defined below) appointed by the Company.

Reference Treasury Dealer ” means (a) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, and their respective successors; provided, however , that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer (a “ Primary Treasury Dealer ”), the Company shall substitute another Primary Treasury Dealer; and (b) any other Primary Treasury Dealer selected by the Company.


Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations ” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Trustee, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Trustee by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the third Business Day preceding that redemption date.

Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the date of redemption, interest will cease to accrue on this Security or the portions hereof called for redemption.

In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (1) the entire indebtedness of this Security or (2) certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and each Guarantor and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and each Guarantor and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected (with each series voting as a separate class). The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company and each Guarantor with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, regardless of whether notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

No Holder of this Security shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless (a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, (b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of this series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder, (c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request, (d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding and (e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of this series; it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatsoever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place(s) and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

[If a Global Security, insert—This Global Security or portion hereof may not be exchanged for Definitive Securities of this series except in the limited circumstances provided in the Indenture. The holders of beneficial interests in this Global Security will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Definitive Securities except as described in the Indenture and will not be considered the Holders thereof for any purpose under the Indenture.]


[If a Definitive Security, insert—As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registerable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in The City of New York, or, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto and to the right of the Company (limited as provided in the Indenture) to rescind the designation of any such transfer agent, at the offices of                  in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or at such other offices or agencies as the Company may designate, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.]

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of U.S. $2,000 and any integral multiple of U.S. $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, any Guarantor, the Trustee and any agent of the Company, a Guarantor or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, regardless of whether this Security be overdue, and none of the Company, any Guarantor, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of or contained in the Indenture or of or contained in any Security, or the Securities Guarantee endorsed thereon, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, or in any Security or in the Securities Guarantee, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, member, officer, manager or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or any Guarantor or of any successor Person, either directly or through the Company or any Guarantor or any successor Person, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment, penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released by the acceptance hereof and as a condition of, and as part of the consideration for, the execution of the Indenture and the issuance of the Securities.

This Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.


[If a Definitive Security, insert as a separate page—

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto                      (Please Print or Typewrite Name and Address of Assignee) the within instrument of ROWAN COMPANIES, INC., and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                  Attorney to transfer said instrument on the books of the within-named corporation, with full power of substitution in the premises.

Please Insert Social Security or

Other Identifying Number of Assignee:

 

         
Dated: _________________________________________        
      (Signature)
Signature Guarantee: ___________________________________________________________________________________

(Participant in a Recognized Signature

Guaranty Medallion Program)

NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.


[If a Global Security, insert as a separate page—

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES

IN GLOBAL SECURITY

The following increases or decreases in this Global Security have been made:

 





Date of Exchange

 

Amount of

Decrease in

Principal

Amount of this

Global Security

 

Amount of

Increase in

Principal Amount

of this
Global Security

   Principal Amount
of this Global
Security Following
Such Decrease
(or Increase)
  
Signature of

Authorized  Officer
of Trustee or
Depositary


SECURITIES GUARANTEE NOTATION

Each Guarantor (which term includes any successor Person in such capacity under the Indenture), has fully, unconditionally and absolutely guaranteed, to the extent set forth in the Indenture and subject to the provisions in the Indenture, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of this series and all other amounts due and payable under the Indenture and the Securities of this series by the Company.

The obligations of each Guarantor to the Holders of Securities of this series and to the Trustee pursuant to the Securities Guarantee and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article Fourteen of the Indenture and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for the precise terms of the Securities Guarantee.

 

    Guarantor:
    ROWAN COMPANIES plc
    By:    
    Name:   William H. Wells
    Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO         

600 Travis, Suite 4200

Houston, Texas 77002

713.220.4200 Phone

713.220.4285 Fax

andrewskurth.com

May 21, 2012

Rowan Companies, Inc.

2800 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 5450

Houston, Texas 77056

 

  Re: Rowan Companies, Inc. – $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.875% Senior Notes due 2022.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Rowan Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), in connection with the public offering of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 4.875% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “ Notes ”). The Notes are being issued under an Indenture dated as of July 21, 2009 (the “ Base Indenture ”), among the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), as amended and supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of May 21, 2012 (the “ Supplemental Indenture ”), among the Company, Rowan Companies plc, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales and the parent company of the Company (the “ Parent ”), and the Trustee. The Base Indenture, as amended and supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, is referenced herein as the “ Indenture .” The Notes are being guaranteed by the Parent pursuant to the guarantee included in the Indenture (the “ Guarantee ”), and are being sold pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement dated as of May 16, 2012 (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”), among the Company, the Parent, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“ Citi ”), RBC Capital Markets, LLC (“ RBC ”) and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (“ Wells Fargo ”) and each of the other underwriters named therein for whom Citi, RBC and Wells Fargo are acting as representatives. The Company and the Parent are referred to collectively herein as the “ Obligors .”

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”).

In connection with this opinion, we have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following:

(i) the registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration Nos. 333-181455 and 333-181455-01) filed by the Obligors with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) on May 16, 2012 (such registration statement, including the form of prospectus included therein and the documents incorporated by reference therein, being referred to herein as the “ Registration Statement ”);

(ii) the prospectus dated May 16, 2012, included in the Registration Statement, relating to the offering from time to time of the Company’s debt securities (the “ Base Prospectus ”);

(iii) the preliminary prospectus supplement dated May 16, 2012, relating to the Notes, in the form filed on May 16, 2012 with the SEC, pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities Act (such prospectus supplement, together with the Base Prospectus, being referred to herein as the “ Preliminary Prospectus ”);

Austin     Beijing     Dallas     Houston     London     New York     Research Triangle Park     The Woodlands     Washington, DC


Rowan Companies, Inc.

May 21, 2012

Page 2

 

(iv) the term sheet relating to the Notes, filed on May 16, 2012 with the SEC as a free writing prospectus, pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act;

(v) the prospectus supplement dated May 16, 2012, relating to the Notes, in the form filed on May 18, 2012 with the SEC, pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) under the Securities Act (such prospectus supplement, together with the Base Prospectus, being referred to herein as the “ Prospectus ”);

(vi) the Underwriting Agreement;

(vii) the Indenture;

(viii) the form of the Notes attached to the Supplemental Indenture;

(ix) the global note (the “ Global Note ”) executed by the Company pursuant to the Indenture, in the aggregate principal amount of $500,000,000, representing the Notes purchased and sold pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement;

(x) the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company, in each case as amended to date; and

(xi) resolutions adopted by the board of directors of each of the Obligors relating to the Registration Statement, the Notes, the Indenture and related matters.

We have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records of the Obligors and such agreements, certificates of public officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of the Obligors and others, and such other documents, certificates and records as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth herein.

In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or photostatic copies. In making our examination of executed documents or documents to be executed, we have assumed that the parties thereto, other than the Company, had or will have the power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and, except as set forth below, the validity and binding effect on such parties. As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein which we have not independently established or verified, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Obligors and others.

We express no opinion other than as to the laws of the State of New York, as in effect and existing on the date hereof, that are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes.

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that when (i) the Supplemental Indenture (in the form examined by us) has been duly executed and delivered by the Obligors and the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Base Indenture and (ii) the Global Note (in the form examined by us) has been duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and has been delivered in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, the Notes will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, and the Guarantee will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of the Guarantor.


Rowan Companies, Inc.

May 21, 2012

Page 3

 

Our opinion above is subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfer or conveyance), reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law), including, without limitation, (a) the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief or any other equitable remedy and (b) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and we express no opinion herein with respect to provisions relating to severability or separability. Our opinion, insofar as it pertains to the choice of law provision of the Notes and the Indenture, is rendered solely in reliance upon New York General Obligations Law Section 5-1401, and is expressly conditioned upon the assumption that the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability of said provision will be determined by a court of the State of New York or a United States federal court sitting in New York and applying New York choice of law rules, including said Section 5-1401. We express no opinion as to any constitutional limitations upon said Section 5-1401 or their effect, if any, upon any opinion herein expressed.

In rendering the opinion expressed above with respect to the Notes, we have assumed that the form and terms of such Notes, the issuance, sale and delivery thereof by the Company, and the incurrence and performance by the Obligors of their respective obligations thereunder or in respect thereof (including, without limitation, the Company’s obligations under the Indenture with respect to the Notes and the Parent’s obligations under the Indenture with respect to the Guarantee) in accordance with the terms thereof, will comply with, and will not violate, any applicable order, judgment, decree or award, or any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument, in each case, binding upon either of the Obligors, or to which the issuance, sale and delivery of such Notes or the Guarantee, or the incurrence and performance of such obligations, may be subject.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the SEC as an exhibit to a Current Report of the Parent on Form 8-K and to the reference to this firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC. This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein, or of any subsequent changes in applicable law.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Andrews Kurth LLP

 

 

LOGO

Exhibit 5.2

 

    Baker & McKenzie LLP
    100 New Bridge Street
    London EC4V 6JA
   

United Kingdom

 

    Tel: +44 (0)20 7919 1000
    Fax: +44 (0)20 7919 1999
    DX No: 233 Chancery Lane
   

www.bakermckenzie.com

 

    Our ref:
    Your ref:
    Direct line:

21 May 2012

Rowan Companies plc

Mitre House

160 Aldersgate Street

London

United Kingdom EC1A 4DD

Dear Sirs

Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Rowan Companies plc (the “Company”) dated 16 May 2012

 

1. INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE

 

1.1 We have acted as legal advisors to the Company, an English public company limited by shares, as to English law in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-181455) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 16 May, 2012, including the Prospectus dated 16 May, 2012, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement dated 16 May, 2012 (the registration statement, as amended and supplemented to date, is hereafter referred to as the “ Registration Statement ”) relating to the public offering of US$500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.875% senior notes due 2022 (the “ Notes ”). We have taken instructions solely from the Company.

 

1.2 This letter sets out our opinion on certain matters of English law as applied by the English courts as at today’s date and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law. We have made no investigation of the laws of any jurisdiction other than those of England and we do not express or imply any opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than those of England. We do not express any opinion on European Community law as it affects any jurisdiction other than England. We express no opinion as to matters of fact.

 

1.3 The opinion in this letter is limited to the matters stated herein and does not extend to, and is not to be read as extending by implication to any other matter.

Baker & McKenzie LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number 0C311297. A List of members’ names is open to inspection at its registered office and principal place of business, 100 New Bridge Street, London EC4V 6JA.

Baker & McKenzie LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales. Further information regarding the regulatory position is available at http://www.bakermckenzie.com/london/regulatoryinformation.

Baker & McKenzie LLP is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.

 

 


  2. DOCUMENTS AND ENQUIRIES

 

  2.1 In reaching the conclusions expressed herein, we have examined and relied upon copies, certified to our satisfaction, of:

 

  (a) the certificate of incorporation of the Company dated 31 October 2011 and the certificate of incorporation on re-registration of a private company as a public company of the Company dated 1 May 2012, in each case attached to the Certificate (as defined below);

 

  (b) the current articles of association of the Company, attached to the Certificate (as defined below);

 

  (c) a copy of a previous articles of association of the Company, adopted pursuant to a special resolution passed on 31 October 2011, attached to the Certificate (as defined below);

 

  (d) the minutes of a meeting of the board of directors of the Company held on 30 April 2012 authorising the execution of the Supplemental Indenture, the issue of the guarantee by the Company of the Notes and related matters, attached to the Certificate (as defined below);

 

  (e) the Registration Statement and all exhibits thereto, attached to the Certificate (as defined below);

 

  (f) an executed copy of the Indenture dated as of July 21, 2009 (the “ Base Indenture ”) between the Rowan Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), attached to the Certificate (as defined below);

 

  (g) an executed copy of the Fourth Supplemental Indenture to the Base Indenture, dated as of 21 May 2012 (the “ Supplemental Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Company (as guarantor) and the Trustee, providing for the issuance of the Notes and the guarantee thereof by the Company, attached to the Certificate (as defined below); and

 

  (h) a certificate addressed to us from Melanie M. Trent, being the Company Secretary of the Company, dated 21 May 2012 and the documents annexed thereto (the “ Certificate ”).

 

  2.2 Except as noted above, we have not made any enquiries or searches concerning the Company or examined any other documents.

 

  3. ASSUMPTIONS

In making the foregoing examinations, we have assumed (without making any investigation or verification of their accuracy) that:

 

2


  (a) all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and complete;

 

  (b) all documents submitted to us in electronic form or via facsimile transmission or as photocopies or other copies of originals conform to the originals and all such originals are authentic and complete;

 

  (c) any signatures and seals on the documents reviewed by us are genuine;

 

  (d) all statements made in the Certificate are at the date of this letter complete, accurate and not misleading;

 

  (e) the resolutions proposed at the meeting of the board of directors of the Company referred to at 2.1(d) above authorising the execution of the Supplemental Indenture, the issue of the guarantee by the Company of the Notes and related matters were duly passed at a properly convened meeting of directors in accordance with the articles of association of the Company as in force at such time, have not been amended or rescinded, and are in full force and effect;

 

  (f) the Notes are issued by the Issuer in an aggregate principal amount of up to US$500,000,000 and on such other terms and conditions set forth in (i) the Underwriting Agreement dated 16 May 2012 among (a) the Company and the Issuer and (b) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein; and (ii) the Supplemental Indenture;

 

  (g) the yield to maturity on the Notes upon their original issuance shall not exceed 6.0% and the term of the Notes shall be ten years; and

 

  (h) all material information has been disclosed by the Company to us for the purposes of this opinion.

 

  4. OPINION

Based on and subject to the foregoing, and subject to any matters not disclosed to us, we are of the opinion that the execution by the Company of the Supplemental Indenture (which includes a provision relating to the guarantee by the Company of the Notes) has been duly authorised by the Company.

 

  5. OBSERVATIONS

 

  5.1 This opinion is given only by Baker & McKenzie LLP, an English limited liability partnership, and not by or on behalf of Baker & McKenzie International (a Swiss Verein) or any other member or associated firm thereof. In this letter the expressions “we”, “us”, “our” and like expressions should be construed accordingly.

 

3


  5.2 This opinion letter may be filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. Consent is also given to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, this firm does not thereby admit that it comes within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.

Your faithfully,

Baker & McKenzie LLP

 

4