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): December 19, 2016

 

 

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-37964   81-3470246
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)

9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400

Houston, TX 77024

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (713) 568-4910

 

 

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))

 

 

 


Introductory Note:

On December 19, 2016, WildHorse Resource Development Corporation (the “Company”) completed its initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 27,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), at a price to the public of $15.00 per share. The material terms of the Offering are described in the prospectus, dated December 13, 2016 (the “Prospectus”), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 15, 2016, which forms a part of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-214569) (the “Registration Statement”).

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Registration Rights Agreement

In connection with the closing of the Offering, on December 19, 2016, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with WHR Holdings, LLC (“WildHorse Holdings”), Esquisto Holdings, LLC (“Esquisto Holdings”), WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC (“Acquisition Co. Holdings” and, together with WildHorse Holdings and Acquisition Co. Holdings, the “Holders”), NGP XI US Holdings, L.P., Jay Graham (he Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”)) and Anthony Bahr (the Company’s President and a member of the Board). Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company has agreed to register the sale of shares of Common Stock under certain circumstances.

At any time after the 180 day lock-up period described in the Prospectus and subject to the limitations set forth below, each of the Holders (or its permitted transferees) will have the right to require the Company by written notice to prepare and file a registration statement registering the offer and sale of a certain number of its shares of Common Stock. Generally, the Company is required to provide notice of the request to certain other holders of Common Stock who may, in certain circumstances, participate in the registration. Subject to certain exceptions, the Company will not be obligated to effect a demand registration within 90 days after the closing of any underwritten offering of shares of Common Stock. Further, the Company is not obligated to effect more than a total of four demand registrations for each Holder.

The Company will also not be obligated to effect any demand registration in which the anticipated aggregate offering price for Common Stock included in such offering is less than $30 million. Once the Company is eligible to effect a registration on Form S-3, any such demand registration may be for a shelf registration statement. The Company will be required to use reasonable best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of any such registration statement until the earlier of (i) 180 days (or two years in the case of a shelf registration statement) after the effective date thereof or (ii) the date on which all shares covered by such registration statement have been sold (subject to certain extensions).

In addition, each of the Holders (or its permitted transferees) will have the right to require the Company, subject to certain limitations, to effect a distribution of any or all of its shares of Common Stock by means of an underwritten offering. In general, any demand for an underwritten offering (other than the first requested underwritten offering made in respect of a prior demand registration and other than a requested underwritten offering made concurrently with a demand registration) shall constitute a demand request subject to the limitations set forth above.

Subject to certain exceptions, if at any time the Company proposes to register an offering of Common Stock or conduct an underwritten offering, whether or not for the Company’s own account, then the Company must notify each Holder (or its permitted transferees), NGP XI US Holdings, L.P., Jay C. Graham and Anthony Bahr of such proposal to allow them to include a specified number of their shares of Common Stock in that registration statement or underwritten offering, as applicable.

These registration rights are subject to certain conditions and limitations, including the right of the underwriters to limit the number of shares to be included in a registration and the Company’s right to delay or withdraw a registration statement under certain circumstances. The Company will generally pay all registration expenses in connection with its obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, regardless of whether a registration statement is filed or becomes effective.

 

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The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Registration Rights Agreement, which is attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

Stockholders’ Agreement

In connection with the closing of the Offering, on December 19, 2016, the Company entered into a stockholders’ agreement (the “Stockholders’ Agreement”) with the Holders. Among other things, the Stockholders’ Agreement provides the right to designate nominees to the Board as follows:

 

    so long as the Holders and their affiliates beneficially own greater than 50% of the Company’s common stock in the aggregate, WildHorse Holdings and Esquisto Holdings can each nominate up to three nominees to the Board;

 

    so long as the Holders and their affiliates beneficially own greater than 35% of the Company’s common stock but less than 50% of the Company’s common stock in the aggregate, WildHorse Holdings and Esquisto Holdings can each nominate two nominees to the Board;

 

    so long as the Holders and their affiliates beneficially own greater than 15% of the Company’s common stock but less than 35% of the Company’s common stock in the aggregate, WildHorse Holdings and Esquisto Holdings can each nominate one nominee to the Board and can nominate a third nominee by agreement between them;

 

    so long as the Holders and their affiliates beneficially own greater than 5% but less than 15% of the Company’s common stock in the aggregate, WildHorse Holdings and Esquisto Holdings can each nominate one nominee to the Board; and

 

    once the Holders and their affiliates beneficially own less 5% of the Company’s common stock in the aggregate, WildHorse Holdings and Esquisto Holdings will not have any board designation rights.

Pursuant to the Stockholders’ Agreement the Company and the Holders are required to take all necessary actions, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law (including with respect to any fiduciary duties under Delaware law), to cause the election of the nominees designated by WildHorse Holdings and Esquisto Holdings.

In addition, the Stockholders’ Agreement provides that for so long as the Holders and their affiliates beneficially own at least 15% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock in the aggregate, WildHorse Holdings and Esquisto Holdings will have the right to cause any committee of the Board to include in its membership at least one director designated by WildHorse Holdings or Esquisto Holdings, except to the extent that such membership would violate applicable securities laws or stock exchange rules. The rights granted to WildHorse Holdings and Esquisto Holdings to designate directors are additive to and not intended to limit in any way the rights that the Holders or any of their affiliates may have to nominate, elect or remove the Company’s directors under the Governing Documents (as defined below) or the Delaware General Corporation Law.

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Stockholders’ Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

Credit Agreement

On December 19, 2016, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) by and among the Company, as borrower, each of the Company’s existing subsidiaries, as guarantors, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent for the lenders party thereto (the “Administrative Agent”), BMO Harris Bank N.A., as syndication agent, Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC, Citibank, N.A., Comerica Bank and ING Capital LLC, as co-documentation agents for the lenders party there to, and the other lenders party thereto (together, the “Lenders”).

 

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The Credit Agreement is a five-year, $1.0 billion revolving credit facility with an initial borrowing base of $450.0 million and aggregate elected commitments of $450.0 million. The borrowing base is subject to scheduled redetermination on a semi-annual basis, interim redetermination at the option of the Company no more than twice in any year and interim redetermination at the option of Lenders with more than 66.6% of the loans and commitments under the Credit Agreement no more than twice in any year. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are secured by liens on substantially all of the Company’s properties, but in any event, not less than 85% (or 75% with respect to certain properties prior to February 2, 2017) of the total value, as determined by the Administrative Agent, of the proved reserves attributable to the Company’s oil and natural gas properties using a discount rate of 9%, all of the Company’s equity interests in any future guarantor subsidiaries and all of the Company’s other assets including personal property but excluding equity interests in and assets of unrestricted subsidiaries.

Additionally, borrowings under the Credit Agreement will bear interest, at the Company’s option, at either (i) the greatest of (x) the prime rate as determined by the Administrative Agent, (y) the federal funds effective rate plus 0.50%, and (z) the thirty-day adjusted LIBOR plus 1.0%, in each case, plus a margin that varies from 1.25% to 2.25% per annum according to the total commitments usage (which is the ratio of outstanding borrowings and letters of credit to the least of the total commitments, the borrowing base and the aggregate elected commitments then in effect), (ii) the adjusted LIBO rate plus a margin that varies from 2.25% to 3.25% per annum according to the total commitment usage or (iii) the applicable LIBOR market index rate plus a margin that varies from 2.25% to 3.25% per annum according to the Company’s total commitment usage. The unused portion of the total commitments are subject to a commitment fee that varies from 0.375% to 0.50% per annum according to the Company’s total commitments usage.

The Credit Agreement requires the Company to maintain (x) a ratio of total debt to EBITDAX (as defined in the Credit Agreement) of not more than 4.00 to 1.00 and (y) a ratio of current assets (including availability under the facility) to current liabilities of not less than 1.00 to 1.00.

Additionally, the Credit Agreement contains various covenants and restrictive provisions that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company to incur additional debt, guarantees or liens; consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of its assets; make certain investments, acquisitions or other restricted payments; modify certain material agreements; engage in certain types of transactions with affiliates; dispose of assets; incur commodity hedges exceeding a certain percentage of production; and prepay certain indebtedness.

Events of default under the Credit Agreement include, but are not be limited to, failure to make payments when due, breach of any covenant continuing beyond any applicable cure period, default under any other material debt, change of control, bankruptcy or other insolvency event and certain material adverse effects on the Company’s business.

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Credit Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

Transition Services Agreement

In connection with the closing of the Offering, on December 19, 2016, the Company entered into a transition services agreement (the “Transition Services Agreement”) with CH4 Energy IV, LLC, PetroMax Operating Co., Inc. and Crossing Rocks Energy, LLC (each an affiliate of Esquisto Holdings and, collectively, the “Service Providers”), pursuant to which the Service Providers will provide certain engineering, land, operating and financial services to the Company for six months relating to the Company’s Eagle Ford acreage. In exchange for such services, the Company will pay a monthly management fee to the Service Providers. The Service Providers do not have a termination right under the Transition Services Agreement. The Company may terminate the Transition Services Agreement at any time by providing 30-days prior written notice to the Service Providers. The Transition Services Agreement may only be assigned by a party with each other party’s consent.

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Transition Services Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.4 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

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Relationships

As more fully described in the sections entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” and “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” in the Prospectus, the Company has 91,327,107 shares of common stock issued and outstanding. The board of managers of each of WildHorse Holdings, Esquisto Holdings and Acquisition Co. Holdings, which hold 21,200,084 shares, 38,755,266 shares and 2,563,266 shares of Common Stock, respectively, consist of Mr. Graham (the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board), Mr. Bahr (the Company’s President and a member of the Board), and Scott A. Gieselman, David W. Hayes and Tony R. Weber (each of which is a member of the Board).

As a result of the relationships disclosed above, certain individuals, including officers and directors of the Company, serve as officers and/or directors of more than one of such other entities.

Item 2.01 Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

Master Contribution Agreement

As previously disclosed and as described in the Prospectus, on December 19, 2016, the Company completed the transactions contemplated by the Master Contribution Agreement, dated December 12, 2016, among the Company and the other parties named therein (the “Master Contribution Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company issued an aggregate of 68,518,680 shares of its common stock in exchange for the contributing parties’ contribution of the all of the Company’s assets in connection with the Company’s initial public offering. A description of the Master Contribution Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby is included in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed December 16, 2016, which is incorporated by reference herein.

Burleson North Acquisition

On December 19, 2016, in connection with the Offering, the Company completed an acquisition of approximately 158,000 net acres of oil and gas properties adjacent to the Company’s Eagle Ford acreage, as described in the Prospectus, from Clayton Williams Energy, Inc. for a purchase price of $400.0 million in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments, $45.0 million of which was funded at signing by a subsidiary of the Company. The Company used a portion of the proceeds from the Offering, along with borrowings under the Credit Agreement, to fund the remaining adjusted purchase price of $344.8 million.

 

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

The information provided in Item 1.01 hereto under the heading “Credit Agreement” is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

As previously disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company agreed to acquire from certain third parties approximately 7,500 net acres in exchange shares of the Company’s common stock. In connection with the closing of the Offering, the Company issued an aggregate of 1,308,427 shares of the Company’s common stock to such purchasers, with the number of shares being determined by dividing the acquisition consideration value of approximately $19.6 million by the price per share of common stock in the Offering. The foregoing transaction was undertaken in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 by Section 4(a)(2) thereof.

 

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Item 3.03 Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

The information provided in Item 1.01 hereto under the headings “Registration Rights Agreement” and “Stockholders’ Agreement” is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.

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

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation

On December 19, 2016, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Company amended and restated its Certificate of Incorporation (as amended and restated, the “Certificate of Incorporation”), which was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 19, 2016. A description of the Certificate of Incorporation is contained in the section of the Prospectus entitled “Description of Capital Stock” and is incorporated herein by reference.

The foregoing description and the description contained in the Prospectus are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Certificate of Incorporation, which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.

Amended and Restated Bylaws

On December 19, 2016, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Company amended and restated its Bylaws (as amended and restated, the “Bylaws” and, together with the Certificate of Incorporation, the “Governing Documents”). A description of the Bylaws is contained in the section of the Prospectus entitled “Description of Capital Stock” and is incorporated herein by reference.

The foregoing description and the description contained in the Prospectus are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Bylaws, which is filed as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)

The financial statements required by this item have been previously reported by the Company in the Registration Statement.

(b)

The pro forma financial information required by this item has been previously reported by the Company in the Registration Statement.

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

2.1    Master Contribution Agreement, dated December 12, 2016, by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation and the other parties named therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on December 16, 2016).
3.1    Amended and Restated Certification of Incorporation of WildHorse Resource Development Corporation.
3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, effective December 19, 2016.
10.1    Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2016, by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation and the stockholders named therein.
10.2    Stockholders’ Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2016, by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation and the stockholders named therein.

 

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Exhibit
Number

  

Description

10.3    Credit Agreement, dated December 19, 2016, by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, as Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, BMO Harris Bank, N.A., as Syndication Agent, the Lenders party thereto and the other parties party thereto.
10.4    Transition Services Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2016, by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, CH4 Energy IV, LLC, PetroMax Operating Co., Inc. and Crossing Rocks Energy, LLC.
10.5    Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of WHR Holdings, LLC.
10.6    Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC.
10.7    Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Esquisto Investment Holdings, LLC.
10.8    Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC.

 

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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.

 

WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Kyle N. Roane
Name:   Kyle N. Roane
Title:  

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Dated: December 22, 2016

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

2.1    Master Contribution Agreement, dated December 12, 2016, by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation and the other parties named therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on December 16, 2016).
3.1    Amended and Restated Certification of Incorporation of WildHorse Resource Development Corporation.
3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, effective December 19, 2016.
10.1    Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2016, by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation and the stockholders named therein.
10.2    Stockholders’ Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2016, by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation and the stockholders named therein.
10.3    Credit Agreement, dated December 19, 2016, by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, as Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, BMO Harris Bank, N.A., as Syndication Agent, the Lenders party thereto and the other parties party thereto.
10.4    Transition Services Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2016, by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, CH4 Energy IV, LLC, PetroMax Operating Co., Inc. and Crossing Rocks Energy, LLC.
10.5    Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of WHR Holdings, LLC.
10.6    Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC.
10.7    Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Esquisto Investment Holdings, LLC.
10.8    Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC.

 

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Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation (the “ Corporation ”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as set forth in Title 8 of the Delaware Code (the “ DGCL ”), hereby certifies as follows:

1. The original Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “ Original Certificate of Incorporation ”) was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on August 4, 2016.

2. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which restates and amends the Original Certificate of Incorporation, has been declared advisable by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “ Board ”), duly adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation and duly executed and acknowledged by the officers of the Corporation in accordance with Sections 103, 228, 242 and 245 of the DGCL. References to “ this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation ” herein refer to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, restated, supplemented and otherwise modified from time to time.

3. The Original Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

ARTICLE I

NAME

SECTION 1.1. Name . The name of the Corporation is WildHorse Resource Development Corporation.

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED AGENT

SECTION 2.1. Registered Agent . The address of its registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware 19801. The name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

SECTION 3.1. Purpose . The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted by the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL as it currently exists or may hereafter be amended.


ARTICLE IV

CAPITALIZATION

SECTION 4.1. Number of Shares .

(A) The total number of shares of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 550,000,000 shares of stock, classified as (i) 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“ Preferred Stock ”), and (ii) 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“ Common Stock ”).

(B) The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), and no vote of the holders of either Preferred Stock or Common Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor.

SECTION 4.2. Provisions Relating to Preferred Stock .

(A) Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, the shares of each series to have such designations and powers, preferences and rights, and qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as are stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such series adopted by the Board as hereafter prescribed and filed pursuant to applicable law (a “ Preferred Stock Designation ”).

(B) Subject to any limitations prescribed by law and the rights of any series of the Preferred Stock then outstanding, if any, authority is hereby expressly granted to and vested in the Board to authorize the issuance of Preferred Stock from time to time in one or more series, and with respect to each series of Preferred Stock, to fix and state the designation and the powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions relating to each series of Preferred Stock, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) whether or not the series is to have voting rights, full, special or limited, or is to be without voting rights, and whether or not such series is to be entitled to vote as a separate class either alone or together with the holders of one or more other classes or series of stock;

(2) the number of shares to constitute the series and the designations thereof;

(3) the preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, with respect to any series;

(4) whether or not the shares of any series shall be redeemable at the option of the Corporation or the holders thereof or upon the happening of any specified event, and, if redeemable, the redemption price or prices (which may be payable in the form of cash, notes, securities or other property), and the time or times at which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such shares shall be redeemable and the manner of redemption;

 

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(5) whether or not the shares of a series shall be subject to the operation of retirement or sinking funds to be applied to the purchase or redemption of such shares for retirement, and, if such retirement or sinking fund or funds are to be established, the annual amount thereof, and the terms and provisions relative to the operation thereof;

(6) the dividend rate, whether dividends are payable in cash, stock of the Corporation or other property, the conditions upon which and the times when such dividends are payable, the preference to or the relation to the payment of dividends payable on any other class or classes or series of stock, whether or not such dividends shall be cumulative or noncumulative, and if cumulative, the date or dates from which such dividends shall accumulate;

(7) the preferences, if any, and the amounts thereof which the holders of any series thereof shall be entitled to receive upon the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of, or upon any distribution of the assets of, the Corporation;

(8) whether or not the shares of any series, at the option of the Corporation or the holder thereof or upon the happening of any specified event, shall be convertible into or exchangeable for, the shares of any other class or classes or of any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock, securities or other property of the Corporation and the conversion price or prices or ratio or ratios or the rate or rates at which such exchange may be made, with such adjustments, if any, as shall be stated and expressed or provided for in such resolution or resolutions; and

(9) such other powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions with respect to any series as may to the Board seem advisable.

(C) The shares of each series of Preferred Stock may vary from the shares of any other series thereof in any or all of the foregoing respects.

SECTION 4.3. Provisions Relating to Common Stock .

(A) Common Stock shall be subject to the express terms of Preferred Stock and any series thereof. Except as may otherwise be required by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or by applicable law, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share upon all questions presented to the stockholders, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and for all other purposes, and the holders of Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote at or receive notice of any meeting of stockholders.

(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise required by applicable law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation)

 

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that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation).

(C) Subject to the prior rights and preferences, if any, applicable to shares of Preferred Stock or any series thereof, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock held by them such dividends and distributions (payable in cash, stock or otherwise), if any, as may be declared thereon by the Board at any time and from time to time out of any funds of the Corporation legally available therefor.

ARTICLE V

DIRECTORS

SECTION 5.1. Term and Classes .

(A) The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon them by statute or by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the bylaws of the Corporation, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.

(B) Until the first date on which WHR Holdings, LLC, Esquisto Holdings, LLC, WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC, WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC, Esquisto Investment Holdings, LLC, NGP IX US Holdings, L.P., NGP X US Holdings, L.P. and NGP XI US Holdings, L.P. (each, a “ Sponsor ”) and their respective Affiliates (as such term is defined in Section 10.2 ) no longer collectively beneficially own (or otherwise have the right to vote or direct the vote of) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the “ Trigger Date ”), the directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock specified in the related Preferred Stock Designation, shall consist of a single class, with the initial term of office to expire at the 2017 annual meeting of stockholders, and each director shall hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. For purposes of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, beneficial ownership of shares shall be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. At each annual meeting of stockholders, directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms then expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the next succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their election, with each director to hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal.

(C) On and after the Trigger Date, the directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock specified in the related Preferred Stock Designation, shall be divided, with respect to the time for which they severally hold office, into three classes, as nearly equal in number as is reasonably possible, with the initial term of office of the first class to expire at the first annual meeting of stockholders following the Trigger Date,

 

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the initial term of office of the second class to expire at the second annual meeting of stockholders following the Trigger Date, and the initial term of office of the third class to expire at the third annual meeting of stockholders following the Trigger Date, with each director to hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal, and the Board shall be authorized to assign members of the Board, other than those directors who may be elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, to such classes at the time such classification becomes effective. At each annual meeting of stockholders following the Trigger Date, directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms then expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their election, with each director to hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, subject, however, to such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal.

SECTION 5.2. Vacancies . Subject to applicable law, the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders’ Agreement, among the Corporation and certain of its stockholders, dated as of December 19, 2016 (the “ Stockholders’ Agreement ”), any newly created directorship that results from an increase in the number of directors or any vacancy on the Board that results from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director or from any other cause shall, unless otherwise required by law or by resolution of the Board, be filled (A) prior to the Trigger Date, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, or the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of directors, voting together as a single class and acting at a meeting of the stockholders or by written consent (if permitted) in accordance with the DGCL, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the bylaws of the Corporation, and (B) on or after the Trigger Date, solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director elected to fill a vacancy not resulting from an increase in the number of directors shall hold office for the remaining term of his predecessor. No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

SECTION 5.3. Removal .

(A) Until the Trigger Date, subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any series of Preferred Stock, if any, to elect additional directors pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation thereunder) and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders’ Agreement, any director may be removed at any time, either for or without cause, upon the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of directors, voting together as a single class and acting at a meeting of the stockholders or by written consent (if permitted) in accordance with the DGCL, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the bylaws of the Corporation.

 

 

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(B) On and after the Trigger Date, subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any series of Preferred Stock, if any, to elect additional directors pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation thereunder) and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders’ Agreement, any director may be removed only for cause, upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of directors, voting together as a single class and acting at a meeting of the stockholders in accordance with the DGCL, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the bylaws of the Corporation. Except as applicable law otherwise provides, cause for the removal of a director shall be deemed to exist only if the director whose removal is proposed: (1) has been convicted of a felony by a court of competent jurisdiction and that conviction is no longer subject to direct appeal; (2) has been found to have been grossly negligent in the performance of his duties to the Corporation in any matter of substantial importance to the Corporation by (a) the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the directors then in office at any meeting of the Board called for that purpose or (b) a court of competent jurisdiction; or (3) has been adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to be mentally incompetent, which mental incompetency directly affects his ability to serve as a director of the Corporation.

SECTION 5.4. Number . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, if any, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Whole Board. Unless and except to the extent that the bylaws of the Corporation so provide, the election of directors need not be by written ballot. For purposes of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the term “ Whole Board ” shall mean the total number of authorized directors whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships.

ARTICLE VI

STOCKHOLDER ACTION

SECTION 6.1. Written Consents .

(A) Prior to the Trigger Date, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual meeting or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote of stockholders, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is or are signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.

(B) On and after the Trigger Date, subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be taken at a duly held annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be taken by any consent in writing of such stockholders.

 

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ARTICLE VII

SPECIAL MEETINGS

SECTION 7.1. Special Meetings . Special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Whole Board; provided , however , that prior to the Trigger Date, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may also be called by the Secretary of the Corporation at the request of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. The authorized person(s) calling a special meeting may fix the date, time and place, if any, of such meeting. On and after the Trigger Date, subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the stockholders of the Corporation do not have the power to call or request a special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of the stockholders previously scheduled by the Board.

ARTICLE VIII

BYLAWS

SECTION 8.1. Bylaws . In furtherance of, and not in limitation of, the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the bylaws of the Corporation by the Board shall require the approval of a majority of the Whole Board. Stockholders shall also have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation; provided , however , that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the bylaws of the Corporation may be adopted, altered, amended or repealed by the stockholders of the Corporation only (A) prior to the Trigger Date, by the affirmative vote of holders of not less than 50% in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, and (B) on and after the Trigger Date, by the affirmative vote of holders of not less than 66  2 3 % in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class. No bylaws hereafter made or adopted, nor any repeal of or amendment thereto, shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that was valid at the time it was taken.

ARTICLE IX

LIMITATION OF DIRECTOR LIABILITY

SECTION 9.1. Limitation of Director Liability . No director of the Corporation shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as it now exists. In addition to the circumstances in which a director of the Corporation is not personally liable as set forth in the preceding sentence, a director of the Corporation shall not be liable to the fullest extent permitted by any amendment to the DGCL hereafter enacted that further limits the liability of a director. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article IX shall be prospective only and shall not affect any limitation on liability of a director for acts or omissions occurring prior to the date of such amendment, repeal or modification.

 

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ARTICLE X

CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY

SECTION 10.1. Corporate Opportunities . Members of the NGP Group (defined below) own and will own substantial equity interests in other entities (existing and future) that participate in the energy industry (“ Portfolio Companies ”) and may enter into advisory service agreements and other agreements from time to time with those Portfolio Companies. Certain members of the Board may also serve as employees, partners, officers or directors of members of the NGP Group and, at any given time, members of the NGP Group may be in direct or indirect competition with the Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. The Corporation waives, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the application of the doctrine of corporate opportunity (or any analogous doctrine) with respect to the Corporation, to the NGP Group or any directors or officers of the Corporation who are also employees, partners, members, managers, officers or directors of any of the NGP Group. As a result of such waiver, no member of the NGP Group, nor any director or officer of the Corporation who is also an employee, partner, member, manager, officer or director of any member of the NGP Group, shall have any obligation to refrain from: (A) engaging in or managing the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries or developing or marketing any products or services that compete (directly or indirectly) with those of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries; (B) investing in or owning any (public or private) interest in any Person engaged in the same or similar activities or lines of business as, or otherwise in competition with, the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries (including any member of the NGP Group, a “ Competing Person ”); (C) developing a business relationship with any Competing Person; or (D) entering into any agreement to provide any service(s) to any Competing Person or acting as an officer, director, member, manager or advisor to, or other principal of, any Competing Person, regardless (in the case of each of (A) – (D)) of whether such activities are in direct or indirect competition with the business or activities of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries (the activities described in (A) – (D) are referred to herein as “ Specified Activities ”). To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation hereby renounces (for itself and on behalf of its subsidiaries) any interest or expectancy in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any Specified Activity that may be presented to or become known to any member of the NGP Group or any director or officer of the Corporation who is also an employee, partner, member, manager, officer or director of any member of the NGP Group.

SECTION 10.2. Definitions . For purposes of this Article X , the following terms have the following definitions:

(A) “ Affiliate ” means, with respect to a specified Person, a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person; with respect to any NGP Group member, an “Affiliate” shall include (1) any Person who is the direct or indirect ultimate holder of “equity securities” (as such term is described in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of such NGP Group member, and (2) any investment fund, alternative investment vehicle, special purpose vehicle or holding company that is directly or indirectly managed, advised or controlled by such NGP Group member.

 

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(B) “ NGP Group ” means WHR Holdings, LLC, Esquisto Holdings, LLC, WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC, WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC, Esquisto Investment Holdings, LLC, NGP IX US Holdings, L.P., NGP X US Holdings, L.P. and NGP XI US Holdings, L.P. and their respective Affiliates (other than the Corporation) and all of their respective Portfolio Companies.

(C) “ Person ” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, firm, association, or other entity.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of, and to have consented to, the provisions of this Article X . This Article X shall not limit any protections or defenses available to, or indemnification or advancement rights of, any director or officer of the Corporation under this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the bylaws of the Corporation or any applicable law.

ARTICLE XI

BUSINESS COMBINATIONS WITH INTERESTED STOCKHOLDERS

SECTION 11.1. Business Combinations with Interested Stockholders . The Corporation shall not be governed by or subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL as now in effect or hereafter amended, or any successor statute thereto.

ARTICLE XII

AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

SECTION 12.1. Amendments .

(A) The Corporation shall have the right, subject to any express provisions or restrictions contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, from time to time, to amend this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or any provision hereof in any manner now or hereafter provided by applicable law, and all rights and powers of any kind conferred upon a director or stockholder of the Corporation by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or any amendment hereof are subject to such right of the Corporation.

(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the bylaws of the Corporation (and in addition to any other vote that may be required by applicable law or this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation), prior to the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend, alter or repeal any provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

(C) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the bylaws of the Corporation (and in addition to any other vote that may be required by applicable law or this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation), on and after the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least

 

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66  2 3 % in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend, alter or repeal any provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation; provided , however , that the amendment, alteration or repeal of Section 4.1 shall only require the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class.

ARTICLE XIII

FORUM SELECTION

SECTION 13.1. Exclusive Forum . Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring (A) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (B) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (C) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees or agents arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Corporation’s bylaws, or (D) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees or agents governed by the internal affairs doctrine, except as to each of (A) through (D) above, for any claim as to which the Court of Chancery determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, or over which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XIII .

If any provision or provisions of this Article XIII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article XIII (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Article XIII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

SECTION 13.2. Stockholder Consent to Personal Jurisdiction . To the fullest extent permitted by law, if any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of Section 13.1 above is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “ Foreign Action ”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (A) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce Section 13.1 above (an “ FSC Enforcement Action ”) and (B) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such FSC Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation as of this 19th day of December, 2016.

 

WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Jay C. Graham

Name:   Jay C. Graham
Title:   Chief Executive Officer

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Incorporated under the Laws of the State of Delaware

Date of Adoption: December 19, 2016

 

 

ARTICLE I

OFFICES AND RECORDS

SECTION 1.1. Registered Office . The registered office of WildHorse Resource Development Corporation (the “ Corporation ”) in the State of Delaware shall be as set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as it may be amended from time to time (the “ Certificate of Incorporation ”), and the name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation. The registered office and registered agent of the Corporation may be changed from time to time by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “ Board ”) in the manner provided by applicable law.

SECTION 1.2. Other Offices . The Corporation may have such other offices, either within or without the State of Delaware, as the Board may designate or as the business of the Corporation may from time to time require.

SECTION 1.3. Books and Records . The books and records of the Corporation may be kept outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may from time to time be designated by the Board.

ARTICLE II

STOCKHOLDERS

SECTION 2.1. Annual Meetings . If required by applicable law, an annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be held at such date, time and place, if any, either within or outside of the State of Delaware, as may be fixed by resolution of the Board. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board.

SECTION 2.2. Special Meetings . Special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Whole Board; provided , however , that prior to the first date on which WHR Holdings, LLC, Esquisto Holdings, LLC, WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC, WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC, Esquisto Investment Holdings, LLC, NGP IX US Holdings, L.P., NGP X US Holdings, L.P. and NGP XI US Holdings, L.P. (each, a “ Sponsor ”) and their respective affiliates (as such term is defined in the Certificate of Incorporation) no longer collectively beneficially own (or otherwise have the right to vote or direct the vote of) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Corporation’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (such stock, the “ Common Stock ” and such date, the “ Trigger Date ”), special meetings of the stockholders of the

 

 

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Corporation may also be called by the Secretary of the Corporation at the request of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. For purposes of these Bylaws, beneficial ownership of shares shall be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”). The authorized person(s) calling a special meeting may fix the date, time and place, if any, of such meeting. On and after the Trigger Date, subject to the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock of the Corporation (“ Preferred Stock ”), the stockholders of the Corporation shall not have the power to call or request a special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of the stockholders previously scheduled by the Board. For purposes of these Bylaws, the term “ Whole Board ” shall mean the total number of authorized directors whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships.

SECTION 2.3. Record Date .

(A) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by applicable law, not be more than 60 nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

(B) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall not be more than 60 days prior to such action. If no such record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.

(C) Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, in order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and

 

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which record date shall not be more than ten days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board. If no record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting is fixed by the Board, (i) when no prior action of the Board is required by applicable law, the record date for such purpose shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation in accordance with applicable law, and (ii) if prior action by the Board is required by applicable law, the record date for such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

SECTION 2.4. Stockholder List . The officer who has charge of the stock ledger shall prepare and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders ( provided, however , if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the 10 th day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order for each class of stock and showing the address of each such stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of such stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, either on a reasonably accessible electronic network ( provided that the information required to gain access to the list is provided with the notice of the meeting) or during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the Corporation. The stock list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the stock ledger of the Corporation shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled by this section to examine the list required by this section or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of the stockholders.

SECTION 2.5. Place of Meeting . The Board, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, as the case may be, may designate the place of meeting for any annual meeting or for any special meeting of the stockholders. If no designation is so made, the place of meeting shall be the principal executive offices of the Corporation. The Board, acting in its sole discretion, may establish guidelines and procedures in accordance with applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “ DGCL ”) and any other applicable law for the participation by stockholders and proxyholders in a meeting of stockholders by means of remote communications, and may determine that any meeting of stockholders will not be held at any place but will be held solely by means of remote communication. Stockholders and proxyholders complying with such procedures and guidelines and otherwise entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be deemed present in person and entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders, whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication.

SECTION 2.6. Notice of Meeting . Written notice, stating the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, shall be given, not less than ten days nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting, to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall

 

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specify (A) the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (if such date is different from the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting), (B) the place, if any, date and time of such meeting, (C) the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and (D) in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is called. If the stockholder list referred to in Section 2.4 of these Bylaws is made accessible on an electronic network, the notice of meeting must indicate how the stockholder list can be accessed. If the meeting of stockholders is to be held solely by means of electronic communications, the notice of meeting must provide the information required to access such stockholder list during the meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail with postage thereon prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at his address as it appears on the stock transfer books of the Corporation. The Corporation may provide stockholders with notice of a meeting by electronic transmission provided such stockholders have consented to receiving electronic notice in accordance with the DGCL. Such further notice shall be given as may be required by applicable law. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the notice of meeting.

SECTION 2.7. Quorum and Adjournment of Meetings .

(A) Except as otherwise required by applicable law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at the meeting, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of stockholders, except that when specified business is to be voted on by a class or series of stock voting as a class, the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the outstanding shares of such class or series shall constitute a quorum of such class or series for the transaction of such business. The chairman of the meeting may adjourn the meeting from time to time, whether or not there is such a quorum. The stockholders present at a duly called meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

(B) Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the date, time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken; provided, however, that if the adjournment is for more than 30 days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. At the adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting.

SECTION 2.8. Proxies . At all meetings of stockholders, a stockholder may vote by proxy executed in writing (or in such other manner prescribed by the DGCL) by the stockholder or by his duly authorized attorney-in-fact. Any copy, facsimile transmission or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission created pursuant to this section may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile transmission or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission. No

 

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proxy may be voted or acted upon after the expiration of three years from the date of such proxy, unless such proxy provides for a longer period. Every proxy is revocable at the pleasure of the stockholder executing it unless the proxy states that it is irrevocable and applicable law makes it irrevocable. A stockholder may revoke any proxy that is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by filing an instrument in writing revoking the proxy or by filing another duly executed proxy bearing a later date with the Secretary of the Corporation.

SECTION 2.9. Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations .

(A) Annual Meetings of Stockholders.

(1) Nominations of persons for election to the Board and the proposal of other business to be considered by the stockholders at an annual meeting of stockholders may be made only (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto), (b) by or at the direction of the Board or any committee thereof or (c) by any stockholder of the Corporation who (i) was a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in these Bylaws and at the time of the annual meeting, (ii) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (iii) complies with the notice procedures and other requirements set forth in these Bylaws and applicable law. Section 2.9(A)(1)(c) of these Bylaws shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or submit other business (other than matters properly brought under Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting) before an annual meeting of the stockholders.

(2) For any nominations or any other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to Section 2.9(A)(1)(c) of these Bylaws, (a) the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation, (b) such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for stockholder action under the DGCL and (c) the record stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf any such proposal or nomination is made, must have acted in accordance with the representations set forth in the Solicitation Statement required by these Bylaws. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received by the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the 120 th day and not later than the close of business on the 90 th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting (which anniversary, in the case of the first annual meeting of stockholders following the close of the Corporation’s initial public offering, shall be deemed to be May 1, 2017; provided , however , that subject to the following sentence, in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not later than the 10 th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. To be in proper form, a stockholder’s notice (whether given pursuant to this Section 2.9(A)(2) or Section 2.9(B) ) to the Secretary of the Corporation must:

 

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(a) set forth, as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of such stockholder’s Stockholder Associated Person (as defined in Section 2.9(C)(2) ), if any, (ii) (A) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner, (B) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of stock of the Corporation or otherwise (a “ Derivative Instrument ”), directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder or by any Stockholder Associated Person and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (C) a description of any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person has a right to vote, directly or indirectly, any shares of any security of the Corporation, (D) any short interest in any security of the Corporation held by such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person (for purposes of these Bylaws, a person shall be deemed to have a “short interest” in a security if such person directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the value of the subject security), (E) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such stockholder or by any Stockholder Associated Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (F) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner and (G) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, as of the date of such notice, including, without limitation, any such interests held by members of such stockholder’s or any Stockholder Associated Person’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information shall be supplemented by such stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person, if any, not later than ten days after the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date; provided , that if such date is after the date of the meeting, not later than the day prior to the meeting), (iii) any other information relating to such stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person, if any, that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal or for the election of

 

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directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (iv) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to bring such nomination or other business before the meeting, and (v) a representation as to whether or not such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person will deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the voting power of the Corporation’s outstanding stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, at least the percentage of the voting power of the Corporation’s outstanding stock reasonably believed by the stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person, as the case may be, to be sufficient to elect such nominee or nominees (such representation, a “ Solicitation Statement ”).

(b) if the notice relates to any business other than a nomination of a director or directors that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, set forth (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest of such stockholder and Stockholder Associated Person, if any, in such business and (ii) a description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between such stockholder and Stockholder Associated Person, if any, and any other person(s) or entity or entities (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder;

(c) set forth, as to each person, if any, whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection to the Board (i) all information relating to such person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (ii) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among such stockholder and Stockholder Associated Person, if any, and their respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee, and his respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K if the stockholder making the nomination and any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is made, if any, or any affiliate or associate thereof or person acting in concert therewith, were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant, and (iii) a representation that such person intends to serve a full term, if elected as director; and

 

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(d) with respect to each nominee for election or reelection to the Board, include a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement in a form provided by the Corporation, which form the stockholder must request from the Secretary of the Corporation in writing with no less than 7 days advance notice. The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.

(3) A stockholder providing notice of a nomination or proposal of other business to be brought before a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct (i) as of the record date for the meeting and (ii) as of the date that is ten business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment, recess, cancellation, rescheduling or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five business days after the record date for the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date) and not later than seven business days prior to the date for the meeting, if practicable (or, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to any adjournment, recess or postponement thereof (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment, recess or postponement thereof)).

(B) Special Meetings of Stockholders .

On and after the Trigger Date, only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board. Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to a notice of meeting (1) by or at the direction of the Board or any committee thereof (or stockholders pursuant to Article VII of the Certificate of Incorporation and Section 2.2 of these Bylaws prior to the Trigger Date) or (2) if the Board (or stockholders pursuant to Article VII of the Certificate of Incorporation and Section 2.2 of these Bylaws prior to the Trigger Date) has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who (a) is a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in these Bylaws and at the time of the special meeting, (b) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (c) complies with the notice procedures set forth in these Bylaws and applicable law. The proposal by stockholders of other business to be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders may be made only in accordance with Article VII of the Certificate of Incorporation prior to the Trigger Date. In the event a special meeting of stockholders is called for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board, any such stockholder may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be), for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder delivers notice with the information required by Section 2.9(A)(1)(c) of these Bylaws with respect to any nomination (including the completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement required by Section 2.9(A)(1)(c) of these Bylaws). Such notice shall be delivered to the

 

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Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the 120 th day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90 th day prior to such special meeting or the 10 th day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement or the announcement thereof of a special meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(C) General .

(1) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and applicable law shall be eligible to serve as directors, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and applicable law. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and applicable law and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws and applicable law, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall be disregarded.

(2) For purposes of these Bylaws, “ public announcement ” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by Dow Jones News Service, the Associated Press, or any other national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and “ Stockholder Associated Person ” shall mean, for any stockholder, (a) any person or entity controlling, directly or indirectly, or acting in concert with, such stockholder, (b) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder or (c) any person or entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with any person or entity referred to in the preceding clauses (a) or (b).

(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of these Bylaws, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in these Bylaws; provided , however , that any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to Section 2.9(A) or Section 2.9(B) of these Bylaws. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights (a) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or (b) of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock if and to the extent provided for under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

 

 

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(4) Unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) making a nomination or proposal under this Section 2.9 does not appear at a meeting of stockholders to present such nomination or proposal, the nomination shall be disregarded and the proposed business shall not be transacted, as the case may be, notwithstanding that proxies in favor thereof may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 2.9 , to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.

SECTION 2.10. Conduct of Business . The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the chairman of the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to convene and for any reason to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of the chairman of the meeting, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (A) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (B) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (C) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the presiding person of the meeting shall determine; (D) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; (E) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; and (F) restrictions of the use of audio and video recording devices. The chairman of the meeting, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter or business was not properly brought before the meeting, and if such chairman of the meeting should so determine, such chairman of the meeting shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

SECTION 2.11. Required Vote . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, at any meeting at which directors are to be elected, so long as a quorum is present, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes validly cast in such election. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, cumulative voting for the election of directors shall be prohibited. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the rules and regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, in all matters other than the election of directors and certain non-binding advisory votes described below, the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the matter shall be the act of the stockholders. In

 

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non-binding advisory matters with more than two possible vote choices, the affirmative vote of a plurality of the voting power of the outstanding shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the matter shall be the recommendation of the stockholders.

SECTION 2.12. Treasury Stock . The Corporation shall not vote, directly or indirectly, shares of its own stock belonging to it or any other corporation, if a majority of shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such corporation is held, directly or indirectly by the Corporation, and such shares will not be counted for quorum purposes; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation or such other corporation, to vote stock of the Corporation held in a fiduciary capacity.

SECTION 2.13. Inspectors of Elections; Opening and Closing the Polls . The Corporation may, and when required by applicable law, shall, appoint one or more inspectors, which inspector or inspectors may include individuals who serve the Corporation in other capacities, including, without limitation, as officers, employees, agents or representatives, to act at the meetings of stockholders and make a written report thereof. One or more persons may be designated as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate has been appointed to act or is able to act at a meeting of stockholders and the appointment of an inspector is required by applicable law, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before discharging his duties, shall take and sign an oath to faithfully execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability. The inspectors shall have the duties prescribed by applicable law.

SECTION 2.14. Stockholder Action by Written Consent .

(A) Prior to the Trigger Date, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual meeting or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote of stockholders, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is or are signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.

(B) On and after the Trigger Date, subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be taken at a duly held annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be taken by any consent in writing of such stockholders.

ARTICLE III

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION 3.1. General Powers . The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board elected in accordance with these Bylaws. In addition to the powers and authorities by these Bylaws expressly conferred upon them, the Board

 

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may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws required to be exercised or done by the stockholders. The directors shall act only as a Board, and the individual directors shall have no power as such.

SECTION 3.2. Number, Tenure and Qualifications . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, if any, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Whole Board. The election and term of directors shall be as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.

SECTION 3.3. Regular Meetings . Subject to Section 3.5 , regular meetings of the Board shall be held on such dates, and at such times and places, as are determined from time to time by resolution of the Board.

SECTION 3.4. Special Meetings . Special meetings of the Board shall be called at the request of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or a majority of the Board then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board may fix the place, if any, date and time of the meetings. Any business may be conducted at a special meeting of the Board.

SECTION 3.5. Notice . Notice of any special meeting of directors shall be given to each director at his business or residence in writing by hand delivery, first-class or overnight mail, courier service or facsimile or electronic transmission or orally by telephone. If mailed by first-class mail, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered if deposited in the United States mails so addressed, with postage thereon prepaid, at least five days before such meeting. If by overnight mail or courier service, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered if the notice is delivered to the overnight mail or courier service company at least 24 hours before such meeting. If by facsimile or electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed adequately delivered if the notice is transmitted at least 24 hours before such meeting. If by telephone or by hand delivery, the notice shall be given at least 24 hours prior to the time set for the meeting and shall be confirmed by facsimile or electronic transmission that is sent promptly thereafter. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the Board need be specified in the notice of such meeting, except for amendments to these Bylaws, as provided under Section 8.1 .

SECTION 3.6. Action by Consent of Board . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, including by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form. Such consent shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote at a meeting, and may be stated as such in any document or instrument filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

 

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SECTION 3.7. Conference Telephone Meetings . Members of the Board or any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

SECTION 3.8. Quorum . A whole number of directors equal to at least a majority of the Whole Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but if at any meeting of the Board there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of the directors present may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice unless (A) the date, time and place, if any, of the adjourned meeting are not announced at the time of adjournment, in which case notice conforming to the requirements of Section 3.5 of these Bylaws shall be given to each director, or (B) the meeting is adjourned for more than 24 hours, in which case the notice referred to in clause (A) shall be given to those directors not present at the announcement of the date, time and place of the adjourned meeting. Except as otherwise expressly required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, all matters shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the directors present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough directors to leave less than a quorum.

SECTION 3.9. Vacancies . Subject to applicable law, the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders’ Agreement, among the Corporation and certain of its stockholders, dated as of             , 2016 (the “ Stockholders’ Agreement ”), any newly created directorship that results from an increase in the number of directors or any vacancy on the Board that results from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director or from any other cause shall, unless otherwise required by law or by resolution of the Board, be filled (A) prior to the Trigger Date, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, or the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of directors, voting together as a single class and acting at a meeting of the stockholders or by written consent (if permitted) in accordance with the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation and these Bylaws, and (B) on or after the Trigger Date, solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director elected to fill a vacancy not resulting from an increase in the number of directors shall hold office for the remaining term of his predecessor. No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

SECTION 3.10. Removal .

(A) Until the Trigger Date, subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any series of Preferred Stock, if any, to elect additional directors pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation thereunder) and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders’ Agreement, any director may be removed at any time, either for or without cause, upon the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the

 

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outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of directors, voting together as a single class and acting at a meeting of the stockholders or by written consent (if permitted) in accordance with the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation and these Bylaws. Except as applicable law otherwise provides, cause for the removal of a director shall be deemed to exist only if the director whose removal is proposed: (1) has been convicted of a felony by a court of competent jurisdiction and that conviction is no longer subject to direct appeal; (2) has been found to have been grossly negligent in the performance of his duties to the Corporation in any matter of substantial importance to the Corporation by (a) the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the directors then in office at any meeting of the Board called for that purpose or (b) a court of competent jurisdiction; or (3) has been adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to be mentally incompetent, which mental incompetency directly affects his ability to serve as a director of the Corporation.

(B) On and after the Trigger Date, subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any series of Preferred Stock, if any, to elect additional directors pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation thereunder) and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders’ Agreement, any director may be removed only for cause, upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of directors, voting together as a single class and acting at a meeting of the stockholders in accordance with the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation and these Bylaws.

SECTION 3.11. Records . The Board shall cause to be kept a record containing the minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the Board and of the stockholders, appropriate stock books and registers and such books of records and accounts as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Corporation.

SECTION 3.12. Compensation . Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Board shall have authority to fix the compensation of directors, including fees and reimbursement of expenses.

SECTION 3.13. Regulations . To the extent consistent with applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation and these Bylaws, the Board may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings of the Board and for the management of the affairs and business of the Corporation as the Board may deem appropriate.

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

SECTION 4.1. Designation; Powers . The Board may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. Any such committee, to the extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it.

 

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SECTION 4.2. Procedure; Meetings; Quorum . Any committee designated pursuant to Section 4.1 shall choose its own chairman by a majority vote of the members then in attendance in the event the chairman has not been selected by the Board, shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings, and shall meet at such times and at such place or places as may be provided by the charter of such committee or by resolution of such committee or resolution of the Board. At every meeting of any such committee, the presence of a majority of all the members thereof shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present shall be necessary for the adoption by it of any resolution. The Board shall adopt a charter for each committee for which a charter is required by applicable laws, regulations or stock exchange rules, may adopt a charter for any other committee, and may adopt other rules and regulations for the governance of any committee not inconsistent with the provisions of these Bylaws or any such charter, and each committee may adopt its own rules and regulations of governance, to the extent not inconsistent with these Bylaws or any charter or other rules and regulations adopted by the Board.

SECTION 4.3. Substitution of Members . The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of such committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not constituting a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified member.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

SECTION 5.1. Officers . The officers of the Corporation shall be a Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other officers as the Board from time to time may deem proper. The Chairman of the Board shall be chosen from among the directors. All officers elected by the Board shall each have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the specific provisions of this Article V . Such officers shall also have such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred by the Board or by any committee thereof or, with respect to any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President, Treasurer or Secretary, by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President, if any. The Board or any committee thereof may from time to time elect, or the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President, if any, may appoint, such other officers (including a Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and one or more Senior Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers) and such agents, as may be necessary or desirable for the conduct of the business of the Corporation. Such other officers and agents shall have such duties and shall hold their offices for such terms as shall be provided in these Bylaws or as may be prescribed by the Board or such committee thereof or by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President, as the case may be. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.

SECTION 5.2. Election and Term of Office . Each officer shall hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected or appointed and shall have qualified or until his death or until he shall resign, but any officer may be removed from office at any time by the affirmative

 

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vote of a majority of the Board or, except in the case of an officer or agent elected by the Board, by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President, if any. Such removal shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights, if any, of the person so removed. No elected officer shall have any contractual rights against the Corporation for compensation by virtue of such election beyond the date of the election of his successor, his death, his resignation or his removal, whichever event shall first occur, except as otherwise provided in an employment contract or under an employee deferred compensation plan.

SECTION 5.3. Chairman of the Board . The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the Board and be the chairman of the meeting at all stockholder meetings. The Chairman of the Board shall be responsible for the general management of the affairs of the Corporation and shall perform all duties incidental to his office that may be required by law and all such other duties as are properly required of him by the Board. He shall make reports to the Board and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board and of any committee thereof are carried into effect. The Chairman of the Board may also serve as Chief Executive Officer, if so elected by the Board.

SECTION 5.4. Chief Executive Officer . The Chief Executive Officer shall act in a general executive capacity and shall assist the Chairman of the Board in the administration and operation of the Corporation’s business and general supervision of its policies and affairs. The Chief Executive Officer shall, in the absence of or because of the inability to act of the Chairman of the Board, perform all duties of the Chairman of the Board and preside at all meetings of the Board and be the chairman of the meeting at all stockholder meetings. The Chief Executive Officer shall have the authority to sign, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, checks, orders, contracts, leases, notes, drafts and all other documents and instruments in connection with the business of the Corporation.

SECTION 5.5. President . The President, if any, shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to him by the Board. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, the President (if any and if he or she shall be a director) shall preside when present at all meetings of the Board and be the chairman of the meeting at all stockholder meetings.

SECTION 5.6. Executive Vice Presidents and Senior Vice Presidents . Each Executive Vice President and Senior Vice President, if any, shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to him by the Board or the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, if any.

SECTION 5.7. Treasurer . The Treasurer, if any, shall exercise general supervision over the receipt, custody and disbursement of corporate funds. He shall have such further powers and duties and shall be subject to such directions as may be granted or imposed upon him from time to time by the Board, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, if any.

SECTION 5.8. Secretary . The Secretary, if any, shall keep or cause to be kept in one or more books provided for that purpose, the minutes of all meetings of the Board, the committees of the Board and the stockholders; he shall see that all notices are duly given in

 

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accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws and as required by applicable law; he shall be custodian of the records and the seal of the Corporation and affix and attest the seal to all stock certificates of the Corporation (unless the seal of the Corporation on such certificates shall be a facsimile, as hereinafter provided) and affix and attest the seal to all other documents to be executed on behalf of the Corporation under its seal; and he shall see that the books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept and filed are properly kept and filed; and in general, he shall perform all the duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Board, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, if any.

SECTION 5.9. Vacancies . A newly created elected office and a vacancy in any elected office because of death, resignation or removal may be filled by the Board for the unexpired portion of the term at any meeting of the Board. Any vacancy in an office appointed by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, if any, because of death, resignation or removal may be filled by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, if any.

SECTION 5.10. Action with Respect to Securities of Other Corporations . Unless otherwise directed by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or any officer authorized by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, shall have power to vote and otherwise act on behalf of the Corporation, in person or by proxy, at any meeting of security holders of or with respect to any action of security holders of any other corporation in which the Corporation may hold securities and otherwise to exercise any and all rights and powers that the Corporation may possess by reason of its ownership of securities in such other corporation.

SECTION 5.11. Delegation . The Board may from time to time delegate the powers and duties of any officer to any other officer or agent, notwithstanding any provision hereof.

ARTICLE VI

STOCK CERTIFICATES AND TRANSFERS

SECTION 6.1. Stock Certificates and Transfers . The interest of each stockholder of the Corporation shall be evidenced by certificates for shares of stock in such form as the appropriate officers of the Corporation may from time to time prescribe, provided that the Board may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock may be uncertificated shares. The shares of the stock of the Corporation shall be entered in the books of the Corporation as they are issued and shall exhibit the holder’s name and number of shares. Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the shares of the stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation, which may be maintained by a third-party registrar or transfer agent, by the holder thereof in person or by his attorney, upon surrender for cancellation of certificates for at least the same number of shares, with an assignment and power of transfer endorsed thereon or attached thereto, duly executed, with such proof of the authenticity of the signature as the Corporation or its agents may reasonably require or upon receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered holder of uncertificated shares and upon compliance with appropriate procedures for transferring shares in uncertificated form, at which time the Corporation shall issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto (if the stock is then represented by certificates), cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books.

 

 

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Each certificated share of stock shall be signed, countersigned and registered in the manner required by law. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

SECTION 6.2. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates . No certificate for shares or uncertificated shares of stock in the Corporation shall be issued in place of any certificate alleged to have been lost, destroyed or stolen, except on production of such evidence of such loss, destruction or theft and on delivery to the Corporation of a bond of indemnity in such amount, upon such terms and secured by such surety, as the Board or any financial officer may in its or his discretion require.

SECTION 6.3. Ownership of Shares . The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share or shares of stock of the Corporation as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise required by the laws of the State of Delaware.

SECTION 6.4. Regulations Regarding Certificates . The Board shall have the power and authority to make all such rules and regulations concerning the issue, transfer and registration or the replacement of certificates for shares of stock of the Corporation. The Corporation may enter into additional agreements with stockholders to restrict the transfer of stock of the Corporation in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 7.1. Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Corporation shall begin on the first day of January and end on the 31 st day of December of each year.

SECTION 7.2. Dividends . Except as otherwise provided by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board may from time to time declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends on its outstanding shares of stock, which dividends may be paid in either cash, property or shares of stock of the Corporation. A member of the Board, or a member of any committee designated by the Board, shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of its officers or employees, or committees of the Board, or by any other person as to matters the director reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation, as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities or net profits of the Corporation, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of surplus or other funds from which dividends might properly be declared and paid.

 

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SECTION 7.3. Seal . If the Board determines that the Corporation shall have a corporate seal, the corporate seal shall have enscribed thereon the words “Corporate Seal,” the year of incorporation and the words “WildHorse Resource Development Corporation — Delaware.”

SECTION 7.4. Waiver of Notice . Whenever any notice is required to be given to any stockholder or director of the Corporation under the provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing, including by electronic transmission, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual or special meeting of the stockholders or the Board or committee thereof need be specified in any waiver of notice of such meeting. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

SECTION 7.5. Resignations . Any director or any officer, whether elected or appointed, may resign at any time by giving written notice, including by electronic transmission, of such resignation to the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President (if any) or the Secretary, and such resignation shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the date said notice is received by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary, or at such later time as is specified therein. No formal action shall be required of the Board or the stockholders to make any such resignation effective.

SECTION 7.6. Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses .

(A) The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “ proceeding ”) by reason of the fact that he, or a person for whom he is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (a “ Covered Person ”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent, against all expenses, liability and loss (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Covered Person in connection with such proceeding.

(B) The Corporation shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a Covered Person in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided , however , that to the extent required by applicable law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of

 

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an undertaking by the Covered Person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter, a “ final adjudication ”) that the Covered Person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section 7.6 or otherwise.

(C) The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses under this Section 7.6 shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to a Covered Person who has ceased to be a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his heirs, executors and administrators. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.6 , except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to a Covered Person in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Covered Person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.

(D) If a claim for indemnification under this Section 7.6 (following the final disposition of such proceeding) is not paid in full within 60 days after the Corporation has received a claim therefor by the Covered Person, or if a claim for any advancement of expenses under this Section 7.6 is not paid in full within 30 days after the Corporation has received a statement or statements requesting such amounts to be advanced, the Covered Person shall thereupon (but not before) be entitled to file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim. If successful in whole or in part, the Covered Person shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim, or a claim brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses prior to the terms of an undertaking, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. In any such action, the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the Covered Person is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses under applicable law. In (1) any suit brought by a Covered Person to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by a Covered Person to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (2) in any suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the Covered Person has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the Covered Person is proper in the circumstances because the Covered Person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the Covered Person has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the Covered Person has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the Covered Person, be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the Covered Person to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the Covered Person is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Section 7.6 or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

 

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(E) The rights conferred on any Covered Person by this Section 7.6 shall not be exclusive of any other rights that such Covered Person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, any agreement or vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

(F) This Section 7.6 shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner permitted by applicable law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than Covered Persons when and as authorized by appropriate corporate action.

(G) Any Covered Person entitled to indemnification and/or advancement of expenses, in each case pursuant to this Section 7.6 , may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement and/or insurance provided by one or more persons with whom or which such Covered Person may be associated (including, without limitation, any Sponsor). The Corporation hereby acknowledges and agrees that (1) the Corporation shall be the indemnitor of first resort with respect to any proceeding, expense, liability or matter that is the subject of this Section 7.6 , (2) the Corporation shall be primarily liable for all such obligations and any indemnification afforded to a Covered Person in respect of a proceeding, expense, liability or matter that is the subject of this Section 7.6 , whether created by law, organizational or constituent documents, contract or otherwise, (3) any obligation of any persons with whom or which a Covered Person may be associated (including, without limitation, any Sponsor) to indemnify such Covered Person and/or advance expenses or liabilities to such Covered Person in respect of any proceeding shall be secondary to the obligations of the Corporation hereunder, (4) the Corporation shall be required to indemnify each Covered Person and advance expenses to each Covered Person hereunder to the fullest extent provided herein without regard to any rights such Covered Person may have against any other person with whom or which such Covered Person may be associated (including, without limitation, any Sponsor) or insurer of any such person, and (5) the Corporation irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases any other person with whom or which a Covered Person may be associated (including, without limitation, any Sponsor) from any claim of contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect of amounts paid by the Corporation hereunder.

SECTION 7.7. Facsimile and Electronic Signatures . In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile or electronic signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these Bylaws, facsimile or electronic signatures of any officer or officers of the Corporation may be used whenever and as authorized by the Board or a committee thereof, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or President (if any).

SECTION 7.8. Time Periods . In applying any provision of these Bylaws that require that an act be done or not done a specified number of days prior to an event or that an act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event, calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded, and the day of the event shall be included.

SECTION 7.9. Reliance Upon Books, Reports and Records . Each director, each member of any committee designated by the Board and each officer of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Corporation and upon information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of the Corporation’s officers or employees, or committees designated by the Board, or by any other person as to the matters the member reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.

 

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SECTION 7.10. Forum for Adjudication of Disputes .

(A) Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) to bring (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (3) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees or agents arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, or (4) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation, its directors, officers or employees or agents governed by the internal affairs doctrine, except as to each of (1) through (4) above, for any claim as to which the Court of Chancery determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery, or over which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 7.10 .

If any provision or provisions of this Section 7.10 shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Section 7.10 (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Section 7.10 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

(B) To the fullest extent permitted by law, if any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of Section 7.10(A) above is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “ Foreign Action ”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (1) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce Section 7.10(A) above (an “ FSC Enforcement Action ”) and (2) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such FSC Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

AMENDMENTS

SECTION 8.1. Amendments . In furtherance of, and not in limitation of, the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the Board shall require the approval of a majority of the Whole Board. Stockholders shall also have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation; provided , however , that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws of the Corporation may be adopted, altered, amended or repealed by the stockholders of the Corporation only (A) prior to the Trigger Date, by the affirmative vote of holders of not less than 50% in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, or (B) on and after the Trigger Date by the affirmative vote of holders of not less than 66  2 3 % in voting power of the then-outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class. No Bylaws hereafter made or adopted, nor any repeal of or amendment thereto, shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that was valid at the time it was taken. So long as the Stockholders’ Agreement remains in effect, the Board shall not approve any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of these Bylaws, or the adoption of any new Bylaw, that would be contrary to or inconsistent with the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders’ Agreement.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) no amendment to the Stockholders’ Agreement (whether or not such amendment modifies any provision to the Stockholders’ Agreement to which these Bylaws are subject) shall be deemed an amendment of these Bylaws for purposes of this Section 8.1 , and (2) no amendment, alteration or repeal of Section 7.6 shall adversely affect any right or protection existing under these Bylaws immediately prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal, including any right or protection of a present or former director, officer or employee thereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment.

 

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Exhibit 10.1

Execution Version

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Registration Rights Agreement (this “ Agreement ”), dated as of December 19, 2016, is entered into by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and each of the other parties listed on the signature pages hereto (the “ Initial Holders ” and, together with the Company, the “ Parties ”).

WHEREAS, in connection with, and in consideration of, the transactions contemplated by the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-214569), the Initial Holders have requested, and the Company has agreed to provide, registration rights with respect to the Registrable Securities (as hereinafter defined) as set forth in this Agreement.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by each party hereto, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

1. Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

Acquisition Co. Holdings ” means WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any specified Person, a Person that directly or indirectly Controls or is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such specified Person.

Automatic Shelf Registration Statement ” means an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405.

Board ” means the board of directors of the Company.

Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, any federal holiday or any other day on which banking institutions in the State of Texas or the State of New York are authorized or required to be closed by law or governmental action.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal agency then administering the Securities Act or Exchange Act.

Common Stock ” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

“Company Securities” means any equity interest of any class or series in the Company.

Control ” (including the terms “ Controls ,” “ Controlled by ” and “ under common Control with ”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to (a) direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise or (b) vote 10% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of a Person.

 

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Effective Date ” means the time and date that a Registration Statement is first declared effective by the Commission or otherwise becomes effective.

Esquisto Holdings ” means Esquisto Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Holder ” means (a) WildHorse Holdings unless and until WildHorse Holdings ceases to hold any Registrable Securities; (b) Esquisto Holdings unless and until Esquisto Holdings ceases to hold any Registrable Securities; (c) Acquisition Co. Holdings unless and until Acquisition Co. Holdings ceases to hold any Registrable Securities, (d) Jay Graham unless and until Jay Graham ceases to hold any Registrable Securities, (e) Anthony Bahr unless and until Anthony Bahr ceases to hold any Registrable Securities, (f) NGP XI US Holdings, L.P. unless and until NGP XI US Holdings, L.P. ceases to hold any Registrable Securities and (g) any holder of Registrable Securities to whom registration rights conferred by this Agreement have been transferred in compliance with Section 8(e) hereof; provided that any Person referenced in clause (d) shall be a Holder only if such Person agrees in writing to be bound by and subject to the terms set forth in this Agreement.

Initiating Holder ” means the Sponsoring Holder delivering the Demand Notice or the Underwritten Offering Notice, as applicable.

Lock-Up Period ” has the meaning set forth in the underwriting agreement entered into by the Company in connection with the initial underwritten public offering of shares of Common Stock.

Material Adverse Change ” means (a) any general suspension of trading in, or limitation on prices for, securities on any national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market in the United States; (b) the declaration of a banking moratorium or any suspension of payments in respect of banks in the United States; (c) a material outbreak or escalation of armed hostilities or other international or national calamity involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or a change in national or international financial, political or economic conditions; or (d) any event, change, circumstance or effect that is or is reasonably likely to be materially adverse to the business, properties, assets, liabilities, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

Person ” means an individual, corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, estate, trust, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

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Proceeding ” means any action, claim, suit, proceeding or investigation (including a preliminary investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition) pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, to be threatened.

Prospectus ” means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A, Rule 430B or Rule 430C promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.

Registrable Securities ” means the Shares; provided, however, that Registrable Securities shall not include: (a) any Shares that have been registered under the Securities Act and disposed of pursuant to an effective Registration Statement or otherwise transferred to a Person who is not entitled to the registration and other rights hereunder; (b) any Shares that have been sold or transferred by the Holder thereof pursuant to Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act) and the transferee thereof does not receive “restricted securities” as defined in Rule 144; and (c) any Shares that cease to be outstanding (whether as a result of repurchase and cancellation, conversion or otherwise).

Registration Statement ” means a registration statement of the Company in the form required to register under the Securities Act and other applicable law for the resale of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended plan of distribution of each Holder included therein, and including any Prospectus, amendments and supplements to each such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

Rule 144 ” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act.

Rule 405 ” means Rule 405 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act.

Rule 415 ” means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act.

Rule 424 ” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Selling Expenses ” means all underwriting discounts, selling commissions and stock transfer taxes applicable to the sale of Registrable Securities and fees and disbursements of counsel for any Holder.

 

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Shares ” means the shares of Common Stock held by the Holders as of the date hereof and any other equity interests of the Company or equity interests in any successor of the Company issued in respect of such shares by reason of or in connection with any stock dividend, stock split, combination, reorganization, recapitalization, conversion to another type of entity or similar event involving a change in the capital structure of the Company.

Shelf Registration Statement ” means a Registration Statement of the Company filed with the Commission on Form S-3 (or any successor form or other appropriate form under the Securities Act) for an offering to be made on a continuous or delayed basis pursuant to Rule 415 (or any similar rule that may be adopted by the Commission) covering the Registrable Securities, as applicable.

Sponsoring Holder ” means (a) WildHorse Holdings unless and until WildHorse Holdings ceases to hold any Registrable Securities; (b) Esquisto Holdings unless and until Esquisto Holdings ceases to hold any Registrable Securities; (c) Acquisition Co. Holdings unless and until Acquisition Co. Holdings ceases to hold any Registrable Securities; and (d) any holder of Registrable Securities to whom registration rights of a “Sponsoring Holder” conferred by this Agreement have been transferred in compliance with Section 8(e) hereof; provided that any Person referenced in clause (d) shall be a Sponsoring Holder only if such Person agrees in writing to be bound by and subject to the terms set forth in this Agreement.

Trading Market ” means the principal national securities exchange on which Registrable Securities are listed.

Underwritten Offering ” means an underwritten offering of Common Stock for cash (whether a Requested Underwritten Offering or in connection with a public offering of Common Stock by the Company, stockholders or both), excluding an offering relating solely to an employee benefit plan, an offering relating to a transaction on Form S-4 or S-8 or an offering on any registration statement form that does not permit secondary sales.

VWAP ” means, as of a specified date and in respect of Registrable Securities, the volume weighted average price for such security on the Trading Market for the five trading days immediately preceding, but excluding, such date.

WildHorse Holdings ” means WHR Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

WKSI ” means a “well known seasoned issuer” as defined under Rule 405.

Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms; (b) references to Sections refer to sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include,” “includes,” “including” and words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; (d) the terms “hereof,” “hereto,” “herein” or “hereunder” refer to

 

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this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; (e) unless the context otherwise requires, the term “or” is not exclusive and shall have the inclusive meaning of “and/or”; (f) defined terms herein will apply equally to both the singular and plural forms and derivative forms of defined terms will have correlative meanings; (g) references to any law or statute shall include all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and references to any law or statute shall be construed as including any legal and statutory provisions consolidating, amending, succeeding or replacing the applicable law or statute; (h) references to any Person include such Person’s successors and permitted assigns; and (i) references to “days” are to calendar days unless otherwise indicated.

2. Registration .

(a) Demand Registration .

(i) At any time after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, any Sponsoring Holder shall have the option and right, exercisable by delivering a written notice to the Company (a “ Demand Notice ”), to require the Company to, pursuant to the terms of and subject to the limitations contained in this Agreement, prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement registering the offering and sale of the number and type of Registrable Securities on the terms and conditions specified in the Demand Notice, which may include sales on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement (a “ Demand Registration ”). The Demand Notice must set forth the number of Registrable Securities that the Initiating Holder intends to include in such Demand Registration and the intended methods of disposition thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in no event shall the Company be required to effectuate a Demand Registration unless the Registrable Securities of the Holders to be included therein after compliance with Section 2(a)(ii) have an aggregate value of at least $30 million based on the VWAP (the “ Minimum Amount ”) as of the date of the Demand Notice.

(ii) Within five Business Days (or if the Registration Statement will be a Shelf Registration Statement, within two Business Days) after the receipt of the Demand Notice, the Company shall give written notice of such Demand Notice to all Holders and, within 30 days after receipt of the Demand Notice (except if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case, within 90 days thereof), shall, subject to the limitations of this Section 2(a) , file a Registration Statement in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Demand Notice, which Registration Statement shall cover all of the Registrable Securities that the Holders shall in writing request to be included in the Demand Registration (such request to be given to the Company within three Business Days (or if the Registration Statement will be a Shelf Registration Statement, within one Business Day) after receipt of notice of the Demand Notice given by the Company pursuant to this Section 2(a)(ii) ). The Company shall use reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become and remain effective under the Securities Act until the earlier of (A) 180 days (or two years if a Shelf Registration Statement is requested) after the Effective Date or (B) the date on which all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have

 

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been sold (the “ Effectiveness Period ”); provided, however, that such period shall be extended for a period of time equal to the period the Holders refrain from selling any securities included in such Registration Statement at the request of an underwriter of the Company or the Company pursuant to this Agreement.

(iii) Subject to the other limitations contained in this Agreement, the Company is not obligated hereunder to effect (A) a Demand Registration within 90 days after the closing of any Underwritten Offering, (B) more than a total of four Demand Registrations for which WildHorse Holdings (or any transferee thereof in accordance with Section 8(e) ) is the Initiating Holder, (C) more than a total of four Demand Registrations for which Esquisto Holdings (or any transferee thereof in accordance with Section 8(e) ) is the Initiating Holder, (D) more than a total of four Demand Registrations for which Acquisition Co. Holdings (or any transferee thereof in accordance with Section 8(e) ) is the Initiating Holder, and (E) a subsequent Demand Registration pursuant to a Demand Notice if a Registration Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities held by the Initiating Holder shall have become and remains effective under the Securities Act and is sufficient to permit offers and sales of the number and type of Registrable Securities on the terms and conditions specified in the Demand Notice in accordance with the intended timing and method or methods of distribution thereof specified in the Demand Notice. No Demand Registration shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of this Section 2(a)(iii) if the Registration Statement relating thereto does not become effective or is not maintained effective for its entire Effectiveness Period, in which case the Initiating Holder shall be entitled to an additional Demand Registration in lieu thereof. Further, a Demand Registration shall not constitute a Demand Registration of the Initiating Holder for purposes of this Section 2(a)(iii) if, as a result of Section 2(a)(vi) , there is included in the Demand Registration less than the lesser of (x) Registrable Securities of the Initiating Holder having a VWAP measured on the effective date of the related Registration Statement of $30 million and (y) two-thirds of the number of Registrable Securities the Initiating Holder set forth in the applicable Demand Notice.

(iv) A Holder may withdraw all or any portion of its Registrable Securities included in a Demand Registration from such Demand Registration at any time prior to the effectiveness of the applicable Registration Statement. Upon receipt of a notice from the Initiating Holder that the Initiating Holder is withdrawing all of its Registrable Securities from the Demand Registration or a notice from a Holder to the effect that the Holder is withdrawing an amount of its Registrable Shares such that the remaining amount of Registrable Shares to be included in the Demand Registration is below the Minimum Amount, the Company shall cease all efforts to secure effectiveness of the applicable Registration Statement. Such registration nonetheless shall be deemed a Demand Registration with respect to the Initiating Holder for purposes of Section 2(a)(iii) unless (A) the Initiating Holder shall have paid or reimbursed the Company for its pro rata share of all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with the withdrawn registration of such Registrable Securities (based on the number of securities the Initiating Holder sought to register, as compared to the total number of securities included in such Demand Registration) or (B) the withdrawal is made following the occurrence of a Material Adverse Change or pursuant to the Company’s request for suspension pursuant to Section 3(o) .

 

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(v) The Company may include in any such Demand Registration other Company Securities for sale for its own account or for the account of any other Person, subject to Section 2(a)(vi) and Section 2(c)(iii) .

(vi) In the case of a Demand Registration not being underwritten, if the Initiating Holder advises the Company that in its reasonable opinion the aggregate number of securities requested to be included exceeds the number that can be included without being likely to have a significant adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered or the market for the securities offered, the Company shall include in such Demand Registration only that number of securities that in the reasonable opinion of the Initiating Holder will not have such adverse effect, with such number to be allocated as follows: (A) first, pro-rata among all Holders (including the Initiating Holder) that have requested to participate in such Demand Registration based on the relative number of Registrable Securities then held by each such Holder, (B) second, if there remains availability for additional securities to be included in such Demand Registration, the Company, and (C) third, if there remains availability for additional securities to be included in such Demand Registration, any other holders entitled to participate in such Demand Registration, if applicable, based on the relative number of securities such holder is entitled to include in such Demand Registration.

(vii) Subject to the limitations contained in this Agreement, the Company shall effect any Demand Registration on such appropriate registration form of the Commission (A) as shall be selected by the Company and (B) as shall permit the disposition of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of disposition specified in the Demand Notice; provided that if the Company becomes, and is at the time of its receipt of a Demand Notice, a WKSI, the Demand Registration for any offering and selling of Registrable Securities shall be effected pursuant to an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement, which shall be on Form S-3 or any equivalent or successor form under the Securities Act (if available to the Company). If at any time a Registration Statement on Form S-3 is effective and a Holder provides written notice to the Company that it intends to effect an offering of all or part of the Registrable Securities included on such Registration Statement, the Company will amend or supplement such Registration Statement as may be necessary in order to enable such offering to take place.

(viii) Without limiting Section 3 , in connection with any Demand Registration pursuant to and in accordance with this Section 2(a) , the Company shall (A) promptly prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed (1) such additional forms, amendments, supplements, prospectuses, certificates, letters, opinions and other documents, as may be necessary or advisable to register or qualify the securities subject to such Demand Registration, including under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Holders shall reasonably request; provided, however, that no such qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Company would become subject to general service of process or to taxation or qualification to do business in such jurisdiction solely as a result of registration and (2) such forms, amendments, supplements, prospectuses, certificates, letters, opinions and other documents as may be necessary to apply for listing or to list the Registrable Securities subject to such Demand

 

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Registration on the Trading Market and (B) do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or appropriate or reasonably requested by the Holders to enable the Holders to consummate a public sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended timing and method or methods of distribution thereof.

(ix) In the event a Holder transfers Registrable Securities included on a Registration Statement and such Registrable Securities remain Registrable Securities following such transfer, at the request of such Holder, the Company shall amend or supplement such Registration Statement as may be necessary in order to enable such transferee to offer and sell such Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement; provided that in no event shall the Company be required to file a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement unless (A) such Registration Statement includes only Registrable Securities held by the Holder, Affiliates of the Holder or transferees of the Holder or (B) the Company has received written consent therefor from a Person for whom Registrable Securities have been registered on (but not yet sold under) such Registration Statement, other than the Holder, Affiliates of the Holder or transferees of the Holder.

(b) Requested Underwritten Offering . Any Sponsoring Holder then able to effectuate a Demand Registration pursuant to the terms of Section 2(a) (or who has previously effectuated a Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2(a) but has not engaged in an Underwritten Offering in respect of such Demand Registration) shall have the option and right, exercisable by delivering written notice to the Company of its intention to distribute Registrable Securities by means of an Underwritten Offering (an “ Underwritten Offering Notice ”), to require the Company, pursuant to the terms of and subject to the limitations of this Agreement, to effectuate a distribution of any or all of its Registrable Securities by means of an Underwritten Offering pursuant to a new Demand Registration or pursuant to an effective Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities (a “ Requested Underwritten Offering ”); provided, that if the Requested Underwritten Offering is pursuant to a new Demand Registration, then the Registrable Securities of such Initiating Holder requested to be included in such Requested Underwritten Offering have an aggregate value of at least equal to the Minimum Amount as of the date of such Underwritten Offering Notice, and if the Requested Underwritten Offering is pursuant to an effective Demand Registration, then the Registrable Securities of such Initiating Holder requested to be included in such Requested Underwritten Offering have an aggregate value at least equal to 25 percent of the Minimum Amount as of the date of such Underwritten Offering Notice. The Underwritten Offering Notice must set forth the number of Registrable Securities that the Initiating Holder intends to include in such Requested Underwritten Offering. The managing underwriter or managing underwriters of a Requested Underwritten Offering shall be designated by the Company; provided, however, that such designated managing underwriter or managing underwriters shall be reasonably acceptable to the Initiating Holder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company is not obligated to effect a Requested Underwritten Offering within 90 days after the closing of an Underwritten Offering. Any Requested Underwritten Offering (other than the first Requested Underwritten Offering made in respect of a prior Demand Registration) shall constitute a Demand Registration of the Initiating Holder for purposes of Section 2(a)(iii) (it being understood that if requested concurrently with a Demand Registration then, together, such Demand Registration and Requested Underwritten Offering shall count as one Demand Registration); provided, however,

 

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that a Requested Underwritten Offering shall not constitute a Demand Registration of the Initiating Holder for purposes of Section 2(a)(iii) if, as a result of Section 2(c)(iii)(A) , the Requested Underwritten Offering includes less than the lesser of (i) Registrable Securities of the Initiating Holder having a VWAP measured on the effective date of the related Registration Statement of $30 million and (ii) two-thirds of the number of Registrable Securities the Initiating Holder set forth in the applicable Underwritten Offering Notice.

(c) Piggyback Registration and Piggyback Underwritten Offering .

(i) If the Company shall at any time propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of Common Stock (other than a registration statement on Form S-4, Form S-8 or any successor forms thereto or filed solely in connection with an exchange offer or any employee benefit or dividend reinvestment plan and other than a Demand Registration), whether or not for its own account, then the Company shall promptly notify all Holders of such proposal reasonably in advance of (and in any event at least five Business Days, except if the registration statement will be a Shelf Registration Statement, at least two Business Days, before) the anticipated filing date (the “ Piggyback Registration Notice ”). The Piggyback Registration Notice shall offer Holders the opportunity to include for registration in such registration statement the number of Registrable Securities as they may request in writing (a “ Piggyback Registration ”). The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to include in each such Piggyback Registration such Registrable Securities for which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein (“ Piggyback Registration Request ”) within three Business Days or, if the Piggyback Registration will be on a Shelf Registration Statement, within one Business Day, after sending the Piggyback Registration Notice. Each Holder shall be permitted to withdraw all or part of such Holder’s Registrable Securities from a Piggyback Registration by giving written notice to the Company of its request to withdraw; provided that (A) such request must be made in writing prior to the effectiveness of such registration statement and (B) such withdrawal shall be irrevocable and, after making such withdrawal, a Holder shall no longer have any right to include Registrable Securities in the Piggyback Registration as to which such withdrawal was made. Any withdrawing Holder shall continue to have the right to include any Registrable Securities in any subsequent registration statement or registration statements as may be filed by the Company with respect to offerings of Common Stock, all upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

(ii) If the Company shall at any time propose to conduct an Underwritten Offering (including a Requested Underwritten Offering), whether or not for its own account, then the Company shall promptly notify all Holders of such proposal reasonably in advance of (and in any event at least five Business Days, except if the Underwritten Offering will be made pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, at least two Business Days, before) the commencement of the offering, which notice shall set forth the principal terms and conditions of the issuance, including the proposed offering price or range of offering prices (if known), the anticipated filing date of the related registration statement (if applicable) and the number of shares of Common Stock that are proposed to be registered (the “ Underwritten Offering Piggyback Notice ”). The Underwritten Offering Piggyback Notice shall offer Holders the opportunity to include in

 

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such Underwritten Offering (and any related registration, if applicable) the number of Registrable Securities as they may request in writing (an “ Underwritten Piggyback Offering ”); provided, however, that in the event that the Company proposes to effectuate the subject Underwritten Offering pursuant to an effective Shelf Registration Statement other than an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement, only Registrable Securities of Holders which are subject to an effective Shelf Registration Statement may be included in such Underwritten Piggyback Offering. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to include in each such Underwritten Piggyback Offering such Registrable Securities for which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein (“ Underwritten Offering Piggyback Request ”) within three Business Days or, if such Underwritten Piggyback Offering will be made pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, within one Business Day after sending the Underwritten Offering Piggyback Notice. Each Holder shall be permitted to withdraw all or part of such Holder’s Registrable Securities from an Underwritten Piggyback Offering at any time prior to the effectiveness of the applicable registration statement, and such Holder shall continue to have the right to include any Registrable Securities in any subsequent Underwritten Offerings, all upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

(iii) If the managing underwriter or managing underwriters of an Underwritten Offering advise the Company and the Holders that in their reasonable opinion that the inclusion of all of the Holders’ Registrable Securities requested for inclusion in the subject Underwritten Offering (and any related registration, if applicable) (and any other Common Stock proposed to be included in such offering) exceeds the number that can be included without being likely to have a significant adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the securities offered or the market for the securities offered, the Company shall include in such Underwritten Offering (and any related registration, if applicable) only that number of shares of Common Stock proposed to be included in such Underwritten Offering (and any related registration, if applicable) that, in the reasonable opinion of the managing underwriter or managing underwriters, will not have such adverse effect, with such number to be allocated as follows: (A) in the case of a Requested Underwritten Offering, (1) first, pro-rata among all Holders (including the Initiating Holder) that have requested to include Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering based on the relative number of Registrable Securities then held by each such Holder, (2) second, if there remains availability for additional shares of Common Stock to be included in such Underwritten Offering, the Company, and (3) third, if there remains availability for additional shares of Common Stock to be included in such Underwritten Offering, any other holders entitled to participate in such Underwritten Offering, if applicable, based on the relative number of shares of Common Stock then held by each such holder; and (B) in the case of any other Underwritten Offerings, (x) first, to the Company, (y) second, if there remains availability for additional shares of Common Stock to be included in such Underwritten Offering, pro-rata among all Holders desiring to include Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering based on the relative number of Registrable Securities then held by each such Holder, and (z) third, if there remains availability for additional shares of Common Stock to be included in such registration, pro-rata among any other holders entitled to participate in such Underwritten Offering, if applicable, based on the relative number of Common Stock then held by each such holder. If any Holder disapproves of the terms of

 

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any such Underwritten Offering, such Holder may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company and the managing underwriter(s) delivered on or prior to the time of the commencement of such offering. Any Registrable Securities withdrawn from such underwriting shall be excluded and withdrawn from the registration.

(iv) The Company shall have the right to terminate or withdraw any registration initiated by it under this Section 2(c) at any time in its sole discretion whether or not any Holder has elected to include Registrable Securities in such Registration Statement. The registration expenses of such withdrawn registration shall be borne by the Company in accordance with Section 4 hereof.

3. Registration and Underwritten Offering Procedures . The procedures to be followed by the Company and each Holder electing to sell Registrable Securities in a Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement, and the respective rights and obligations of the Company and such Holders, with respect to the preparation, filing and effectiveness of such Registration Statement and the effectuation of any Underwritten Offering, are as follows:

(a) In connection with a Demand Registration, the Company will, at least three Business Days prior to the anticipated filing of the Registration Statement and any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than, after effectiveness of the Registration Statement, any filing made under the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement), (i) furnish to such Holders copies of all such documents prior to filing and (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to address in each such document when so filed with the Commission such comments as such Holders reasonably shall propose prior to the filing thereof.

(b) In connection with a Piggyback Registration, Underwritten Piggyback Offering or a Requested Underwritten Offering, the Company will, at least three Business Days (or in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement or an offering that will be made pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, at least one Business Day) prior to the anticipated filing of any initial Registration Statement that identifies the Holders and any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than amendments and supplements that do not materially alter the previous disclosure or do nothing more than name Holders and provide information with respect thereto), as applicable, furnish to such Holders copies of any such Registration Statement or related Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto that identify the Holders and any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than amendments and supplements that do not materially alter the previous disclosure or do nothing more than name Holders and provide information with respect thereto). The Company will also use commercially reasonable efforts to address in each such document when so filed with the Commission such comments as such Holders reasonably shall propose prior to the filing thereof.

(c) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to as promptly as reasonably practicable (i) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, and supplements to each Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary under applicable law to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered thereby for its Effectiveness Period and, subject to the limitations contained in this

 

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Agreement, prepare and file with the Commission such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities held by the Holders; (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; and (iii) respond to any comments received from the Commission with respect to each Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and, as promptly as reasonably practicable provide such Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to such Registration Statement that pertains to such Holders as selling stockholders but not any comments that would result in the disclosure to such Holders of material and non-public information concerning the Company.

(d) The Company will comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the Registration Statements and the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement.

(e) The Company will notify such Holders who are included in a Registration Statement as promptly as reasonably practicable: (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement in which such Holder is included has been filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of the applicable Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such Registration Statement (in which case the Company shall provide true and complete copies thereof and all written responses thereto to each of such Holders that pertain to such Holders as selling stockholders); and (C) with respect to each applicable Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has been declared effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to such Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information that pertains to such Holders as sellers of Registrable Securities; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose; and (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to such Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of such Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not 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 notice by the Company shall be required pursuant to this clause (v) in the event that the Company either promptly files a prospectus supplement to update the Prospectus or a Form 8-K or other appropriate Exchange Act report that is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, which in either case, contains the requisite information that results in such Registration Statement no longer containing any untrue statement of material fact or omitting to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading).

 

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(f) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, as promptly as reasonably practicable, or if any such order or suspension is made effective during any Blackout Period or Suspension Period, as promptly as reasonably practicable after such Blackout Period or Suspension Period is over.

(g) During the Effectiveness Period, the Company will furnish to each such Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and each amendment thereto and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Holder (including those incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission; provided, that the Company will not have any obligation to provide any document pursuant to this clause that is available on the Commission’s EDGAR system.

(h) The Company will promptly deliver to each Holder, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) authorized by the Company for use and each amendment or supplement thereto as such Holder may reasonably request during the Effectiveness Period. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, including Section 8(b) , the Company consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.

(i) The Company will cooperate with such Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free of all restrictive legends indicating that the Registrable Securities are unregistered or unqualified for resale under the Securities Act, Exchange Act or other applicable securities laws, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holder may request in writing. In connection therewith, if required by the Company’s transfer agent, the Company will promptly, after the Effective Date of the Registration Statement, cause an opinion of counsel as to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement to be delivered to and maintained with its transfer agent, together with any other authorizations, certificates and directions required by the transfer agent which authorize and direct the transfer agent to issue such Registrable Securities without any such legend upon sale by the Holder of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement.

(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(e)(v) , as promptly as reasonably practicable, the Company will prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, if required by applicable law, to the affected Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, no Registration Statement nor any Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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(k) With respect to Underwritten Offerings, (i) the right of any Holder to include such Holder’s Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein, (ii) each Holder participating in such Underwritten Offering agrees to enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form and sell such Holder’s Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled to select the managing underwriter or managing underwriters hereunder and (iii) each Holder participating in such Underwritten Offering agrees to complete and execute all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents customarily and reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements. The Company hereby agrees with each Holder that, in connection with any Underwritten Offering in accordance with the terms hereof, it will negotiate in good faith and execute all indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements, including using all commercially reasonable efforts to procure customary legal opinions, auditor “comfort” letters and reports of the independent petroleum engineers of the Company relating to the oil and gas reserves of the Company included in the Registration Statement if the Company has had its reserves prepared, audited or reviewed by an independent petroleum engineer.

(l) For a reasonable period prior to the filing of any Registration Statement and throughout the Effectiveness Period, the Company will make available, upon reasonable notice at the Company’s principal place of business or such other reasonable place, for inspection during normal business hours by a representative or representatives of the selling Holders, the managing underwriter or managing underwriters and any attorneys or accountants retained by such selling Holders or underwriters, all such financial and other information and books and records of the Company, and cause the officers, employees, counsel and independent certified public accountants of the Company to respond to such inquiries, as shall be reasonably necessary (and in the case of counsel, not violate an attorney-client privilege in such counsel’s reasonable belief) to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act; provided, however, that any information that is not generally publicly available at the time of delivery of such information shall be kept confidential by such Persons unless disclosure of such information is required by court or administrative order or, in the opinion of counsel to such Person, law, in which case, such Person shall be required to give the Company written notice of the proposed disclosure prior to such disclosure and, if requested by the Company, assist the Company in seeking to prevent or limit the proposed disclosure.

(m) In connection with any Requested Underwritten Offering, the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause appropriate officers and employees to be available, on a customary basis and upon reasonable notice, to meet with prospective investors in presentations, meetings and road shows.

(n) Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company any other information regarding the Holder and the distribution of such securities as the Company reasonably determines is required to be included in any Registration Statement or any Prospectus or prospectus supplement relating to an Underwritten Offering.

 

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(o) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to file a Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or effect a Requested Underwritten Offering (or, if the Company has filed a Shelf Registration Statement and has included Registrable Securities therein, the Company shall be entitled to suspend the offer and sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement) for a period of up to 60 days if (i) the Board determines that a postponement is in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders generally due to a pending transaction involving the Company (including a pending securities offering by the Company), (ii) the Board determines such registration would render the Company unable to comply with applicable securities laws or (iii) the Board determines such registration would require disclosure of material information that the Company has a bona fide business purpose for preserving as confidential (any such period, a “Blackout Period”); provided , however, that in no event shall any Blackout Period together with any Suspension Period exceed an aggregate of 120 days in any 12-month period.

(p) In connection with an Underwritten Offering, the Company shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to provide to each Holder named as a selling securityholder in any Registration Statement a copy of any auditor “comfort” letters, customary legal opinions or reports of the independent petroleum engineers of the Company relating to the oil and gas reserves of the Company, in each case that have been provided to the managing underwriter or managing underwriters in connection with the Underwritten Offering, not later than the Business Day prior to the effective date of such Registration Statement.

4. No Inconsistent Agreements; Additional Right s . The Company shall not hereafter enter into, and is not currently a party to, any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent in any material respect with the rights granted to the Holders by this Agreement.

5. Registration Expenses . All Registration Expenses incident to the Parties’ performance of or compliance with their respective obligations under this Agreement or otherwise in connection with any Demand Registration, Requested Underwritten Offering, Piggyback Registration or Underwritten Piggyback Offering (in each case, excluding any Selling Expenses) shall be borne by the Company, whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. “ Registration Expenses ” shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with the Trading Market and (B) in compliance with applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws), (ii) printing expenses (including expenses of printing certificates for Company Securities and of printing Prospectuses if the printing of Prospectuses is reasonably requested by a Holder of Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel, auditors, accountants and independent petroleum engineers for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and (vii) all expenses relating to marketing the sale of the Registrable Securities, including expenses related to conducting a “road show.” In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including expenses payable to third parties and including all salaries and expenses of their officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on the Trading Market.

 

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6. Indemnification .

(a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, its Affiliates and each of their respective officers and directors and any agent thereof (collectively, “ Holder Indemnified Persons ”), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, costs (including reasonable costs of preparation and reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses, judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Holder Indemnified Person may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, under the Securities Act or otherwise (collectively, “ Losses ”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which any Registrable Securities were registered, in any preliminary prospectus (if the Company authorized the use of such preliminary prospectus prior to the Effective Date), or in any summary or final prospectus or free writing prospectus (if such free writing prospectus was authorized for use by the Company) or in any amendment or supplement thereto (if used during the period the Company is required to keep the Registration Statement current), or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading; provided , however, that the Company shall not be liable to any Holder Indemnified Person to the extent that any such claim arises out of, is based upon or results from an untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such Registration Statement, such preliminary, summary or final prospectus or free writing prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder Indemnified Person or any underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof. The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the Company is aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. This indemnity shall be in addition to any liability the Company may otherwise have and shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Holder Indemnified Person or any indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such Holder. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, this Section 6 shall survive any termination or expiration of this Agreement indefinitely.

(b) In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder participates, such Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its Affiliates and each of their respective officers, directors and any agent thereof, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all Losses as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any such Registration Statement, in any preliminary prospectus (if used prior to the Effective Date of such Registration Statement), or in any summary or final prospectus or free writing prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (if used during the period the Company is required to keep the Registration Statement current), or arising out of, based upon or resulting

 

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from the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, but only to the extent that the same are made in reliance and in conformity with information relating to the Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder for use therein. This indemnity shall be in addition to any liability such Holder may otherwise have and shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or any indemnified party. In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation

(c) Any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim or there may be reasonable defenses available to the indemnified party that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent will not be unreasonably withheld). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party there may be one or more legal or equitable defenses available to such indemnified party that are in addition to or may conflict with those available to another indemnified party with respect to such claim. Failure to give prompt written notice shall not release the indemnifying party from its obligations hereunder.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an indemnified party with respect to any Losses referred to herein, the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall to the extent permitted by applicable law contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such Losses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party, on the one hand, and of the indemnified party, on the other, in connection with the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact that resulted in such Losses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and of the indemnified party shall be determined by a court of law by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission; provided, that in no event shall any contribution by a Holder hereunder exceed the net proceeds from the offering received by such Holder.

 

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7. Facilitation of Sales Pursuant to Rule 144 . To the extent it shall be required to do so under the Exchange Act, the Company shall timely file the reports required to be filed by it under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act (including the reports under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act referred to in subparagraph (c)(1) of Rule 144), and shall take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable the Holders to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitations of the exemption provided by Rule 144. Upon the request of any Holder in connection with that Holder’s sale pursuant to Rule 144, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements.

8. Miscellaneous .

(a) Remedies . In the event of actual or potential breach by the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement, each Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and further agrees that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

(b) Discontinued Disposition . Each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in clauses (ii) through (v) of Section 3(e) , such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemental Prospectus or amended Registration Statement as contemplated by Section 3(j) or until it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement (a “ Suspension Period ”). The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to enforce the provisions of this Section 8(b) .

(c) Amendments and Waivers . No provision of this Agreement may be waived or amended except in a written instrument signed by the Company and Holders that hold a majority of the Registrable Securities as of the date of such waiver or amendment; provided, that any waiver or amendment that would have a disproportionate adverse effect on a Holder relative to the other Holders shall require the consent of such Holder. The Company shall provide prior notice to all Holders of any proposed waiver or amendment. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any Party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.

(d) Notices . Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile or electronic mail as specified in this Section 8(d) prior to 5:00 p.m. in the time zone of the receiving party on a Business Day, (ii) the Business Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile or electronic mail as

 

18


specified in this Agreement later than 5:00 p.m. in the time zone of the receiving party on any date, (iii) the Business Day following the date of mailing, if sent by nationally recognized overnight courier service or (iv) upon actual receipt by the Party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as follows:

 

If to the Company:    WildHorse Resource Development Corporation
  

Attention: General Counsel

9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400

Houston, TX 77024

E-mail: KRoane@wildhorserd.com

 

  

With copy to:

 

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

Attention: Douglas E. McWilliams

1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500

Houston, Texas 77002

E-mail: dmcwilliams@velaw.com

 

If to any Person who is then the registered Holder:    To the address of such Holder as indicated on the signature page of this Agreement or, if different, as it appears in the applicable register for the Registrable Securities or as may be designated in writing by such Holder in accordance with this Section 8(d) .

(e) Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns. Except as provided in this Section 8(e) , this Agreement, and any rights or obligations hereunder, may not be assigned without the prior written consent of the Company and the Holders. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, the rights of a Holder pursuant to this Agreement with respect to all or any portion of its Registrable Securities may be assigned without such consent (but only with all related obligations) with respect to such Registrable Securities (and any Registrable Securities issued as a dividend or other distribution with respect to, in exchange for or in replacement of such Registrable Securities) by such Holder to a transferee of such Registrable Securities; provided (i) the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer, furnished with written notice of the name and address of such transferee or assignee and the Registrable Securities with respect to which such registration rights are being assigned and (ii) such transferee or assignee agrees in writing to be bound by and subject to the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Company may not assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Holders.

(f) No Third Party Beneficiaries . Nothing in this Agreement, whether express or implied, shall be construed to give any Person, other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns, any legal or equitable right, remedy, claim or benefit under or in respect of this Agreement.

 

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(g) Execution and Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile or electronic mail transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the Party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such signature delivered by facsimile or electronic mail transmission were the original thereof.

(h) Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial . This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York. Each of the Parties irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York for the purpose of any suit, action, proceeding or judgment relating to or arising out of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Service of process in connection with any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on each Party anywhere in the world by the same methods as are specified for the giving of notices under this Agreement. Each of the Parties irrevocably waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such courts and irrevocably waives any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO REQUEST A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT AND REPRESENTS THAT COUNSEL HAS BEEN CONSULTED SPECIFICALLY AS TO THIS WAIVER.

(i) Cumulative Remedies . The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

(j) Severability . If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the Parties shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the Parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

(k) Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior contracts or agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof and the matters addressed or governed hereby, whether oral or written.

(l) Termination . Except for Section 6 , this Agreement shall terminate as to any Holder, when all Registrable Securities held by such Holder no longer constitute Registrable Securities.

[Signature page follows.]

 

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

 

COMPANY:
W ILD H ORSE R ESOURCE D EVELOPMENT C ORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Jay C. Graham

Name:   Jay C. Graham
Title:   CEO
HOLDERS:
WHR H OLDINGS , LLC
By:  

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Name:   Anthony Bahr
Title:   Manager
Address for notice:
9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400
Houston, Texas 77024
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: KRoane@wildhorserd.com
With a copy to:
Natural Gas Partners
5221 N. O’Connor Boulevard, Suite 1100
Irving, Texas 75039
Fax: (972) 432-1441
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: jzlotky@ngptrs.com

Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement


E SQUISTO H OLDINGS , LLC
By:  

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Name:   Anthony Bahr
Title:   Manager
Address for notice:
9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400
Houston, Texas 77024
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: KRoane@wildhorserd.com
With a copy to:
Natural Gas Partners
5221 N. O’Connor Boulevard, Suite 1100
Irving, Texas 75039
Fax: (972) 432-1441
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: jzlotky@ngptrs.com
WHE A CQ C O H OLDINGS , LLC
By:  

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Name:   Anthony Bahr
Title:   Manager
Address for notice:
9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400
Houston, Texas 77024
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: KRoane@wildhorserd.com
With a copy to:
Natural Gas Partners
5221 N. O’Connor Boulevard, Suite 1100
Irving, Texas 75039
Fax: (972) 432-1441
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: jzlotky@ngptrs.com

Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement


NGP XI US H OLDINGS , L.P.
By: NGP XI Holdings GP, L.L.C., general partner
By:  

/s/ Tony R. Weber

Name:   Tony R. Weber
Title:   Authorized Person
Address for notice:
Natural Gas Partners
5221 N. O’Connor Boulevard, Suite 1100
Irving, Texas 75039
Fax: (972) 432-1441
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: jzlotky@ngptrs.com

Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement


J AY C. G RAHAM

/s/ Jay C. Graham

Address for notice:
9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400
Houston, Texas 77024
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: jay.graham@wildhorseresources.com

Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement


A NTHONY B AHR

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Address for notice:
9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400
Houston, Texas 77024
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: anthony.bahr@wildhorseresources.com

Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement

Exhibit 10.2

Execution Version

STOCKHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT

This STOCKHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), dated as of December 19, 2016, is entered into by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), WHR Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ WildHorse Holdings ”), Esquisto Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Esquisto Holdings ”) and WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Acquisition Holdings ” and together with WildHorse Holdings and Esquisto Holdings, the “ Principal Stockholders ”).

WHEREAS, the Principal Stockholders, certain other parties thereto and the Company have entered into that certain Master Contribution Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “ Contribution Agreement ”), pursuant to which each of the Principal Stockholders has contributed to the Company its interests in certain of its respective subsidiaries and, in consideration therefor, has received shares of Common Stock; and

WHEREAS, as a condition precedent to the execution, delivery and performance of the Contribution Agreement, and in connection with, and effective upon, the completion of an underwritten public offering (the “ IPO ”) of shares of Common Stock, the Principal Stockholders and the Company have entered into this Agreement to set forth certain understandings among themselves, including with respect to certain corporate governance matters.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Certain Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any specified Person, a Person that directly or indirectly Controls or is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such specified Person.

Beneficial Owner ” of a security is a Person who directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares (a) voting power, which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such security and/or (b) investment power, which includes the power to dispose, or to direct the disposition of, such security. The terms “ Beneficially Own ” and “ Beneficial Ownership ” shall have correlative meanings. For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of this Agreement each Principal Stockholder is deemed to Beneficially Own the shares of Common Stock owned by it, notwithstanding the fact that such shares are subject to this Agreement.

Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

Common Stock ” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.


Control ” (including the terms “ Controls ,” “ Controlled by ” and “ under common Control with ”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to (a) direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise or (b) vote 10% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of a Person.

Person ” means any individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, estate, trust, business association, organization, any court, administrative agency, regulatory body, commission or other governmental authority, board, bureau or instrumentality, domestic or foreign and any subdivision thereof or other entity, and also includes any managed investment account.

Necessary Action ” means, with respect to a specified result, all actions (to the extent such actions are permitted by applicable law and, in the case of any action by the Company that requires a vote or other action on the part of the Board, to the extent such action is consistent with the fiduciary duties that the Company’s directors may have in such capacity) necessary to cause such result, including (i) voting or providing a written consent or proxy with respect to shares of Common Stock, (ii) causing the adoption of stockholders’ resolutions and amendments to the organizational documents of the Company, (iii) executing agreements and instruments and (iv) making or causing to be made, with governmental, administrative or regulatory authorities, all filings, registrations or similar actions that are required to achieve such result.

Section 1.2 Rules of Construction .

(a) Unless the context requires otherwise: (i) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms; (ii) references to Articles and Sections refer to articles and sections of this Agreement; (iii) the terms “include,” “includes,” “including” and words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; (iv) the terms “hereof,” “hereto,” “herein” or “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; (v) unless the context otherwise requires, the term “or” is not exclusive and shall have the inclusive meaning of “and/or”; (vi) defined terms herein will apply equally to both the singular and plural forms and derivative forms of defined terms will have correlative meanings; (vii) references to any law or statute shall include all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and references to any law or statute shall be construed as including any legal and statutory provisions consolidating, amending, succeeding or replacing the applicable law or statute; (viii) references to any Person include such Person’s successors and permitted assigns; and (ix) references to “days” are to calendar days unless otherwise indicated.

(b) The headings in this Agreement are for convenience and identification only and are not intended to describe, interpret, define or limit the scope, extent or intent of this Agreement or any provision thereof.

(c) This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or other rule requiring construction against the party that drafted or caused this Agreement to be drafted

 

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ARTICLE II

GOVERNANCE MATTERS

Section 2.1 Designees .

(a) The Company and the Principal Stockholders shall take all Necessary Action to cause the Board to include members as follows:

(i) If the Principal Stockholders and their respective Affiliates collectively Beneficially Own at least 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, up to three nominees designated by WildHorse Holdings and up to three nominees designated by Esquisto Holdings (each, an “ Appointing Principal Stockholder ” and collectively, the “ Appointing Principal Stockholders ”);

(ii) If the Principal Stockholders and their respective Affiliates collectively Beneficially Own less than 50% but at least 35% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, two nominees designated by WildHorse Holdings and two nominees designated by Esquisto Holdings;

(iii) If the Principal Stockholders and their respective Affiliates collectively Beneficially Own less than 35% but at least 15% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, one nominee designated by WildHorse Holdings, one nominee designated by Esquisto Holdings and one nominee designated by a mutual agreement between the Appointing Principal Stockholders; and

(iv) If the Principal Stockholders and their respective Affiliates collectively Beneficially Own less than 15% but at least 5% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, one nominee designated by WildHorse Holdings and one designated by Esquisto Holdings.

If the Principal Stockholders and their respective Affiliates collectively Beneficially Own less than 5% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Appointing Principal Stockholders shall not be entitled to designate a nominee.

For the avoidance of doubt, the rights granted to the Appointing Principal Stockholders to designate members of the Board are additive to, and not intended to limit in any way, the rights that the Principal Stockholders or any of their respective Affiliates may have to nominate, elect or remove directors under the Company’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws or the Delaware General Corporation Law.

The Company agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law (including with respect to any applicable fiduciary duties under Delaware law), that taking all necessary corporate action to effectuate the above shall include (A) including the persons designated pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) in the slate of nominees recommended by the Board for election at any meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors, (B) nominating and recommending each such individual to be elected as a director as provided herein, and (C) soliciting proxies or consents in favor thereof. The Company is entitled to identify such individual as a WildHorse Holdings Director or Esquisto Holdings Director, as applicable, pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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(b) At any time the members of the Board are allocated among separate classes of directors, (i) the directors designated by the Principal Stockholders pursuant to this Section 2.1 (the “ Principal Stockholder Directors ”) shall be in different classes of directors to the extent practicable and (ii) the Appointing Principal Stockholders (acting by mutual agreement) shall be permitted to designate the class or classes to which each Principal Stockholder Director shall be allocated.

(c) So long as the Principal Stockholders and their respective Affiliates collectively Beneficially Own 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Appointing Principal Stockholders by mutual agreement between them will have the right to cause the Board to include at least one Principal Stockholder Director on each committee of the Board as designated by the Appointing Principal Stockholders (subject to any independence requirement imposed by applicable law or by the applicable rules of any national securities exchange on which the Common Stock may be listed or traded).

(d) So long as an Appointing Principal Stockholder is entitled to designate one or more nominees pursuant to Section 2.1(a) , such Appointing Principal Stockholder shall have the right to remove any Principal Stockholder Director (with or without cause) appointed by such Principal Stockholder, from time to time and at any time, from the Board, exercisable upon written notice to the Company, and the Company shall take all Necessary Action to cause such removal; provided that the agreement of both Appointing Principal Stockholders shall be required to remove a Principal Stockholder Director appointed by the mutual agreement of the Appointing Principal Stockholders pursuant to Section 2.1(a)(ii)

(e) In the event that a vacancy is created on the Board at any time by the death, disability, resignation or removal (whether by the Appointing Principal Stockholders or otherwise in accordance with the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as either may be amended or restated from time to time) of a Principal Stockholder Director, the Appointing Principal Stockholder entitled to appoint such Principal Stockholder Director shall be entitled to designate an individual to fill the vacancy so long as the total number of persons that will serve on the Board as designees of such Appointing Principal Stockholder immediately following the filling of such vacancy will not exceed the total number of persons such Appointing Principal Stockholder is entitled to designate pursuant to Section 2.1(a) on the date of such replacement designation; provided that the consent of both Appointing Principal Stockholders shall be required to designate the individual to fill any vacancy resulting from the death, disability, resignation or removal of the Principal Stockholder Director appointed by the mutual agreement of the Appointing Principal Stockholders pursuant to Section 2.1(a)(ii) . The Company and the Principal Stockholders shall take all Necessary Action to cause such replacement designee to become a member of the Board.

Section 2.3 Restrictions on Other Agreements . No Principal Stockholder shall, directly or indirectly, grant any proxy or enter into or agree to be bound by any voting trust, agreement or arrangement of any kind with respect to its shares of Common Stock if and to the extent the terms thereof conflict with the provisions of this Agreement (whether or not such proxy, voting trust, agreement or agreements are with other Principal Stockholders, holders of shares of Common Stock that are not parties to this Agreement or otherwise).

 

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ARTICLE III

EFFECTIVENESS AND TERMINATION

Section 3.1 Effectiveness . Upon the closing of the IPO, this Agreement shall thereupon be deemed to be effective. However, to the extent the closing of the IPO does not occur, the provisions of this Agreement shall be without any force or effect.

Section 3.2 Termination . This Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier to occur of (a) such time as none of the Principal Stockholders Beneficially Own any shares of Common Stock and (b) the delivery of written notice to the Company by all of the Principal Stockholders, requesting the termination of this Agreement. Further, at such time as a particular Principal Stockholder no longer Beneficially Owns any shares of Common Stock, all rights and obligations of such Principal Stockholder under this Agreement shall terminate.

ARTICLE IV

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 4.1 Notices . All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be personally delivered, sent by nationally recognized overnight courier, mailed by registered or certified mail or be sent by facsimile or electronic mail to such party at the address set forth below (or such other address as shall be specified by like notice). Notices will be deemed to have been duly given hereunder if (a) personally delivered, when received, (b) sent by nationally recognized overnight courier, one business day after deposit with the nationally recognized overnight courier, (c) mailed by registered or certified mail, five business days after the date on which it is so mailed, and (d) sent by facsimile or electronic mail, on the date sent so long as such communication is transmitted before 5:00 p.m. in the time zone of the receiving party on a business day, otherwise, on the next business day.

 

  (a) If to the Company, to:

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation

9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400

Houston, TX 77024

Attention: General Counsel

E-mail: KRoane@wildhorserd.com

 

  (b) If to WildHorse Holdings, to:

9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400

Houston, TX 77024

Attention: General Counsel

E-mail: KRoane@wildhorserd.com

 

5


With a copy to:

Natural Gas Partners

5221 N. O’Connor Boulevard, Suite 1100

Irving, Texas 75039

Attention: General Counsel

Fax: (972) 432-1441

E-mail: jzlotky@ngptrs.com

 

  (c) If to Esquisto Holdings, to:

9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400

Houston, TX 77024

Attention: General Counsel

E-mail: KRoane@wildhorserd.com

With a copy to:

Natural Gas Partners

5221 N. O’Connor Boulevard, Suite 1100

Irving, Texas 75039

Attention: General Counsel

Fax: (972) 432-1441

E-mail: jzlotky@ngptrs.com

 

  (d) If to Acquisition Holdings, to:

9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400

Houston, TX 77024

Attention: General Counsel

E-mail: KRoane@wildhorserd.com

With a copy to:

Natural Gas Partners

5221 N. O’Connor Boulevard, Suite 1100

Irving, Texas 75039

Attention: General Counsel

Fax: (972) 432-1441

E-mail: jzlotky@ngptrs.com

Section 4.2 Severability . The provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereof. If any provision of this Agreement, or the application thereof to any Person or any circumstance, is found to be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, (a) a suitable and equitable provision shall be substituted therefor in order to carry out, so far as may be valid and enforceable, the intent and purpose of such invalid or unenforceable provision and (b) the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to other Persons or circumstances shall not be affected by such invalidity or unenforceability, nor shall such invalidity or unenforceability affect the validity or enforceability of such provision, or the application thereof, in any other jurisdiction.

 

6


Section 4.3 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which, taken together, shall be considered one and the same agreement.

Section 4.4 Entire Agreement; No Third Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement (a) constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior agreements, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and (b) is not intended to confer upon any Person, other than the parties hereto, any rights or remedies hereunder.

Section 4.5 Further Assurances . Each party hereto shall execute, deliver, acknowledge and file such other documents and take such further actions as may be reasonably requested from time to time by the other parties hereto to give effect to and carry out the transactions contemplated herein.

Section 4.6 Governing Law; Equitable Remedies . THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF). The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with its specific terms or was otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties hereto shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions and other equitable remedies to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof in any of the Selected Courts (as defined below), this being in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with respect to such remedy are hereby waived by each of the parties hereto. Each party hereto further agrees that, in the event of any action for an injunction or other equitable remedy in respect of such breach or enforcement of specific performance, it will not assert the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

Section 4.7 Consent To Jurisdiction . With respect to any suit, action or proceeding (“ Proceeding ”) arising out of or relating to this Agreement, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably (a) submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and the appellate courts therefrom (the “ Selected Courts ”) and waives any objection to venue being laid in the Selected Courts whether based on the grounds of forum non conveniens or otherwise and hereby agrees not to commence any such Proceeding other than before one of the Selected Courts; provided , however , that a party may commence any Proceeding in a court other than a Selected Court solely for the purpose of enforcing an order or judgment issued by one of the Selected Courts; (b) consents to service of process in any Proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, or by recognized international express carrier or delivery service, to their respective addresses referred to in Section 4.1 hereof; provided, however, that nothing herein shall affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by law; and (c) TO THE EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY

 

7


APPLICABLE LAW THAT CANNOT BE WAIVED, WAIVES, AND COVENANTS THAT IT WILL NOT ASSERT (WHETHER AS PLAINTIFF, DEFENDANT OR OTHERWISE) ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION ARISING IN WHOLE OR IN PART UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, AND AGREES THAT ANY OF THEM MAY FILE A COPY OF THIS PARAGRAPH WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE KNOWING, VOLUNTARY AND BARGAINED-FOR AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY TO WAIVE THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING WHATSOEVER BETWEEN THEM RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND TO HAVE ALL MATTERS RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT BE TRIED IN A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY A JUDGE SITTING WITHOUT A JURY.

Section 4.8 Amendments; Waivers .

(a) No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived unless such amendment or waiver is in writing and signed (i) in the case of an amendment, by each of the parties hereto, and (ii) in the case of a waiver, by each of the parties against whom the waiver is to be effective.

(b) No failure or delay by any party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law.

Section 4.9 Assignment . Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any of the parties hereto without the prior written consent of the other parties; provided, however, that the Principal Stockholders may each assign any of its respective rights hereunder to any of its Affiliates. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties and their respective successors and assigns.

[Signature page follows.]

 

8


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

 

COMPANY:

W ILD H ORSE R ESOURCE D EVELOPMENT

C ORPORATION

By:  

/s/ Jay C. Graham

Name:   Jay C. Graham
Title:   CEO
PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS:
WHR H OLDINGS , LLC
By:  

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Name:   Anthony Bahr
Title:   Manager
E SQUISTO H OLDINGS , LLC
By:  

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Name:   Anthony Bahr
Title:   Manager
WHE A CQ C O H OLDINGS , LLC
By:  

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Name:   Anthony Bahr
Title:   Manager

Signature Page to Stockholders’ Agreement

Exhibit 10.3

Execution Version

Deal CUSIP Number: 96812VAA52

Facility CUSIP Number: 96812VAB3

 

 

 

C REDIT A GREEMENT

dated as of December 19, 2016

among

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation,

as Borrower,

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent,

BMO Harris Bank N.A.,

as Syndication Agent,

Bank of America, N.A.,

Barclays Bank PLC,

Citibank, N.A.,

Comerica Bank

and

ING Capital LLC,

as Co-Documentation Agents

and

the Lenders party hereto

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

and

BMO Capital Markets Corp.,

Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 

 

 


T ABLE OF C ONTENTS

 

          Page No.  

ARTICLE I

  

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS

  

Section 1.01

   Terms Defined Above      1   

Section 1.02

   Certain Defined Terms      1   

Section 1.03

   Types of Loans and Borrowings      34   

Section 1.04

   Terms Generally; Rules of Construction      34   

Section 1.05

   Accounting Terms and Determinations; GAAP      35   

ARTICLE II

  

THE CREDITS

  

Section 2.01

   Commitments      35   

Section 2.02

   Loans and Borrowings      35   

Section 2.03

   Requests for Borrowings      36   

Section 2.05

   Funding of Borrowings      39   

Section 2.06

  

Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount;

Increase and Reduction of Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount

     39   

Section 2.07

   Borrowing Base      44   

Section 2.08

   Letters of Credit      47   

Section 2.09

   Defaulting Lenders      52   

ARTICLE III

  

PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST; PREPAYMENTS; FEES

  

Section 3.01

   Repayment of Loans      53   

Section 3.02

   Interest      53   

Section 3.03

   Alternate Rate of Interest      54   

Section 3.04

   Prepayments      55   

Section 3.05

   Fees      57   

ARTICLE IV

  

PAYMENTS; PRO RATA TREATMENT; SHARING OF SET-OFFS

  

Section 4.01

   Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs      58   

Section 4.02

   Presumption of Payment by the Borrower      59   

Section 4.03

   Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent      59   

Section 4.04

   Disposition of Proceeds      60   

ARTICLE V

  

INCREASED COSTS; BREAK FUNDING PAYMENTS; TAXES; ILLEGALITY

  

Section 5.01

   Increased Costs      60   

Section 5.02

   Break Funding Payments      61   

Section 5.03

   Taxes      62   

Section 5.04

   Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders      65   

Section 5.05

   Illegality      66   

Section 5.06

   Availability of LIBOR Market Index Loans      67   

 

i


ARTICLE VI

  

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

  

Section 6.01

   Effective Date      67   

Section 6.02

   Each Credit Event      72   

ARTICLE VII

  

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

  

Section 7.01

   Organization; Powers      73   

Section 7.02

   Authority; Enforceability      73   

Section 7.03

   Approvals; No Conflicts      73   

Section 7.04

   Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change      74   

Section 7.05

   Litigation      74   

Section 7.06

   Environmental Matters      74   

Section 7.07

   Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults or Borrowing Base Deficiency      76   

Section 7.08

   Investment Company Act      76   

Section 7.09

   Taxes      76   

Section 7.10

   ERISA      76   

Section 7.11

   Disclosure; No Material Misstatements      77   

Section 7.12

   Insurance      77   

Section 7.13

   Restriction on Liens      78   

Section 7.14

   Subsidiaries      78   

Section 7.15

   Location of Business and Offices      78   

Section 7.16

   Properties; Titles, Etc.      78   

Section 7.17

   Maintenance of Properties      79   

Section 7.18

   Gas Imbalances, Prepayments      80   

Section 7.19

   Marketing of Production      80   

Section 7.20

   Swap Agreements and Qualified ECP Guarantor      80   

Section 7.21

   Use of Loans and Letters of Credit      80   

Section 7.22

   Solvency      81   

Section 7.23

   Anti-Corruption Laws      81   

Section 7.24

   OFAC      81   

Section 7.25

   No EEA Financial Institution      81   

Section 7.26

   Corporate Reorganization Agreements      81   

ARTICLE VIII

  

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

  

Section 8.01

   Financial Statements; Other Information      81   

Section 8.02

   Notices of Material Events      85   

Section 8.03

   Existence; Conduct of Business      85   

Section 8.04

   Payment of Obligations      86   

Section 8.05

   Performance of Obligations under Loan Documents      86   

Section 8.06

   Operation and Maintenance of Properties      86   

Section 8.07

   Insurance      87   

Section 8.08

   Books and Records; Inspection Rights      87   

 

ii


Section 8.09

   Compliance with Laws      87   

Section 8.10

   Environmental Matters      88   

Section 8.11

   Further Assurances      89   

Section 8.12

   Reserve Reports      89   

Section 8.13

   Title Information      90   

Section 8.14

   Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors      91   

Section 8.15

   ERISA Compliance      93   

Section 8.16

   Commodity Price Risk Management Policy      93   

Section 8.17

   Unrestricted Subsidiaries      93   

Section 8.18

   Post-Closing Covenants      93   

Section 8.19

   Commodity Exchange Act Keepwell Provisions      94   

Section 8.20

   Accounts      94   

Section 8.21

   Minimum Hedging      95   

ARTICLE IX

  

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

  

Section 9.01

   Financial Covenants      95   

Section 9.02

   Debt      95   

Section 9.03

   Liens      96   

Section 9.04

   Dividends and Distributions; Repayment of Certain Debt; Amendments to Certain Debt Documents      97   

Section 9.05

   Investments and Loans      99   

Section 9.06

   Nature of Business; No International Operations      99   

Section 9.07

   Limitation on Leases      100   

Section 9.08

   Proceeds of Notes      100   

Section 9.09

   ERISA Compliance      100   

Section 9.10

   Sale or Discount of Receivables      101   

Section 9.11

   Mergers, Etc.      101   

Section 9.12

   Sale of Properties      102   

Section 9.13

   Environmental Matters      103   

Section 9.14

   Transactions with Affiliates      103   

Section 9.15

   Subsidiaries      103   

Section 9.16

   Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions      103   

Section 9.17

   Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments      104   

Section 9.18

   Swap Agreements      104   

Section 9.19

   Amendments to Certain Documents      106   

Section 9.20

   Marketing Activities      106   

Section 9.21

   Sale and Leaseback      106   

Section 9.22

   Amendments to Organizational Documents; Changes in Fiscal Year End      106   

Section 9.23

   Non-Eligible Contract Participants      107   

Section 9.24

   Designation and Conversion of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries      107   

Section 9.25

   Sanctions      107   

ARTICLE X

  

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

  

Section 10.01

   Events of Default      108   

Section 10.02

   Remedies      110   

 

iii


ARTICLE XI

  

THE AGENTS

  

Section 11.01

   Appointment and Authority      111   

Section 11.02

   Rights as a Lender      112   

Section 11.03

   Exculpatory Provisions      112   

Section 11.04

   Reliance by Administrative Agent      113   

Section 11.05

   Delegation of Duties      113   

Section 11.06

   Resignation of Administrative Agent      114   

Section 11.07

   Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders      115   

Section 11.08

   No Other Duties, Etc.      115   

Section 11.09

   Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding      115   

Section 11.10

   Collateral and Guaranty Matters      117   

Section 11.11

   Secured Bank Products Agreements and Secured Swap Agreements      118   

Section 11.12

   Action by Administrative Agent      118   

Section 11.13

   Intercreditor Agreement      118   

ARTICLE XII

  

MISCELLANEOUS

  

Section 12.01

   Notices      119   

Section 12.02

   Waivers; Amendments      121   

Section 12.03

   Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver      122   

Section 12.04

   Successors and Assigns      125   

Section 12.05

   Survival; Revival; Reinstatement      128   

Section 12.06

   Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness      129   

Section 12.07

   Severability      130   

Section 12.08

   Right of Setoff      130   

Section 12.09

   GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS      130   

Section 12.10

   Headings      131   

Section 12.11

   Confidentiality      131   

Section 12.12

   Interest Rate Limitation      132   

Section 12.13

   EXCULPATION PROVISIONS      133   

Section 12.14

   No Third Party Beneficiaries      133   

Section 12.15

   USA Patriot Act Notice      134   

Section 12.16

   No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility      134   

Section 12.17

   Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents      134   

Section 12.18

   Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions      135   

 

iv


A NNEXES , E XHIBITS AND S CHEDULES

 

Annex I

      List of Maximum Credit Amounts and Elected Commitments

Exhibit A

      Form of Note

Exhibit B

      Form of Borrowing Request Notice

Exhibit C

      Form of Interest Election Request Notice

Exhibit D

      Form of Compliance Certificate

Exhibit E-1

      Security Instruments as of the Effective Date

Exhibit E-2

      Form of Guaranty Agreement

Exhibit E-3

      Form of Security Agreement

Exhibit F

      Form of Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit G-1

      Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (Foreign Lenders; not partnerships)

Exhibit G-2

      Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (Foreign Participants; not partnerships)

Exhibit G-3

      Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (Foreign Participants; partnerships)

Exhibit G-4

      Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (Foreign Lenders; partnerships)

Exhibit H

      Form of Elected Commitment Increase Certificate

Exhibit I

      Form of Additional Lender Certificate

Schedule 7.05

      Litigation

Schedule 7.06

      Environmental Matters

Schedule 7.14

      Loan Parties and Subsidiaries

Schedule 7.18

      Gas Imbalances

Schedule 7.19

      Marketing Contracts

Schedule 7.20

      Swap Agreements

Schedule 7.26

      Corporate Reorganization Agreements

Schedule 9.05

      Existing Investments

Schedule 9.14

      Affiliate Transactions

 

 

v


T HIS C REDIT A GREEMENT dated as of December 19, 2016, is among: WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, a corporation duly formed and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Borrower ”); each of the Lenders from time to time party hereto; Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, (in its individual capacity, “ Wells Fargo ”), as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”); BMO Harris Bank N.A., as syndication agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the “ Syndication Agent ”); and Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC, Citibank, N.A., Comerica Bank and ING Capital LLC, as co-documentation agents for the Lenders (collectively, in such capacity, together with their respective successors in such capacity, the “ Documentation Agents ”).

R E C I T A L S

A. The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide certain loans to and extensions of credit on behalf of the Borrower.

B. The Lenders have agreed to make such loans and extensions of credit subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

C. In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and of the loans, extensions of credit and commitments hereinafter referred to, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS

Section 1.01 Terms Defined Above . As used in this Agreement, each term defined above has the meaning indicated above.

Section 1.02 Certain Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

ABR ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, means that such Loan is, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing are, bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

Acquisition ” means one or more acquisitions by Loan Parties of certain oil, gas and mineral Properties.

Act ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section  12.15 .

Account ” means any deposit account, securities account, commodities account, or any other demand, time, savings, passbook or similar account maintained with a bank or other financial institution.

Account Control Agreement ” means an agreement which grants the Administrative Agent “control” as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the applicable jurisdiction over the applicable Account, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 


Additional Lender ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(c)(i) .

Additional Lender Certificate ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(c)(ii)(G) .

Adjusted LIBO Rate ” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal to the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by the Statutory Reserve Rate.

Administrative Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

Affected Loans ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section  5.05 .

Affiliate ” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. “ Affiliated ” shall have the correlative meaning thereto.

Affiliated Acquisition ” means any Acquisition pursuant to which a Loan Party will directly or indirectly acquire Oil and Gas Properties from an Affiliate of the Borrower (other than a Loan Party).

Agents ” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agents; and “ Agent ” shall mean either the Administrative Agent, the Syndication Agent or any Documentation Agent, as the context requires.

Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount ” at any time shall equal the sum of the Elected Commitments, as the same may be increased, reduced or terminated pursuant to Section 2.06(b) or Section 2.06(c) . As of the Effective Date, the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount is $450,000,000.

Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount ” at any time shall equal the sum of the Maximum Credit Amounts, as the same may be reduced or terminated pursuant to Section  2.06 . As of the Effective Date, the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount is $1,000,000,000.

Agreement ” means this Credit Agreement, as the same may from time to time be amended, modified, supplemented or restated.

Alternate Base Rate ” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus  1 2 of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%; provided that, solely for purposes of determining the Alternate Base Rate, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the rate (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 with a one month maturity are offered by the principal London

 

2


office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds to major banks in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such day (or the immediately preceding Business Day if such day is not a day on which banks are open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market). Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively.

Anti-Corruption Laws ” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Loan Parties from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption including, without limitation, the FCPA.

Applicable Margin ” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan, LIBOR Market Index Loan or Eurodollar Loan, or with respect to the Commitment Fee Rate, as the case may be, the rate per annum set forth in the Total Commitments Utilization Grid below based upon the Total Commitments Utilization Percentage then in effect:

 

Total Commitments Utilization Grid

Total Commitments Utilization Percentage

   <25%    ³ 25% <50%    ³ 50% <75%    ³ 75% <90%    ³ 90%

Eurodollar Loans

   2.250%    2.500%    2.750%    3.000%    3.250%

LIBOR Market Index Loans

   2.250%    2.500%    2.750%    3.000%    3.250%

ABR Loans

   1.250%    1.500%    1.750%    2.000%    2.250%

Commitment Fee Rate

   0.375%    0.375%    0.500%    0.500%    0.500%

Each change in the Applicable Margin shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change; provided that if at any time the Borrower fails to deliver a Reserve Report pursuant to Section  8.12 and such failure continues for more than 10 Business Days from the date when such Reserve Report is due, then the “ Applicable Margin ” means the rate per annum set forth on the grid when the Total Commitments Utilization Percentage is at its highest level until such Reserve Report is delivered.

Applicable Percentage ” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount represented by such Lender’s Elected Commitment as such percentage is set forth on Annex I ; provided that in the case of Section  2.09 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “ Applicable Percentage ” as used in such Section  2.09 shall mean the percentage of the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Elected Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Elected Commitment.

Appointed Directors ” means members of the board of directors of the Borrower (a) that were appointed or nominated by any NGP Party, (b) whose election or nomination to such board was approved by individuals referred to in clause (a) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of such board, or (c) whose election or nomination to such board was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (a) and (b) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board.

 

3


Approved Counterparty ” means (a) any Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender or (b) any other Person that has a long term senior unsecured debt rating of BBB+/Baa1 by S&P or Moody’s (or their equivalent) or higher (including, for the sake of clarity, any other Person the obligations of which under Swap Agreements with Loan Parties are guaranteed by a credit support provider that has a long term senior unsecured debt rating of BBB+/Baa1 by S&P or Moody’s (or their equivalent) or higher at the time such Swap Agreement is entered into).

Approved Fund ” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

Approved Petroleum Engineers ” means (a) Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., (b) Ryder Scott Company Petroleum Consultants, L.P., (c) W.D. Von Gonten & Co. Petroleum Engineering, (d) Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., (e) Miller and Lents, Ltd., and (f) any other independent petroleum engineers reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

Arrangers ” means Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and BMO Capital Markets Corp., each in its capacity as joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner hereunder.

ASC ” means the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification, as in effect from time to time.

Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 12.04(b) ), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit F or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by use of an electronic platform or electronic transmission system) approved by the Administrative Agent.

Availability ” means, at any time, (a) the then effective total Commitments minus (b) the total Revolving Credit Exposures.

Availability Period ” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the Termination Date.

Bail-In Action ” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation ” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

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Bank Products ” means any of the following bank or cash management services: (a) commercial credit or debit cards, (b) stored value cards, and (c) treasury management services (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse transactions, electronic funds transfer, return items, overdrafts and interstate depository network services) and other cash management arrangements.

Bank Products Provider ” means any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender that provides Bank Products to the Borrower or any Guarantor; in its capacity as a provider of such Bank Products.

Benefitting Guarantor ” means a Guarantor for which funds or other support are required for such Guarantor to constitute an Eligible Contract Participant.

Board ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America or any successor Governmental Authority.

Borrower IPO ” means the initial public offering of Equity Interests of the Borrower on the New York Stock Exchange.

Borrower Materials ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 12.01(d) .

Borrowing ” means Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

Borrowing Base ” means at any time an amount equal to the amount determined in accordance with Section  2.07 , as the same may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to Section 8.13(c) .

Borrowing Base Deficiency ” occurs if at any time the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base then in effect. For the sole purpose of determining whether a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists at a particular time, the amount of Revolving Credit Exposures at such time shall be reduced on a dollar for dollar basis by the amount of cash collateral held at such time by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders as provided in Section 2.08(j) , solely to the extent such cash collateral was deposited pursuant to Section 3.04(c) .

Borrowing Base Value ” means, with respect to any Oil and Gas Property of the Borrower or a Guarantor, or any Swap Agreement in respect of commodities, the value the Administrative Agent attributed to such asset in connection with the most recent determination of the Borrowing Base (which Borrowing Base was approved by the requisite Lenders in accordance with Section  2.07 ).

Borrowing Request ” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section  2.03 .

Borrowing Request Notice ” means a notice of Borrowing Request, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B (or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

 

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Business Day ” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City or Houston, Texas are authorized or required by law to remain closed; and if such day relates to a Borrowing or continuation of, a payment or prepayment of principal of or interest on, or a conversion of or into, or the Interest Period for, a Eurodollar Loan or a notice by the Borrower with respect to any such Borrowing or continuation, payment, prepayment, conversion or Interest Period, any day which is also a day on which banks are open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

Capital Leases ” means, in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have been, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases on the balance sheet of the Person liable for the payment of rent thereunder.

Cash Equivalents ” means Investments of the type described in Sections 9.05(b) through (f).

Casualty Event ” means any loss, casualty or other insured damage to, or any nationalization, taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any Property of the Borrower or any of any other Loan Party having a fair market value in excess of $25,000,000.

Change in Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), other than any NGP Party, of Equity Interests representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower;

(b) the members of the board of directors of the Borrower that are not Appointed Directors shall constitute a majority of the board of directors of the Borrower; or

(c) the Borrower or a Guarantor ceases to own 100% of the Equity Interests of each Restricted Subsidiary.

Change in Law ” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 5.01(b) ), by any Lending Office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “ Change in Law ,” regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

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Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

Collateral ” means any Property owned by the Borrower or any Guarantor which is subject to the Liens existing and to exist under the terms of the Security Instruments.

Commitment ” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) modified from time to time pursuant to Section  2.06 and (b) modified from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 12.04(b) . The amount representing each Lender’s Commitment shall at any time be the least of (i) such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount, (ii) such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the then effective Borrowing Base and (iii) such Lender’s Elected Commitment.

Commitment Fee Rate ” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “ Applicable Margin ”.

Commodity Exchange Act ” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute, and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

Consolidated EBITDAX ” means, with respect to the Borrower and the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus , without duplication and to the extent reflected as a charge in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (a) interest expense (including realized and unrealized losses on interest rate derivative contracts); (b) income tax expense; (c) depreciation, depletion and amortization expense; (d) impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets (including Oil and Gas Properties); (e) accretion of asset retirement obligations; (f) unrealized losses on commodity derivative contracts; (g) realized losses upon the early termination or other monetization of commodity derivative contracts; (h) losses on sale of assets; (i) noncash unit-based compensation expenses; (j) exploration costs; and (k) fees and expenses expensed and paid in cash in connection with any registered offering of Equity Interests in the Borrower, including the Borrower IPO; minus , without duplication and to the extent included in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of interest income (including realized and unrealized gains on interest rate derivative contracts); income tax benefit; unrealized gains on commodity derivative contracts; realized gains upon the early termination or other monetization of commodity derivative contracts; and gains on sales of assets. For the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDAX for any Rolling Period in connection with any determination of the financial ratio contained in Section 9.01(a) , if during such Rolling Period, the Borrower or any Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary shall have made a Material Disposition or Material Acquisition, the Consolidated EBITDAX for such Rolling Period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Material Disposition or Material Acquisition, as applicable,

 

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occurred on the first day of such Rolling Period. For purposes of Consolidated EBITDAX for the Rolling Periods ending March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017 in connection with any determination of the financial ratio contained in Section 9.01(a) , Consolidated EBITDAX shall be calculated as follows: (A) for the Rolling Period ending March 31, 2017, Consolidated EBITDAX shall be Consolidated EBITDAX for the Rolling Period ending on such date multiplied by 4; (B) for the Rolling Period ending June 30, 2017, Consolidated EBITDAX shall be Consolidated EBITDAX for the Rolling Period ending on such date multiplied by 2; and (C) for the Rolling Period ending September 30, 2017, Consolidated EBITDAX shall be Consolidated EBITDAX for the Rolling Period ending on such date multiplied by 4/3.

Consolidated Net Income ” means, with respect to the Borrower and the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries, for any period, the aggregate of the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries after allowances for taxes for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded from such net income (to the extent otherwise included therein) the following: (a) the net income of any Person in which the Borrower or any Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary has an interest (which interest does not cause the net income of such other Person to be consolidated with the net income of the Borrower and the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP), except to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions actually paid in cash during such period by such other Person to the Borrower or to a Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be; (b) the net income (but not loss) during such period of any Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions or transfers or loans by that Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument or Governmental Requirement applicable to such Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary or is otherwise restricted or prohibited, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; (c) the net income (or loss) of any Person acquired in a pooling-of-interests transaction for any period prior to the date of such transaction; (d) any extraordinary gains or losses during such period; and (e) any gains or losses attributable to writeups or writedowns of assets, including ceiling test writedowns.

Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries ” means Restricted Subsidiaries that are Consolidated Subsidiaries.

Consolidated Subsidiaries ” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower (whether now existing or hereafter created or acquired) the financial statements of which shall be (or should have been) consolidated with the financial statements of the Borrower in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Unrestricted Subsidiaries ” means any Unrestricted Subsidiaries that are Consolidated Subsidiaries.

Control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. For the purposes of this definition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Person that owns directly or indirectly 10% or more of the

 

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Equity Interests having ordinary voting power for the election of the directors or other governing body of a Person (other than as a limited partner of such other Person) will be deemed to “control” such other Person. “ Controlling ” and “ Controlled ” have meanings correlative thereto.

Corporate Reorganization ” means, collectively, (i) the Esquisto Exchange, (ii) the WildHorse Exchange, (iii) the Esquisto Investment Holdings Contribution, (iv) the WildHorse Investment Holdings Contribution, (v) the Esquisto Management Equity Issuance, (vi) the WildHorse Management Equity Issuance, (vii) the WHE Management Equity Issuance, (viii) the Esquisto Holdings Contribution, (ix) the WildHorse Holdings Contribution and (x) the WHE Holdings Contribution.

Corporate Reorganization Agreements ” means, collectively, the agreements set forth on Schedule 7.26.

CWEI Acquisition ” means the acquisition of the CWEI Acquisition Properties pursuant to the terms and conditions of the CWEI Acquisition Documents.

CWEI Acquisition Documents ” means (1) the CWEI PSA, and (2) all bills of sale, assignments, agreements, instruments and documents executed and delivered in connection therewith, as amended.

CWEI Acquisition Properties ” means the CWEI Assets acquired by the Borrower pursuant to the CWEI Acquisition Documents.

CWEI Assets ” means the “Assets” under and as defined in the CWEI PSA.

CWEI PSA ” means the Purchase and Sale Agreement dated as of October 24, 2016, by and between WHE, as purchaser, and Clayton Williams Energy, Inc., as seller.

Debt ” means, for any Person, the sum of the following (without duplication): (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, bankers’ acceptances, debentures, notes or other similar instruments; (b) all obligations of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of credit, surety or other bonds and similar instruments; (c) all accounts payable and all accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of Property or services; (d) all obligations under Capital Leases; (e) all obligations under Synthetic Leases; (f) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) a Lien on any Property of such Person, whether or not such Debt is assumed by such Person; (g) all Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of others guaranteed by such Person or in which such Person otherwise assures a creditor against loss of the Debt (howsoever such assurance shall be made) to the extent of the lesser of the amount of such Debt and the maximum stated amount of such guarantee or assurance against loss; (h) all obligations or undertakings of such Person to maintain or cause to be maintained the financial position or covenants of others and, to the extent entered into as a means of providing credit support for the obligations of others and not primarily to enable such Person to acquire any such Property, all obligations or undertakings of such Person to purchase the Debt or Property of others; (i) obligations to deliver commodities, goods or services,

 

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including, without limitation, Hydrocarbons, in consideration of one or more advance payments, other than gas balancing arrangements in the ordinary course of business; (j) obligations to pay for goods or services even if such goods or services are not actually received or utilized by such Person; (k) any Debt (as defined in the other clauses of this definition) of a partnership for which such Person is liable either by agreement, by operation of law or by a Governmental Requirement but only to the extent of such liability; (l) Disqualified Capital Stock; and (m) the undischarged balance of any production payment created by such Person or for the creation of which such Person directly or indirectly received payment. The Debt of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described above to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is not included as a liability of such Person under GAAP. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, neither direct nor indirect obligations of a Person in respect of Swap Agreements shall constitute Debt.

Debtor Relief Laws ” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.

Default ” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

Defaulting Lender ” means any Lender that (a) has failed, within two Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or (iii) pay over to any Loan Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder; (b) has notified the Borrower or any Loan Party in writing, or has made a public statement, to the effect that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit; (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit under this Agreement; provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Loan Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent; or (d) has (or whose bank holding company, or any other Person Controlling such Lender, has) been placed into receivership, conservatorship or bankruptcy or become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that a Lender shall not become a Defaulting Lender solely as a result of the acquisition or maintenance of an ownership interest in such Lender or Person Controlling such Lender or the exercise of Control over a Lender or Person Controlling such Lender by a Governmental Authority or an instrumentality thereof (including the appointment of an administrator, provisional liquidator, conservator, receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official by a supervisory authority or regulator with respect to a Lender (or a bank holding company of a lender) under the Dutch Financial Supervision Act 2007 (as amended from time to time and including any successor legislation)), so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.

 

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Designated Jurisdiction ” means any country, region or territory that is, or whose Governmental Authorities are, the subject of any Sanction (as of the Effective Date, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

Disqualified Capital Stock ” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is convertible or exchangeable for Debt or redeemable for any consideration other than other Equity Interests (which would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock) at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is one year after the earlier of (a) the Maturity Date and (b) the date on which there are no Loans, LC Exposure or other obligations hereunder outstanding and all of the Commitments are terminated.

dollars ” or “ $ ” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia.

EEA Financial Institution ” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in an EEA Member Country that is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority; (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country that is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) above; or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country that is a subsidiary of an institution described in the foregoing clauses of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

EEA Member Country ” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority ” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of an EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Effective Date ” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section  6.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section  12.02 ).

Elected Commitment ” means, as to each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Annex I under the caption “ Elected Commitment ”, as the same may be increased, reduced or terminated from time to time in connection with an increase, reduction or termination of the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount pursuant to Section 2.06(b) or Section 2.06(c) .

Elected Commitment Increase Certificate ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(c)(ii)(F) .

Eligible Contract Participant ” means an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

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Emissions Credits ” means any emissions reductions credits or offsets issued, sanctioned or required by a Governmental Authority with respect to various pollutants, emissions or any other environmental attributes of any nature, including, without limitation, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and reactive organic gases.

Engineering Reports ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(c)(i) .

Environmental Laws ” means any and all Governmental Requirements pertaining in any way to public health and safety, the environment or the preservation or reclamation of natural resources or the management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials, in effect in any and all jurisdictions in which the Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties is conducting or at any time has conducted business, or where any Property of the Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties is located, including, without limitation, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, as amended (“ OPA ”), the Clean Air Act, as amended, the Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (“ CERCLA ”), the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended (“ RCRA ”), the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, as amended, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended, and other environmental conservation or protection Governmental Requirements.

Environmental Permit ” means any permit, registration, license, notice, approval, consent, exemption, variance, or other authorization required under or issued pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws.

Equity Interests ” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such Equity Interest.

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any successor statute.

ERISA Affiliate ” means each trade or business (whether or not incorporated) which together with the Borrower or any other Loan Party would be deemed to be a “single employer” within the meaning of section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA or subsections (b), (c), (m) or (o) of section 414 of the Code.

ERISA Event ” means (a) a “Reportable Event” described in section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations issued thereunder, (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Plan during a plan year in which it was a “substantial employer” as defined in section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA, (c) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Plan or the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under section 4041 of ERISA, (d) the institution of proceedings to terminate a Plan by the PBGC, (e) receipt of a notice of withdrawal liability pursuant to Section 4202 of ERISA or (f) any other event or condition which constitutes grounds under section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan.

 

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Esquisto ” means Esquisto Resources II, LLC, a Texas limited liability company.

Esquisto Exchange ” means the exchange of all of the Equity Interests owned by the relevant Funds and Esquisto Management in Esquisto for equivalent Equity Interests in Esquisto Investment Holdings.

Esquisto Holdings ” means Esquisto Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Esquisto Holdings Contribution ” means the contribution by Esquisto Holdings of all of the Equity Interests in Esquisto to the Borrower.

Esquisto Investment Holdings ” means Esquisto Investment Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Esquisto Investment Holdings Contribution ” means the contribution by Esquisto Investment Holdings of all of the Equity Interests in Esquisto to Esquisto Holdings.

Esquisto Management ” means the individual founders and employees and other individuals who initially formed Esquisto.

Esquisto Management Equity Issuance ” means the issuance by Esquisto Holdings of management incentive units in Esquisto Holdings to certain officers and employee of the Borrower.

Esquisto Properties ” means all of the Oil and Gas Properties of Esquisto set forth on the Initial Reserve Report.

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule ” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor thereof), as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, means that such Loan is, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing are, bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

Event of Default ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section  10.01 .

Excepted Liens ” means: (a) Liens for Taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (b) Liens in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or other social security, old age pension or public liability obligations which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (c) statutory landlord’s liens, operators’, vendors’,

 

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carriers’, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, mechanics’, suppliers’, workers’, materialmen’s, construction or other like Liens arising by operation of law in the ordinary course of business or incident to the exploration, development, operation and maintenance of Oil and Gas Properties each of which is in respect of obligations that are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; (d) contractual Liens which arise in the ordinary course of business under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, oil and gas partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farm-out agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, transportation or exchange of oil and natural gas, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, overriding royalty agreements, marketing agreements, processing agreements, net profits agreements, development agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or other geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and are for claims which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP; provided that any such Lien referred to in this clause does not materially impair the use of the Property covered by such Lien for the purposes for which such Property is held by the Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (e) Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies and burdening only deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution; provided that no such deposit account is a dedicated cash collateral account or is subject to restrictions against access by the depositor in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Board and no such deposit account is intended by the Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties to provide collateral to the depository institution; (f) Immaterial Title Deficiencies and easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations in any Property of the Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties for the purpose of roads, pipelines, transmission lines, transportation lines, distribution lines and other means of ingress and egress for the removal of gas, oil, coal or other minerals or timber, and other like purposes, or for the joint or common use of real estate, rights of way, facilities and equipment, that do not secure any monetary obligations and which in the aggregate do not materially impair the use of such Property for the purposes of which such Property is held by the Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties or materially impair the value of such Property subject thereto; (g) Liens on cash or securities pledged to secure performance of tenders, surety and appeal bonds, government contracts, performance and return of money bonds, bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, regulatory obligations and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business, (h) Liens in favor of the depository bank arising under documentation governing deposit accounts or in any Account Control Agreement which Liens secure the payment of returned items, settlement item amounts, bank fees, or similar items or fees, and (i) judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default; provided that any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such proceeding may be initiated shall not have expired and no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced; provided further that (i) Liens described in clauses (a) through (e) shall remain “Excepted Liens” only for so long as no action to enforce such Lien has been commenced and no intention to subordinate the first priority Lien granted in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is to be hereby implied or expressed by the permitted existence of such Excepted Liens and (ii) the term “Excepted Liens” shall not include any Lien securing Debt for borrowed money other than the Indebtedness.

 

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Excess Cash Threshold ” means, on any date of determination, $35,000,000; provided, that, at the request of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent may, on any such date of determination, increase such amount in its sole discretion to an amount no greater than $50,000,000, provided, further, that such increase shall apply only on such date of determination and not any future date of determination. The Administrative Agent agrees to promptly notify the Lenders of any increase of the Excess Cash Threshold.

Excluded Account ” means any deposit account, securities account or commodities account holding amounts to be used exclusively for funding accrued payroll, payroll taxes, withheld income taxes and other employee wage and benefit payments to or for the benefit of the Loan Parties.

Excluded Cash ” means (a) any cash or Cash Equivalents of the Borrower or any Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary in an Excluded Account, (b) cash collateral held by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (c) cash of the Borrower or any Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary constituting purchase price deposits held in escrow by an unaffiliated third party pursuant to a binding and enforceable purchase and sale agreement with an unaffiliated third party containing customary provisions regarding the payment and refunding of such deposits, and (d) any cash or cash equivalents set aside and for which the Borrower or any Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary has issued checks or has initiated wires or ACH transfers (or will issue checks or initiate wires or ACH transfers within two (2) Business Days) to make Restricted Payments permitted by Section 9.04, and (e) any cash or cash equivalents set aside and for which the Borrower or any Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary has issued checks or has initiated wires or ACH transfers (or will issue checks or initiate wires or ACH transfers within two (2) Business Days) to make payments in respect of accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business for services already rendered.

Excluded Swap Obligation ” means, with respect to any Loan Party individually determined on a Loan Party by Loan Party basis, any Indebtedness or other obligation in respect of any Swap Agreement if, and solely to the extent that, all or a portion of the guarantee of such Loan Party of, or the grant by such Loan Party of a security interest to secure, such Indebtedness or other obligation in respect of such Swap Agreement (or any guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Loan Party’s failure for any reason to constitute an Eligible Contract Participant at the time such guarantee or grant of a security interest is entered into or otherwise becomes effective with respect to, or any other time such Loan Party is by virtue of such guarantee or grant of security interest otherwise deemed to enter into, such Indebtedness or other obligation in respect of such Swap Agreement (or guarantee thereof). If such an obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such obligation that is attributable to swaps the guarantee or grant of security interest for which (or for any guarantee of which) so is or becomes illegal.

 

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Excluded Taxes ” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (a) Taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income and franchise Taxes (including the Texas Margin Tax) imposed on gross or net income (in lieu of income taxes), in each case, by the United States of America or such other jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located, (b) any branch profits Taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar Tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower or any Guarantor is located, (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 5.04(b) ), any withholding Tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new Lending Office), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts with respect to such withholding Tax pursuant to Section 5.03(a) or Section 5.03(c), (d) Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with Section 5.03(f) and (e) any United States federal withholding Taxes imposed by FATCA.

FATCA ” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code.

FCPA ” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

Federal Funds Effective Rate ” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Federal Funds Effective Rate be less than zero.

Fee Letter ” means any letter agreement regarding fees entered into from time to time between or among the Borrower, Wells Fargo, any Arranger, any Agent and/or any Lenders.

Financial Officer ” means, for any Person, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a Financial Officer means a Financial Officer of the Borrower.

Financial Statements ” means the financial statement or statements referred to in Section 7.04(a) .

 

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Flood Insurance Regulations ” means (a) the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (b) the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (c) the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (amending 42 USC 4001, et seq.), as the same may be amended or recodified from time to time, (d) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 and (e) any regulations promulgated thereunder.

Foreign Lender ” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

Foreign Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

Funds ” means, collectively, NGP IX US Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, NGP X US Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, NGP XI US Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and any other fund, now or in the future, under common control with, or managed by the same management company (or its successor) as, any of the foregoing.

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section  1.05 .

Governmental Authority ” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

Governmental Requirement ” means any law, statute, code, ordinance, order, determination, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, injunction, franchise, permit, certificate, license, rules of common law, authorization or other directive or requirement, whether now or hereinafter in effect, of any Governmental Authority.

Guarantors ” means all Restricted Subsidiaries and each other Person that guarantees the Indebtedness pursuant to Section 8.14(b) . As of the Effective Date, the Guarantors are WildHorse, Esquisto, WHE, WildHorse Resources Management Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Oakfield Energy LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Petromax E&P Burleson, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, and Burleson Water Resources, LLC, a Texas limited liability company.

Guaranty Agreement ” means the Guaranty Agreement executed by the Guarantors in substantially the form of Exhibit E-2 unconditionally guarantying, on a joint and several basis, payment of the Indebtedness, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

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Hazardous Material ” means any substance regulated or as to which liability might arise under any applicable Environmental Law including: (a) any chemical, compound, material, product, byproduct, substance or waste defined as or included in the definition or meaning of “hazardous substance,” “hazardous material,” “hazardous waste,” “solid waste,” “toxic waste,” “extremely hazardous substance,” “toxic substance,” “contaminant,” “pollutant,” or words of similar meaning or import found in any applicable Environmental Law; (b) Hydrocarbons, petroleum products, petroleum substances, natural gas, oil, oil and gas waste, crude oil, and any components, fractions, or derivatives thereof; and (c) radioactive materials, explosives, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon, infectious or medical wastes.

Highest Lawful Rate ” means, with respect to each Lender, the maximum nonusurious interest rate, if any, that at any time or from time to time may be contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received on the Notes or on other Indebtedness under laws applicable to such Lender which are presently in effect or, to the extent allowed by law, under such applicable laws which may hereafter be in effect and which allow a higher maximum nonusurious interest rate than applicable laws allow as of the date hereof.

Hydrocarbon Interests ” means all rights, titles, interests and estates now or hereafter acquired in and to oil and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, or other liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon leases, mineral fee interests, overriding royalty and royalty interests, net profit interests and production payment interests, including any reserved or residual interests of whatever nature. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each reference to the term “ Hydrocarbon Interests ” shall mean Hydrocarbon Interests of the Loan Parties.

Hydrocarbons ” means oil, gas, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all products refined or separated therefrom. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each reference to the term “ Hydrocarbons ” shall mean Hydrocarbons of the Loan Parties.

Immaterial Title Deficiencies ” means minor defects or deficiencies in title which do not diminish more than 2% of the aggregate value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Reserve Report used in the most recent determination of the Borrowing Base.

Increasing Lender ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.06(c) .

Indebtedness ” means any and all amounts owing or to be owing by the Borrower or any other Loan Party (whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising): (a) to any Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender under any Loan Document including, without limitation, all interest on any of the Loans (including any interest that accrues after the commencement of any case, proceeding or other action relating to the bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of any Loan Party (or could accrue but for the operation of applicable Debtor Relief Laws), whether or not such interest is allowed or allowable as a claim in any such case, proceeding or other action); (b) to any Secured Swap Provider under any Swap Agreement including any Swap Agreement in existence prior to the date hereof (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Swap Agreements with Secured Swap Providers set forth on Schedule 7.20), but excluding any additional transactions or confirmations entered into (i) in the case of a Secured Swap Provider of the type described in clauses (a) or (b) of the definition thereof, after such Secured Swap Provider ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, or (ii) after assignment by a Secured Swap Provider to

 

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a Person who is not, at the time of such assignment, a Secured Swap Provider; (c) to any Bank Products Provider in respect of Bank Products; and (d) all renewals, extensions and/or rearrangements of any of the above; provided that solely with respect to any Guarantor that is not an Eligible Contract Participant, Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor shall in any event be excluded from “ Indebtedness ” owing by such Guarantor.

Indemnified Parties ” means the Administrative Agent, each other Secured Party and their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives, agents, attorneys, accountants and experts.

Indemnified Taxes ” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

Information ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section  12.11 .

Initial Reserve Report ” means, collectively, (i) the Reserve Report with respect to the Oil & Gas Properties of WildHorse prepared by WildHorse and audited by an Approved Petroleum Engineer as of July 1, 2016, (ii) the Reserve Report with respect to the Oil & Gas Properties of Esquisto prepared by an Approved Petroleum Engineer as of July 1, 2016, and (iii) the Reserve Report with respect to the CWEI Assets prepared by Clayton Williams Energy, Inc. as of October 1, 2016, in each case, upon which the Lenders have relied upon in the determination of the initial Borrowing Base hereunder.

Intercreditor Agreement ” means an intercreditor agreement entered into in connection with Permitted Second Lien Debt among the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and the holders of the Permitted Second Lien Debt (or an agent acting on behalf of them), which shall be on terms and conditions acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders in their sole discretion.

Interest Election Request ” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section  2.04 .

Interest Election Request Notice ” means a notice of Interest Election Request, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit C (or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Interest Payment Date ” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan and any LIBOR Market Index Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December, and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period.

Interest Period ” means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided that (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such

 

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Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (b) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

Interim Redetermination ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(b) .

Interim Redetermination Date ” means the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to an Interim Redetermination becomes effective as provided in Section 2.07(d) .

Investment ” means, for any Person: (a) the acquisition (whether for cash, Property, services or securities or otherwise) of Equity Interests of any other Person or any agreement to make any such acquisition (including, without limitation, any “short sale” or any sale of any securities at a time when such securities are not owned by the Person entering into such short sale); (b) the making of any deposit with, or advance, loan or capital contribution to, assumption of Debt of, purchase or other acquisition of any other Debt or equity participation or interest in, or other extension of credit to, any other Person (including the purchase of Property from another Person subject to an understanding or agreement, contingent or otherwise, to resell such Property to such Person, but excluding any such advance, loan or extension of credit having a term not exceeding 90 days representing the purchase price of inventory or supplies sold by such Person in the ordinary course of business); (c) the purchase or acquisition (in one or a series of transactions) of Property of another Person that constitutes a business unit; or (d) the entering into of any guarantee of, or other contingent obligation (including the deposit of any Equity Interests to be sold) with respect to, Debt or other liability of any other Person and (without duplication) any amount committed to be advanced, lent or extended to such Person.

ISP ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

Issuing Bank ” means Wells Fargo, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.08(i) . The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Bank, in which case the term “ Issuing Bank ” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

LC Commitment ” at any time means $25,000,000.

LC Disbursement ” means a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

 

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LC Exposure ” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

Lenders ” means the Persons listed on Annex I , any Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, and any Person that shall have become a party hereto as an Additional Lender pursuant to Section 2.06(c) , other than, in each case, any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.

Lending Office ” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, which office may include any Affiliate of such Lender or any domestic or foreign branch of such Lender or such Affiliate. Unless the context otherwise requires each reference to a Lender shall include its applicable Lending Office.

Letter of Credit ” means, collectively, any standby letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement.

Letter of Credit Agreements ” means all letter of credit applications and other agreements (including any amendments, modifications or supplements thereto) submitted by the Borrower, or entered into by the Borrower, with the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit.

Leverage Ratio ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 9.01(a) ; provided that, for purposes of Section  9.04 and determining compliance pursuant to the definitions Permitted Second Lien Debt and Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, on any date of determination referenced therein, the “Leverage Ratio” shall be determined utilizing Consolidated EBITDAX for the Rolling Period ending as of the fiscal quarter most recently ended for which the financial statements under Section 8.01(a) or (b)  are available to the Borrower, adjusted to give pro forma effect to any Material Acquisition or Material Disposition that has occurred after the end of such fiscal quarter and on or prior to such date of determination.

LIBOR Market Index ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, means that such Loan is, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing are, bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the LIBOR Market Index Rate.

LIBOR Market Index Rate ” means, for any day with respect to any LIBOR Market Index Loan, a rate per annum equal to the greater of: (a) 0% and (b) the rate appearing on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or on any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar

 

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deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, then the immediately preceding Business Day), as the rate for dollar deposits with a one-month maturity. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “ LIBOR Market Index Rate ” with respect to such LIBOR Market Index Loan shall be the rate (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) at which dollar deposits of an amount comparable to such Loan and for a one-month maturity are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m. on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, then the immediately preceding Business Day).

LIBO Rate ” means the greater of: (a) 0% and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or on any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “ LIBO Rate ” with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) at which dollar deposits of an amount comparable to such Eurodollar Borrowing and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds to major banks in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.

Lien ” means any interest in Property securing an obligation owed to, or a claim by, a Person other than the owner of the Property, whether such interest is based on the common law, statute or contract, and whether such obligation or claim is fixed or contingent, and including but not limited to (a) the lien or security interest arising from a deed of trust, mortgage, encumbrance, pledge, security agreement, conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment for security purposes or (b) production payments and the like payable out of Oil and Gas Properties. The term “ Lien ” shall include easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations, in each case, where the effect is to secure an obligation owed to, or a claim by, a Person other than the owner of the Property. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Borrower or any other Loan Party shall be deemed to be the owner of any Property which it has acquired or holds subject to a conditional sale agreement, or leases under a financing lease or other arrangement pursuant to which title to the Property has been retained by or vested in some other Person in a transaction intended to create a financing.

Liquidate , ” “ Liquidated ” and “ Liquidation ” when used in reference to any Swap Agreement or any portion thereof have the correlative meanings to the term “ Swap Liquidation ”.

Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, the Notes, the Letter of Credit Agreements, the Letters of Credit, the Fee Letter, and the Security Instruments.

 

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Loan Parties ” means the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary.

Loans ” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.

Majority Lenders ” means, (a) at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, two or more Lenders having greater than fifty percent (50%) of the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount; and (b) at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, two or more Lenders holding greater than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section 12.04(c) ); provided that the Elected Commitment and the principal amount of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit of the Defaulting Lenders (if any) shall be excluded from the determination of Majority Lenders.

Material Acquisition ” means any acquisition of Property or series of related acquisitions of Property that involves the payment of consideration by the Borrower and the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries in excess of $25,000,000 in the aggregate during a fiscal quarter.

Material Adverse Effect ” means a material adverse change in, or material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, Property, or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower individually, or the other Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to perform any of its or their obligations under any Loan Document, (c) the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or (d) the rights and remedies of or benefits available to the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender under any Loan Document.

Material Disposition ” means any disposition of Property or series of related dispositions of Property that yields gross proceeds to the Borrower or any of the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries in excess of $25,000,000 in the aggregate during a fiscal quarter.

Material Indebtedness ” means Debt (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $25,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any other Loan Party in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the Swap Termination Value.

Maturity Date ” means December 19, 2021.

Maximum Credit Amount ” means, as to each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Annex I under the caption “ Maximum Credit Amounts ”, as the same may be (a) reduced or terminated from time to time in connection with a reduction or termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount pursuant to Section 2.06(b) , (b) modified from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06(c) , or (c) modified from time to time pursuant to any assignment permitted by Section 12.04(b) .

 

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Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating agency.

Mortgage ” means the mortgages and deeds of trust described or referred to in Exhibit E-1, and any other mortgages or deeds of trust burdening real or immovable property that are now or hereafter executed and delivered by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary as security for the payment or performance of the Indebtedness, as such mortgages or deeds of trust may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Mortgaged Property ” means any Property owned by the Borrower or any Guarantor which is subject to the Liens existing and to exist under the terms of any Mortgage.

Multiemployer Plan ” means a Plan which is a multiemployer plan as defined in section 3(37) or 4001 (a)(3) of ERISA.

New Borrowing Base Notice ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(d) .

NGP Group ” means the Funds, WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC so long as it is Controlled by the Funds, Esquisto Investment Holdings, LLC so long as it is Controlled by the Funds, Affiliates of any of the Funds (other than the Borrower) and all NGP Portfolio Companies.

NGP Party ” means any member of the NGP Group.

NGP Portfolio Companies ” means, collectively, entities (existing and future) that participate in the energy industry and are Controlled by an NGP Party (other than the Borrower).

Notes ” means the promissory notes of the Borrower described in Section 2.02(d) and being substantially in the form of Exhibit A , together with all amendments, modifications, replacements, extensions and rearrangements thereof.

OFAC ” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of Treasury.

Oil and Gas Properties ” means (a) Hydrocarbon Interests; (b) the Properties now or hereafter pooled or unitized with Hydrocarbon Interests; (c) all presently existing or future unitization, communitization, pooling agreements and declarations of pooled units and the units created thereby (including, without limitation, all units created under orders, regulations and rules of any Governmental Authority) which may affect all or any portion of the Hydrocarbon Interests; (d) all operating agreements, contracts and other agreements, including production sharing contracts and agreements, which relate to any of the Hydrocarbon Interests or the production, sale, purchase, exchange or processing of Hydrocarbons from or attributable to such Hydrocarbon Interests; (e) all Hydrocarbons in and under and which may be produced and saved or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, including all oil in tanks, and all rents, issues, profits, proceeds, products, revenues and other incomes from or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests; (f) all tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances and Properties in any manner appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to the Hydrocarbon Interests and (g) all Properties, rights, titles, interests and estates described or referred to above, including any and all Property,

 

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real or personal, now owned or hereinafter acquired and situated upon, used, held for use or useful in connection with the operating, working or development of any of such Hydrocarbon Interests or Property (excluding drilling rigs, automotive equipment, rental equipment or other personal Property which may be on such premises for the purpose of drilling a well or for other similar temporary uses) and including any and all oil wells, gas wells, injection wells or other wells, buildings, structures, fuel separators, liquid extraction plants, plant compressors, pumps, pumping units, field gathering systems, tanks and tank batteries, fixtures, valves, fittings, machinery and parts, engines, boilers, meters, apparatus, equipment, appliances, tools, implements, cables, wires, towers, casing, tubing and rods, surface leases, rights-of-way, easements and servitudes together with all additions, substitutions, replacements, accessions and attachments to any and all of the foregoing.

Organizational Documents ” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non US jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

Other Taxes ” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or Property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement and any other Loan Document.

Participant ” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.04(c)(i) .

Participant Register ” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.04(c)(i) .

PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.

Permitted Second Lien Debt ” means Debt of the Loan Parties that may be incurred under the Permitted Second Lien Debt Documents; provided that (a) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with all financial covenants set forth in Section  9.01 before and after giving effect to such incurrence and the contemporaneous repayment of any other Debt with the proceeds thereof, (b) no Default or Event of Default shall exist or result therefrom, (c) no Borrowing Base Deficiency results from such incurrence after giving effect to (i) any automatic reduction in the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.07(e) and (ii) any mandatory prepayments made pursuant to Section 3.04(c) , (d) such Debt is secured solely by second priority Liens on the Collateral which Liens do not have priority over the Liens securing the Indebtedness and which are subject to the terms and conditions of the Intercreditor Agreement, (e) the maturity date of the Permitted Second Lien Debt is at least 180 days after the Maturity Date, and (f) the Permitted Second Lien Debt Documents do not contain (i) financial covenants other than those contained in Section 9.01 (or incorporated herein by reference) and such financial covenants are not more

 

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restrictive as to the Borrower than those contained in Section 9.01 (or incorporated herein by reference) and (ii) other covenants and events of default that are, taken as a whole, more restrictive with respect to the Loan Parties than the covenants and Events of Default herein (as determined in good faith by senior management of the Borrower).

Permitted Second Lien Debt Documents ” means, collectively, the indenture, credit agreement or term loan agreement among the Borrower, the note holders or lenders party thereto and the trustee or administrative agent thereunder, all guarantees of Permitted Second Lien Debt, and all other agreements, documents or instruments executed and delivered by any Loan Party in connection with, or pursuant to, the incurrence of Permitted Second Lien Debt, as from time to time amended, supplemented or restated in compliance with this Agreement.

Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes ” means those notes that may be issued by the Borrower (or by any Loan Party as co-issuer); provided that (a) the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with all financial covenants set forth in Section  9.01 before and after giving effect to such issuance and the contemporaneous repayment of any other Debt with the proceeds thereof, (b) no Default or Event of Default shall exist or result therefrom, (c) no Borrowing Base Deficiency results from such issuance after giving effect to (i) any automatic reduction in the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.07(e) and (ii) any mandatory prepayments made pursuant to Section 3.04(c) , and (d) such notes shall: (i) be unsecured; (ii) not provide for any scheduled payment of principal, scheduled mandatory Redemption or scheduled sinking fund payment on or before the date that is at least 180 days following the Maturity Date in effect at the time of issuance; (iii) not contain financial covenants other than those contained in Section 9.01 (or incorporated herein by reference) and such financial covenants shall not be more restrictive as to the Borrower than those contained in Section 9.01 (or incorporated herein by reference); and (iv) not contain other covenants and events of default that are, taken as a whole, more restrictive with respect to the Loan Parties than the covenants and Events of Default herein (as determined in good faith by senior management of the Borrower).

Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes Documents ” means the Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, all guarantees thereof and all other agreements, documents or instruments executed and delivered by any Loan Party in connection with, or pursuant to, the issuance of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, as from time to time amended, supplemented or restated in compliance with this Agreement.

Person ” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Plan ” means any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in section 3(2) of ERISA, which (a) is currently or hereafter sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Borrower, any other Loan Party or an ERISA Affiliate or (b) was at any time during the six calendar years preceding the date hereof, sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or an ERISA Affiliate.

Platform ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 12.01(d) .

 

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Prime Rate ” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by Wells Fargo as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in San Francisco; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective. Such rate is set by the Administrative Agent as a general reference rate of interest, taking into account such factors as the Administrative Agent may deem appropriate; it being understood that many of the Administrative Agent’s commercial or other loans are priced in relation to such rate, that it is not necessarily the lowest or best rate actually charged to any customer and that the Administrative Agent may make various commercial or other loans at rates of interest having no relationship to such rate.

Property ” means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

Proposed Borrowing Base ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(c)(i) .

Proposed Borrowing Base Notice ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(c)(ii) .

Proved Developed Producing Reserves ” has the meaning assigned such term in the SPE Definitions.

Proved Developed Non-Producing Reserves ” has the meaning assigned such term in the SPE Definitions.

Proved Reserves ” has the meaning assigned such term in the SPE Definitions.

Proved Undeveloped Reserves ” has the meaning assigned such term in the SPE Definitions.

Public Lender ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 12.01(d) .

Qualified ECP Guarantor ” means, with respect to any Benefitting Guarantor, in respect of any Swap Agreement, each Loan Party that, at the time the guaranty by such Benefitting Guarantor of, or the grant by such Benefitting Guarantor of a security interest or lien securing, obligations under such Swap Agreement is entered into or becomes effective with respect to, or at any other time such Benefitting Guarantor is by virtue of such guaranty or grant of a security interest or lien otherwise deemed to enter into, such Swap Agreement, constitutes an Eligible Contract Participant and can cause such Benefitting Guarantor to qualify as an Eligible Contract Participant at such time by entering into a keepwell under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Redemption ” means with respect to any Debt, the repurchase, redemption, prepayment, repayment, satisfaction and discharge or defeasance or any other acquisition or retirement for value (or the segregation of funds with respect to any of the foregoing) of any such Debt. “ Redeem ” has the correlative meaning thereto.

 

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Redetermination Date ” means, with respect to any Scheduled Redetermination or any Interim Redetermination, the date that the redetermined Borrowing Base related thereto becomes effective pursuant to Section 2.07(d) .

Register ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 12.04(b)(iv) .

Regulation D ” means Regulation D of the Board, as the same may be amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time.

Related Parties ” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, representatives and advisors (including attorneys, accountants and experts) of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

Release ” means any depositing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, placing, emitting, discarding, abandoning, emptying, discharging, migrating, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing.

Remedial Work ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 8.10(a) .

Required Lenders ” means, (a) at any time while no Loan or LC Exposure is outstanding, two or more Lenders having at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66  2 3 %) of the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount; and (b) at any time while any Loan or LC Exposure is outstanding, two or more Lenders holding at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66  2 3 %) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section 12.04(c) ); provided that the Elected Commitment and the principal amount of the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit of the Defaulting Lenders (if any) shall be excluded from the determination of Required Lenders.

Reserve Report ” means a report, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth, as of each January 1 st or July 1 st (or such other date in the event of an Interim Redetermination) the oil and gas reserves attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the Guarantors, together with a projection of the rate of production and future net income, taxes, operating expenses and capital expenditures with respect thereto as of such date, based upon pricing assumptions consistent with SEC reporting requirements at the time of such report and reflecting Swap Agreements in place with respect to such production.

Resignation Effective Date ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 11.06(a) .

Responsible Officer ” means, as to any Person, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Financial Officer or any Vice President of such Person and, solely for purposes of requests and notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer of such Person so designated by any of the foregoing officers of such Person in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Unless otherwise specified, all references to a Responsible Officer herein shall mean a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

 

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Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Restricted Payment ” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other Property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other Property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties.

Restricted Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Revolving Credit Exposure ” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Loans and LC Exposure at such time.

Rolling Period ” means (a) for the fiscal quarters ending on March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017, the period commencing on January 1, 2017 and ending on the last day of such applicable fiscal quarter and (b) for the fiscal quarter ending on December 31, 2017, and for each fiscal quarter thereafter, the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters ending on the last day of such applicable fiscal quarter.

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor thereto that is a nationally recognized rating agency.

Sanction(s) ” means economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the United States government, including those administered by OFAC or the U.S. Department of State, or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state or Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom.

Scheduled Redetermination ” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.07(b) .

Scheduled Redetermination Date ” means the date on which a Borrowing Base that has been redetermined pursuant to a Scheduled Redetermination becomes effective as provided in Section 2.07(d) .

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor Governmental Authority.

Secured Parties ” means each Lender, each Issuing Bank, each Secured Swap Provider, each Bank Products Provider, each Indemnified Party and any legal owner, holder, assignee or pledgee of any of the Indebtedness.

 

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Secured Swap Provider ” means any (a) Person that is a party to a Swap Agreement with the Borrower or any Guarantor that entered into such Swap Agreement before or while such Person was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, whether or not such Person at any time ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, as the case may be, or (b) assignee of any Person described in clause (a) above so long as such assignee is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.

Security Agreement ” means a Pledge and Security Agreement among the Borrower, the Guarantors and the Administrative Agent in substantially the form of Exhibit E-3 (or otherwise in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) granting Liens and a security interest on the Borrower’s and Guarantors’ personal property constituting “Collateral” (as defined therein and including, without limitation, Equity Interests in Restricted Subsidiaries) in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties to secure the Indebtedness, as the same may be further amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Security Instruments ” means the Guaranty Agreement, the Security Agreement, the Account Control Agreements, the Mortgages and other agreements, instruments or certificates described or referred to in Exhibit E-1 , and any and all other agreements, instruments, consents or certificates now or hereafter executed and delivered by the Borrower or any Guarantor (other than Swap Agreements or participation or similar agreements between any Lender and any other lender or creditor with respect to any Indebtedness pursuant to this Agreement) in connection with, or as security for the payment or performance of the Indebtedness, the Notes, this Agreement, or reimbursement obligations under the Letters of Credit, as such agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Specified Acquisition ” means

(a) any Affiliated Acquisition so long as, (i) at the time any Loan Party enters into any Swap Agreements with respect to the reasonably anticipated projected production from proved Oil and Gas Properties to be acquired in such Affiliated Acquisition, the ratio of Availability to the then effective total Commitments is at least 0.10 to 1.0, (ii) the aggregate volumes hedged with respect to the reasonably anticipated projected production from proved Oil and Gas Properties to be acquired in all pending Specified Acquisitions that have not yet been consummated shall not exceed 15.0% of the Loan Parties’ reasonably anticipated projected production from proved Oil and Gas Properties (without giving effect to all such pending Specified Acquisitions), (iii) the Borrower has delivered written notice to the Administrative Agent of the Loan Parties’ intent to enter into such Swap Agreements not less than five Business Days prior to entering into any Swap Agreements with respect to the reasonably anticipated projected production from proved Oil and Gas Properties to be acquired in such Affiliated Acquisition (which written notice shall include reserve engineering data and such other information regarding such to-be-acquired Oil and Gas Properties and such Affiliated Acquisition as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request), and (iv) at the time any Loan Party enters into any Swap Agreements with respect to the reasonably anticipated projected production from proved Oil and Gas Properties to be acquired in such Affiliated Acquisition, no Swap Agreements have been required to be Liquidated pursuant to Section 9.18(a)(ii) in the immediately preceding 365-day period, and

 

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(b) any Acquisition (other than an Affiliated Acquisition) for which: (i) a binding and enforceable purchase and sale agreement has been signed by a Loan Party; (ii) at the time of the signing of the applicable purchase and sale agreement, the ratio of Availability to the then effective total Commitments is at least 0.10 to 1.0, and (iii) the aggregate volumes hedged with respect to the reasonably anticipated projected production from proved Oil and Gas Properties to be acquired in all pending Specified Acquisitions that have not yet been consummated shall not exceed 15.0% of the Loan Parties’ reasonably anticipated projected production from proved Oil and Gas Properties (without giving effect to all such pending Specified Acquisitions).

SPE Definitions ” means with respect to any term, the definition thereof adopted by the Board of Directors, Society for Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Inc., March 1997.

Statutory Reserve Rate ” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “ Eurocurrency Liabilities ” in Regulation D). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person (the “ parent ”) at any date, any other Person the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other Person of which Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power (irrespective of whether or not at the time Equity Interests of any other class or classes of such Person shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) or, in the case of a partnership, any general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held.

Subsidiary ” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.

Swap Agreement ” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction (including floors, caps and collars) or option or similar agreement, whether exchange traded, “over-the-counter” or otherwise, involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities (including Emissions Credits), equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions (including any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of section 1a(47) or Section 2(e) of the Commodity Exchange Act); provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the other Loan Parties shall be a Swap Agreement. For the sole purposes of Section  9.18 , the term “Swap Agreement” shall be deemed to exclude purchased put options or floors for Hydrocarbons that are not related to corresponding calls, collars or swaps and with respect to which neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary has any payment obligation other than premiums and charges the total amount of which are fixed and known at the time such transaction is entered into.

 

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Swap Liquidation ” means the sale, assignment, novation, liquidation, unwind or termination of all or any part of any Swap Agreement (other than, in each case, at its scheduled maturity).

Swap Termination Value ” means, in respect of any Swap Agreement, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Agreement, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Agreement has been closed out and the termination value determined in accordance therewith, such termination value and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount determined as the mark-to-market value for such Swap Agreement, as determined by the Borrower in good faith, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

Synthetic Leases ” means, in respect of any Person, all leases which shall have been, or should have been, in accordance with GAAP, treated as operating leases on the financial statements of the Person liable (whether contingently or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder and which were properly treated as indebtedness for borrowed money for purposes of U.S. federal income taxes, if the lessee in respect thereof is obligated to either purchase for an amount in excess of, or pay upon early termination an amount in excess of, 80% of the residual value of the Property subject to such operating lease upon expiration or early termination of such lease.

Taxes ” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.

Termination Date ” means the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments pursuant to this Agreement, whether pursuant to Section 2.06(b) , Section  10.02 or otherwise.

Total Commitments Utilization Percentage ” means, as of any day, the fraction expressed as a percentage, the numerator of which is the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures of the Lenders on such day, and the denominator of which is the total Commitments of the Lenders in effect on such day.

Total Debt ” means, as of any date, all Debt of the Borrower and the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries.

Transactions ” means, with respect to (a) the Borrower, (i) the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is a party, (ii) the Corporate Reorganization, (ii) the Borrower IPO, (v) the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, and (vi) the grant of Liens by the Borrower on the Collateral pursuant to the Security Instruments, (b) each Guarantor, (i) the execution, delivery and performance by such Guarantor of each Loan Document to which it is a party, (ii) the guaranteeing of the Indebtedness and the other obligations under the Guaranty Agreement by such Guarantor and (iii) the grant of Liens by such Guarantor on the Collateral pursuant to the Security Instruments, and (c) WHE, the execution, delivery and performance by WHE of the CWEI Acquisition Documents and (ii) the consummation of the CWEI Acquisition.

 

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Transition Services Agreement ” means the Transition Services Agreement dated December 19, 2016 among the Borrower, Esquisto, CH4 Energy IV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, PetroMax Operating Co., Inc., a Texas corporation, and Crossing Rocks Energy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as amended on or prior to the Effective Date.

Type ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate, the LIBOR Market Index Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

Unrestricted Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower designated as such on Schedule 7.14 or which the Borrower has designated in writing to the Administrative Agent to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section  9.24 .

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.03(f) .

WHE ” means WHE AcqCo., LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

WHE Holdings ” means WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

WHE Holdings Contribution ” means the contribution by WHE Holdings of all of the Equity Interests in WHE to the Borrower.

WHE Management Equity Issuance ” means the issuance by WHE Holdings of management incentive units in WHE Holdings to certain officers and employee of the Borrower.

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of which all of the outstanding Equity Interests (other than any directors’ qualifying shares mandated by applicable law), on a fully-diluted basis, are owned by the Borrower or one or more of the Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries or are owned by the Borrower and one or more of the Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries.

WildHorse ” means WildHorse Resources II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

WildHorse Exchange ” means the exchange of all of the Equity Interests owned by the relevant Funds and WildHorse Management in WildHorse for equivalent Equity Interests in WildHorse Investment Holdings.

WildHorse Holdings ” means WHR Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

WildHorse Holdings Contribution ” means the contribution by WildHorse Holdings of all of the Equity Interests in WildHorse to Borrower.

 

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WildHorse Investment Holdings ” means WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

WildHorse Investment Holdings Contribution ” means the contribution by WildHorse Investment Holdings of all of the Equity Interests in WildHorse to WildHorse Holdings.

WildHorse Management ” means the individual founders and employees and other individuals who initially formed Wildhorse.

WildHorse Management Equity Issuance ” means the issuance by WildHorse Holdings of management incentive units in WildHorse Holdings to certain officers and employee of the Borrower.

WildHorse Properties ” means all of the Oil and Gas Properties of WildHorse set forth on the Initial Reserve Report.

Withholding Agent ” means the Borrower, any Guarantor or the Administrative Agent.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers ” means the write-down and conversion powers of the applicable EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

Section 1.03 Types of Loans and Borrowings . For purposes of this Agreement, Loans and Borrowings, respectively, may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a “ Eurodollar Loan ” or a “ Eurodollar Borrowing ”).

Section 1.04 Terms Generally; Rules of Construction . The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” as used in this Credit Agreement shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth in the Loan Documents), (b) any reference herein to any law shall be construed as referring to such law as amended, modified, codified or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect from time to time, (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to the restrictions contained in the Loan Documents), (d) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (e) with respect to the determination of any time period, the word “from” means “from and including” and the word “to” means “to and including” and (f) any reference herein to Articles, Sections, Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Annexes, Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be interpreted or construed against any Person solely because such Person or its legal representative drafted such provision.

 

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Section 1.05 Accounting Terms and Determinations; GAAP . Unless otherwise specified herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all determinations with respect to accounting matters hereunder shall be made, and all financial statements and certificates and reports as to financial matters required to be furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders hereunder shall be prepared, in accordance with GAAP, applied on a basis consistent with the Financial Statements except for changes in which Borrower’s independent certified public accountants concur and which are disclosed to Administrative Agent on the next date on which financial statements are required to be delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 8.01(a) or (b) ; provided that, unless the Borrower and the Majority Lenders shall otherwise agree in writing, no such change shall modify or affect the manner in which compliance with the covenants contained herein is computed such that all such computations shall be conducted utilizing financial information presented consistently with prior periods. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, for the purposes of calculating any of the ratios tested under Section  9.01 , and the components of each of such ratios, all Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors, and their subsidiaries (including their assets, liabilities, income, losses, cash flows, and the elements thereof) shall be excluded, except for any cash dividends or distributions actually paid by any such Person or any of its subsidiaries to the Borrower or any Guarantor, which shall be deemed to be income to the Borrower or such Guarantor when actually received by it.

ARTICLE II

THE CREDITS

Section 2.01 Commitments . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Loans to the Borrower during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (b) the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow the Loans.

Section 2.02 Loans and Borrowings.

(a) Borrowings; Several Obligations . Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

(b) Types of Loans . Subject to Section  3.03 and Section  5.06 , each Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans, LIBOR Market Index Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

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(c) Minimum Amounts; Limitation on Number of Borrowings . At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000. At the time that each ABR Borrowing or LIBOR Market Index Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000; provided that an ABR Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.08(e) . Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of ten Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.

(d) Notes . Upon request of any Lender, the Loans made by each such Lender shall be evidenced by a single promissory note of the Borrower in substantially the form of Exhibit A , dated, in the case of (i) any Lender party hereto as of the date of this Agreement, as of the date of this Agreement, (ii) any Lender that becomes a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, as of the effective date of the Assignment and Assumption or (iii) any Lender that increases or decreases its Elected Commitment or Maximum Credit Amount for any reason (whether pursuant to Section  2.06 , Section 12.04(b) or otherwise) or becomes a party hereto in connection with an increase in the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount pursuant to Section 2.06(c) , as of the effective date of such increase or decrease, as applicable, payable to such Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount as in effect on such date after giving effect to such increase or decrease, as applicable, and otherwise duly completed. The date, amount, Type, interest rate and, if applicable, Interest Period of each Loan made by each Lender, and all payments made on account of the principal thereof, shall be recorded by such Lender on its books for its Note, and, prior to any transfer, may be endorsed by such Lender on a schedule attached to such Note or any continuation thereof or on any separate record maintained by such Lender. Failure to make any such notation or to attach a schedule shall not affect any Lender’s or the Borrower’s rights or obligations in respect of such Loans or affect the validity of such transfer by any Lender of its Note.

Section 2.03 Requests for Borrowings . To request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by (A) telephone; provided that any telephone notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Request Notice or (B) delivering a Borrowing Request Notice, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or in the case of an ABR Borrowing or a LIBOR Market Index Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that no such notification shall be required for any deemed request of an ABR Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.08(e) . Each such telephonic Borrowing Request and Borrowing Request Notice shall be irrevocable. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request and Borrowing Request Notice shall specify the following information in compliance with Section  2.02 :

(a) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;

 

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(b) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

(c) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing, a LIBOR Market Index Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;

(d) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “ Interest Period ”;

(e) the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base, the amount of the then effective Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount, the current total Revolving Credit Exposures (without regard to the requested Borrowing) and the pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Borrowing);

(f) certifying that the principal amount of such Borrowing plus the aggregate amount of cash and Cash Equivalents (other than Excluded Cash) of the Borrower and the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries at the time of such Borrowing (before giving effect thereto) does not exceed the Excess Cash Threshold; and

(g) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section  2.05 .

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Each Borrowing Request shall constitute a representation that the amount of the requested Borrowing shall not cause the total Revolving Credit Exposures to exceed the total Commitments (i.e., the least of (x) the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount, (y) the then effective Borrowing Base and (z) the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount).

Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section  2.03 , the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

Section 2.04 Interest Elections .

(a) Conversion and Continuance . Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section  2.04 . The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.

 

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(b) Interest Election Requests . To make an election pursuant to this Section  2.04 , the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by (A) telephone; provided that any telephone notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of an Interest Election Request Notice or (B) an Interest Election Request Notice by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section  2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request and Interest Election Request Notice shall be irrevocable.

(c) Information in Interest Election Requests . Each telephonic Interest Election Request and Interest Election Request Notice shall specify the following information in compliance with Section  2.02 :

(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(iii) and (iv)  shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing, a LIBOR Market Index Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “ Interest Period .”

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

(d) Notice to Lenders by the Administrative Agent . Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

(e) Effect of Failure to Deliver Timely Interest Election Request and Events of Default and Borrowing Base Deficiencies on Interest Election . If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default or a Borrowing Base Deficiency has occurred and is continuing: (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing (and any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective) and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

 

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Section 2.05 Funding of Borrowings .

(a) Funding by Lenders . Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 1:00 p.m., New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.08(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for its Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for its Loan in any particular place or manner.

(b) Presumption of Funding by the Lenders . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.05(a) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

Section 2.06 Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount; Increase and Reduction of Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount .

(a) Scheduled Termination of Commitments . Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date. If at any time the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount, the Borrowing Base or the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount is terminated or reduced to zero, then the Commitments shall terminate on the effective date of such termination or reduction.

(b) Optional Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount .

(i) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount; provided that (A) each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000, (B) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce

 

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the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount if (1) after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 3.04(c) , the total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments or (2) the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount would be less than $10,000,000 (unless with respect to this clause (2), the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount is reduced to $0), and (C) upon any reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount that would otherwise result in the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount being less than the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount, the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount shall be automatically reduced (ratably among the Lenders in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage) so that they equal the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount as so reduced.

(ii) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount under Section 2.06(b )( i) at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.06(b )( ii) shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or other agreements, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount shall be permanent and may not be reinstated. Each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount shall be made ratably among each Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage (and Annex I shall be deemed amended to reflect such amendments to each Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount and the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount).

(c) Increases, Reductions and Terminations of Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount .

(i) Subject to the conditions set forth in Section 2.06(c)(ii) , the Borrower may increase the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount then in effect by increasing the Elected Commitment of one or more existing Lenders (each such Lender, an “ Increasing Lender ”) and/or causing one or more Persons acceptable to the Administrative Agent and that at such time are not Lenders to become a Lender (each such Person that is not at such time a Lender and becomes a Lender, an “ Additional Lender ”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, in no case shall an Additional Lender be the Borrower, an Affiliate of the Borrower or a natural person.

 

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(ii) Any increase in the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) such increase shall not be less than $50,000,000 unless (1) the Administrative Agent otherwise consents or (2) prior to giving effect to such increase, the Borrowing Base exceeds the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount by less than $50,000,000 and after giving effect to such increase, the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount will equal the Borrowing Base, and no such increase shall be permitted if after giving effect thereto the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount exceeds the Borrowing Base then in effect;

(B) following any Scheduled Redetermination Date, the Borrower may not increase the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount more than once before the next Scheduled Redetermination Date, it being understood that the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount may also be increased on any Scheduled Redetermination Date (for the sake of clarity, all increases in the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount effective on a single date shall be deemed a single increase in the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount for purposes of this Section 2.06(c)(ii)(B) );

(C) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the effective date of such increase;

(D) on the effective date of such increase, no Eurodollar Borrowings shall be outstanding or if any Eurodollar Borrowings are outstanding, then the effective date of such increase shall be the last day of the Interest Period in respect of such Eurodollar Borrowings unless the Borrower pays compensation required by Section  5.02 ;

(E) no Lender’s Elected Commitment may be increased without the consent of such Lender;

(F) subject to Section 2.06(c)(ix) below, if the Borrower elects to increase the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount by increasing the Elected Commitment of one or more Lenders, the Borrower and each such Increasing Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H (an “ Elected Commitment Increase Certificate ”) and the Borrower shall pay any applicable fees as may have been agreed to between the Borrower, such Increasing Lender and/or the Administrative Agent;

(G) if the Borrower elects to increase the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount by causing one or more Additional Lenders to become a party to this Agreement, then the Borrower and each such Additional Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit I (an “ Additional Lender Certificate ”), together with an Administrative Questionnaire and a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 for each Additional Lender, which shall be payable by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent unless waived by the Administrative Agent, and the Borrower shall (1) if requested by any Additional Lender, deliver a Note payable to the order of such Additional Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount, and otherwise duly completed and (2) pay any applicable fees as may have been agreed to between the Borrower, any Additional Lender and/or the Administrative Agent; and

 

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(H) the Borrower shall, or shall cause the Guarantors to, execute and deliver such other documents, certificates and/or legal opinions, if any, as reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in connection with such increase.

(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to Section 2.06(c)(iv) , from and after the effective date specified in the Elected Commitment Increase Certificate or the Additional Lender Certificate (or if any Eurodollar Borrowings are outstanding, then the last day of the Interest Period in respect of such Eurodollar Borrowings, unless the Borrower has paid compensation required by Section  5.02 ): (A) the amount of the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount shall be increased as set forth therein, and (B) in the case of an Additional Lender Certificate, any Additional Lender party thereto shall be a party to this Agreement and have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. In addition, each Increasing Lender and Additional Lender shall be deemed to have purchased a pro rata portion of the outstanding Loans (and participation interests in Letters of Credit) of each of the other Lenders (and such Lenders hereby agree to sell and to take all such further action to effectuate such sale) such that each Lender (including any Increasing Lender and any Additional Lender) shall hold its Applicable Percentage of the outstanding Loans (and participation interests in Letters of Credit) after giving effect to the increase in the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount and the resulting modification of each Lender’s Applicable Percentage and Maximum Credit Amount pursuant to Section 2.06(c)(v) .

(iv) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Elected Commitment Increase Certificate or an Additional Lender Certificate, executed by the Borrower and the Lender or by the Borrower and the Additional Lender party thereto, as applicable, the processing and recording fee referred to in Section 2.06(c)(ii) , the Administrative Questionnaire referred to in Section 2.06(c)(ii) and the break-funding payments from the Borrower, if any, required by Section  5.02 , if applicable, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Elected Commitment Increase Certificate or Additional Lender Certificate and record the information contained therein in the Register required to be maintained by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 12.04(b)(iv) . No increase in the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this Section 2.06(c )( iv) .

(v) Upon any increase in the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount pursuant to this Section 2.06(c) , (A) each Lender’s Applicable Percentage shall be automatically deemed amended to the extent necessary so that each such Lender’s Applicable Percentage equals the percentage of the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount represented by such Lender’s Elected Commitment, in each case after giving effect to such increase, (B) each Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount shall be automatically deemed amended to the extent necessary so that each Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount equals such Lender’s Applicable Percentage, after giving effect to any adjustments thereto pursuant to the foregoing clause (A), of the Aggregate Maximum

 

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Credit Amount, (C)  Annex I to this Agreement shall be deemed amended to reflect the Elected Commitment of any Increasing Lender and any Additional Lender, and any changes in the Lenders’ respective Applicable Percentages and Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), and (D) the Borrower shall execute and deliver new Notes to the extent required under Section 2.02(d) .

(vi) The Borrower may from time to time terminate or reduce the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount; provided that (A) each reduction of the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000 and (B) the Borrower shall not reduce the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 3.04(c) , the total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount.

(vii) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount under Section 2.06(c)(vi) at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.06(c )( vii) shall be irrevocable. Any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount shall be permanent and may not be reinstated, except pursuant to Section 2.06(c )( i) . Each reduction of the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount shall be made ratably among each Lender’s Elected Commitment in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage (and Annex I shall be deemed amended to reflect such amendments to each Lender’s Elected Commitment and the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount).

(viii) Upon any redetermination or other adjustment in the Borrowing Base pursuant to this Agreement that would otherwise result in the Borrowing Base becoming less than the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount, the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount shall be automatically reduced (ratably among the Lenders in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage) so that they equal such redetermined Borrowing Base (and Annex I shall be deemed amended to reflect such amendments to each Lender’s Elected Commitment and the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount).

(ix) Contemporaneously with any increase in the Borrowing Base pursuant to this Agreement, if (A) the Borrower elects to increase the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount and (B) each Lender has consented to such increase in its Elected Commitment, then the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount shall be increased (ratably among the Lenders in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage) by the amount requested by the Borrower (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 2.06(c)(ii)(A) ) without the requirement that any Lender deliver an Elected Commitment Increase Certificate, and Annex I shall be deemed amended to reflect such amendments to each Lender’s Elected Commitment and the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount. The Administrative Agent shall record the information regarding such increases in the Register required to be maintained by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 12.04(b)(iv) .

 

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Section 2.07 Borrowing Base .

(a) Initial Borrowing Base . For the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the first Redetermination Date, the amount of the Borrowing Base shall be $450,000,000. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowing Base may be subject to further adjustments from time to time pursuant to Section 2.07(e) , Section 2.07(f) , or Section 8.13(c) .

(b) Scheduled and Interim Redeterminations . The Borrowing Base shall be redetermined semi-annually in accordance with this Section  2.07 (a “ Scheduled Redetermination ”), and, subject to Section 2.07(d) , such redetermined Borrowing Base shall become effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Agents, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders on or about April 1st and October 1st of each year (or, in each case, such date promptly thereafter as reasonably practicable), commencing April 1, 2017. In addition, (i) the Borrower may, by notifying the Administrative Agent thereof, elect to cause the Borrowing Base to be redetermined between Scheduled Redeterminations (A) up to two times per fiscal year and (B) in addition to the unscheduled redeterminations the Borrower may request pursuant to the foregoing clause (A), contemporaneously with the consummation of any Material Acquisition, and (ii) the Administrative Agent may, at the direction of the Required Lenders, by notifying the Borrower thereof, up to two times per fiscal year elect to cause the Borrowing Base to be redetermined between Scheduled Redeterminations (each such redetermination, an “ Interim Redetermination ”) in accordance with this Section  2.07 .

(c) Scheduled and Interim Redetermination Procedure .

(i) Each Scheduled Redetermination and each Interim Redetermination shall be effectuated as follows: Upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of (A) the Reserve Report and the certificate required to be delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c) , and, in the case of an Interim Redetermination, pursuant to Section 8.12(b) and (c) , and (B) such other reports, data and supplemental information, including, without limitation, the information provided pursuant to Section 8.12(c) , as may, from time to time, be reasonably requested by the Majority Lenders (the Reserve Report, such certificate and such other reports, data and supplemental information being the “ Engineering Reports ”), the Administrative Agent shall evaluate the information contained in the Engineering Reports and shall, in its sole discretion, propose a new Borrowing Base (the “ Proposed Borrowing Base ”) based upon such information and such other information (including, without limitation, the status of title information with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties as described in the Engineering Reports and the existence of any other Debt, the Loan Parties’ other assets, liabilities, fixed charges, cash flow, business, properties, prospects, management and ownership, hedged and unhedged exposure to price, price and production scenarios, interest rate and operating cost changes) as the Administrative Agent deems appropriate in its sole discretion and consistent with its normal and customary oil and gas lending criteria as it exists at the particular time. In no event shall the Proposed Borrowing Base exceed the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount;

 

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(ii) The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Proposed Borrowing Base (the “ Proposed Borrowing Base Notice ”) after the Administrative Agent has received complete Engineering Reports from the Borrower and has had a reasonable opportunity to determine the Proposed Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.07(c)(i) ; and

(iii) Any Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base then in effect must be approved by all of the Lenders as provided in this Section 2.07(c )( iii) ; and any Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base then in effect must be approved by the Required Lenders as provided in this Section 2.07(c)(iii) . Upon receipt of the Proposed Borrowing Base Notice, each Lender shall have 15 days to agree with the Proposed Borrowing Base or disagree with the Proposed Borrowing Base by proposing an alternate Borrowing Base. If at the end of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base then in effect, or the Required Lenders, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base then in effect, have approved, as aforesaid, then the Proposed Borrowing Base shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective on the date specified in Section 2.07(d) . If, however, at the end of such 15-day period, all of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable, have not approved, as aforesaid, then the Administrative Agent shall poll the Lenders to ascertain the highest Borrowing Base then acceptable to (x) in the case of a decrease or reaffirmation, a number of Lenders sufficient to constitute the Required Lenders and (y) in the case of an increase, all of the Lenders, and such amount shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective on the date specified in Section 2.07(d) .

(d) Effectiveness of a Redetermined Borrowing Base . After a redetermined Borrowing Base is approved by all of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable, pursuant to Section 2.07(c )( iii) , the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the amount of the redetermined Borrowing Base (the “ New Borrowing Base Notice ”), and such amount shall become the new Borrowing Base, effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders:

(i) in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination, (A) if the Administrative Agent shall have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c)  in a timely and complete manner, then on or about the April 1st or October 1st (or, in each case, such date promptly thereafter as reasonably practicable), as applicable, following such notice, or (B) if the Administrative Agent shall not have received the Engineering Reports required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.12(a) and (c)  in a timely and complete manner, then on the Business Day next succeeding delivery of such notice; and

(ii) in the case of an Interim Redetermination, on the Business Day next succeeding delivery of such notice.

 

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Such amount shall then become the Borrowing Base until the next Scheduled Redetermination Date, the next Interim Redetermination Date or the next adjustment to the Borrowing Base under Section 2.07(e) , Section 2.07(f) , or Section 8.13(c) , whichever occurs first. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Scheduled Redetermination or Interim Redetermination shall become effective until the New Borrowing Base Notice related thereto is received by the Borrower.

(e) Automatic Reduction of Borrowing Base – Issuance of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes or Permitted Second Lien Debt . In addition to other automatic reductions of the Borrowing Base set forth herein, if any Loan Party shall at any time issue Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes or incur Permitted Second Lien Debt, then the Borrowing Base shall automatically be decreased upon such issuance or incurrence by an amount equal to 25% of the amount equal to the excess, if any, of (x) the principal amount of such Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes issued in such issuance or Permitted Second Lien Debt incurred in such incurrence, as applicable, over (y) the sum of (1) the principal amount of then existing Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes and Permitted Second Lien Debt refinanced or replaced by such Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes or Permitted Second Lien Debt plus (2) accrued interest, applicable premiums payable and transaction expenses incurred in connection therewith. Any such decrease in the Borrowing Base shall occur without any vote of Lenders or action by Administrative Agent. Upon any such redetermination, the Administrative Agent shall promptly deliver a New Borrowing Base Notice to the Borrower and the Lenders.

(f) Automatic Reduction of the Borrowing Base – Asset Dispositions or Swap Liquidations . In addition to the other automatic reductions of the Borrowing Base set forth herein, if at any time the aggregate Borrowing Base Value of Oil and Gas Properties sold or disposed of pursuant to Section 9.12(d) , together with the Swap Agreements in respect of commodities Liquidated, in any period between redeterminations of the Borrowing Base, exceeds seven and one-half percent (7.5%) of the Borrowing Base as of the last redetermination, then the Borrowing Base shall be automatically reduced, effective immediately upon such sale, disposition or Swap Liquidation by an amount equal to the Borrowing Base Value of such Properties sold or disposed of and Swap Agreements in respect of commodities Liquidated and such new Borrowing Base shall be effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders until the next redetermination or modification of the Borrowing Base pursuant to this Agreement; provided that for purposes of this Section 2.07(f) , a Swap Agreement shall not be deemed to have been Liquidated if, (x) such Swap Agreement is novated from the existing counterparty to an Approved Counterparty, with the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party being the “ remaining party ” for purposes of such novation, (y) such Swap Agreement would have matured pursuant to its terms on or prior to the scheduled effective date of the next Scheduled Redetermination or (z) upon its termination, it is replaced, in a substantially contemporaneous transaction, with one or more Swap Agreements with approximately the same mark-to-market value and without net cash payments to any Loan Party (taking into consideration any cash payments by any Loan Party) in connection therewith (excluding for purposes of this clause (z) any Swap Agreement that pursuant to its terms would have matured on or prior to the scheduled effective date of the next Scheduled Redetermination). Such decrease in the Borrowing Base shall occur without any vote of Lenders or action by Administrative Agent. Upon any such redetermination, the Administrative Agent shall promptly deliver a New Borrowing Base Notice to the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

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Section 2.08 Letters of Credit .

(a) General . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of dollar denominated Letters of Credit for its own account or for the account of any of the Guarantors, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period; provided that the Borrower may not request the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of Letters of Credit hereunder if a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists at such time or would exist as a result thereof. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions . To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or facsimile (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (not less than five Business Days in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice:

(i) requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended;

(ii) specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day);

(iii) specifying the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with Section 2.08(c) );

(iv) specifying the amount of such Letter of Credit;

(v) specifying the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit; and

(vi) specifying the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base and the then effective Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount and whether a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists at such time, the current total Revolving Credit Exposures (without regard to the requested Letter of Credit or the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit) and the pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Letter of Credit or the requested amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit).

Each notice shall constitute a representation by the Borrower that after giving effect to the requested issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, as applicable, (x) the LC Exposure shall not exceed the LC Commitment and (y) the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments (i.e. the least of (A) the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount, (B) the

 

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then effective Borrowing Base and (C) the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount). No letter of credit issued by the Issuing Bank (if the Issuing Bank is not the Administrative Agent) shall be deemed to be a “ Letter of Credit ” issued under this Agreement unless the Issuing Bank has requested and received written confirmation from the Administrative Agent that the representations by Borrower contained in the foregoing clauses (x) and (y) are true and correct.

If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit; provided that, in the event of any conflict between such application and the terms of the Loan Documents, the terms of the Loan Documents shall control.

The Issuing Bank shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if: (x) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the Issuing Bank from issuing the Letter of Credit, or any law applicable to the Issuing Bank or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Issuing Bank shall prohibit, or request that the Issuing Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the Issuing Bank with respect to the Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the Issuing Bank is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Effective Date, or shall impose upon the Issuing Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Effective Date and which the Issuing Bank in good faith deems material to it, or (y) the issuance of the Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally.

(c) Expiration Date . Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal, which renewal may be provided for in the initial Letter of Credit, or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.

(d) Participations . By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in Section 2.08(e) , or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this Section 2.08(d) in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default, the existence of a Borrowing Base Deficiency or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

 

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(e) Reimbursement . If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, (i) on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that the Borrower shall, subject to the conditions to Borrowing set forth herein, be deemed to have requested, and the Borrower does hereby request under such circumstances, that such payment be financed with an ABR Borrowing in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Borrowing. If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section  2.05 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section  2.05 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.08(e) , the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Loans as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

(f) Obligations Absolute . The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in Section 2.08(e) shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, any Letter of Credit Agreement or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or any Letter of Credit Agreement, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section 2.08(f) , constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence

 

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arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised all requisite care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

(g) Disbursement Procedures . The Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by facsimile) of such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

(h) Interim Interest . If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, until the Borrower shall have reimbursed the Issuing Bank for such LC Disbursement (either with its own funds or a Borrowing under Section 2.08(e) ), the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Loans. Interest accrued pursuant to this Section 2.08(h) shall be for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to Section 2.08(e) to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

(i) Replacement of the Issuing Bank . The Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 3.05(b) . From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “ Issuing Bank ” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the replacement of the Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

 

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(j) Cash Collateralization . If (i) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.08(j) , or (ii) the Borrower is required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section 3.04(c) , then the Borrower shall deposit, in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to, in the case of an Event of Default, the LC Exposure, and in the case of a payment required by Section 3.04(c) , the amount of such excess as provided in Section 3.04(c) , as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower or any Loan Party described in Section 10.01(h) or Section 10.01(i) . The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Bank and the Lenders, an exclusive first priority and continuing perfected security interest in and Lien on such account and all cash, checks, drafts, certificates and instruments, if any, from time to time deposited or held in such account, all deposits or wire transfers made thereto, any and all investments purchased with funds deposited in such account, all interest, dividends, cash, instruments, financial assets and other Property from time to time received, receivable or otherwise payable in respect of, or in exchange for, any or all of the foregoing, and all proceeds, products, accessions, rents, profits, income and benefits therefrom, and any substitutions and replacements therefor. The Borrower’s obligation to deposit amounts pursuant to this Section 2.08(j) shall be absolute and unconditional, without regard to whether any beneficiary of any such Letter of Credit has attempted to draw down all or a portion of such amount under the terms of a Letter of Credit, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, shall not be subject to any defense or be affected by a right of set-off, counterclaim or recoupment which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may now or hereafter have against any such beneficiary, the Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or any other Person for any reason whatsoever. Such deposit shall be held as collateral securing the payment and performance of the Borrower’s and the Guarantor’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, and the Borrower is not otherwise required to pay to the Administrative Agent the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section 3.04(c) , then such amount (to the extent not applied as

 

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aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived. If the Borrower is required to pay to the Administrative Agent as cash collateral the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section 3.04(c) , then upon the expiration or termination of any Letter of Credit, so long as no Event of Default is then continuing, and so long as the Borrower does not have any obligation at such time to deposit cash collateral pursuant to Section  2.09 , the Administrative Agent shall return to the Borrower, within three Business Days after such expiration or termination, all or such portion of any such cash collateral (to the extent not previously applied as aforesaid) as exceeds the excess, if any, of the total of the then existing Revolving Credit Exposures over the total Commitments then in effect.

(k) Applicability of ISP . Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the Issuing Bank and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), the rules of the ISP shall apply to each Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Issuing Bank shall not be responsible to the Borrower for, and the Issuing Bank’s rights and remedies against the Borrower shall not be impaired by, any action or inaction of the Issuing Bank required or permitted under any law, order, or practice that is required or permitted to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including the law or any order of a jurisdiction where the Issuing Bank or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements, or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade – International Financial Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), or the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, whether or not any Letter of Credit chooses such law or practice.

(l) Calculation of Maximum Stated Amount . For all purposes of this Agreement, the amount of a Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at the time of determination.

Section 2.09 Defaulting Lenders . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, and any LC Exposure exists at the time a Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then:

(a) all or any part of such LC Exposure shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent (x) the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Commitments and (y) the conditions set forth in Section  6.02 are satisfied at such time;

(b) if the reallocation described in clause (a) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent, cash collateralize such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (a) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.08(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

 

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(c) if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to this Section  2.09 , the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 3.05(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;

(d) if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to this Section  2.09 , then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 3.05(a) and Section 3.05(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; or

(e) if any Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither cash collateralized nor reallocated pursuant to this Section  2.09 , then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Bank or any Lender hereunder, all commitment fees that otherwise would have been payable to such Defaulting Lender (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment that was utilized by such LC Exposure) under Section 3.05(a) and letter of credit fees payable under Section 3.05(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Bank until such LC Exposure is cash collateralized and/or reallocated.

Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, so long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.08(j) , and participating interests in any such newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.09(a) (and any Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein). Nothing in this Section  2.09 shall relieve any Defaulting Lender from any liability it may have to the Administrative Agent, any Loan Party, any non-Defaulting Lender, any Issuing Bank or any other Agent in connection with any obligation any such Defaulting Lender has under this Agreement.

ARTICLE III

PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST; PREPAYMENTS; FEES

Section 3.01 Repayment of Loans . The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Loan on the Termination Date.

Section 3.02 Interest .

(a) ABR Loans and LIBOR Market Index Loans . The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate. The Loans comprising each LIBOR Market Index Borrowing shall bear interest at the LIBOR Market Index Rate plus the Applicable Margin, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.

 

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(b) Eurodollar Loans . The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Margin, but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.

(c) Post-Default Rate and Borrowing Base Deficiency Rate . Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or if any principal of or interest on any Loan, including payments due resulting from Borrowing Base Deficiencies or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower or any Guarantor hereunder or under any other Loan Document is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, and including any payments in respect of a Borrowing Base Deficiency under Section 3.04(c) , then, all Loans outstanding, in the case of an Event of Default, and such overdue amount, in the case of a failure to pay amounts when due, shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in Section 3.02(a) , but in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.

(d) Interest Payment Dates . Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and on the Termination Date; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to Section 3.02(c) shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than an optional prepayment of an ABR Loan prior to the Termination Date), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment, and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

(e) Interest Rate Computations . All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, LIBOR Market Index Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and be binding upon the parties hereto.

Section 3.03 Alternate Rate of Interest . If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period; or

(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Majority Lenders that the LIBOR Market Index Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

 

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then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or facsimile as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective, and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made either as an ABR Borrowing or at an alternate rate of interest determined by the Majority Lenders as their cost of funds.

Section 3.04 Prepayments .

(a) Optional Prepayments . The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with Section 3.04(b) .

(b) Notice and Terms of Optional Prepayment . The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by facsimile) or in such other manner authorized by the Administrative Agent of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 p.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing or a LIBOR Market Index Borrowing, not later than 12:00 p.m., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable, shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid and shall otherwise be in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.06(b) , then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.06(b) . Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section  2.02 . Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section  3.02 .

(c) Mandatory Prepayments .

(i) If, after giving effect to any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amount pursuant to Section 2.06(b) , or any reduction in the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount pursuant to Section 2.06(b) or Section 2.06(c) , the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the total Commitments, then the Borrower shall (A) prepay the Borrowings on the date of such termination or reduction in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and (B) if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(j) .

 

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(ii) Upon any redetermination of the amount of the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section  2.07 (other than Section 2.07(e) or Section 2.07(f) ) or adjustment to the amount of the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 8.13(c) , if a Borrowing Base Deficiency exists, then the Borrower shall within 30 days following receipt of the New Borrowing Base Notice in accordance with Section 2.07(d) or the date the adjustment occurs, as applicable, provide written notice (the “ Election Notice ”) to the Administrative Agent stating the action which the Borrower proposes to remedy such Borrowing Base Deficiency, and the Borrower shall thereafter, at its option, (A) on the date of delivery of the Election Notice, prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount sufficient to eliminate such Borrowing Base Deficiency, (B) eliminate such Borrowing Base Deficiency by making five consecutive mandatory prepayments of principal on the Borrowings, each of which shall be in the amount of 1/5th of the amount of such Borrowing Base Deficiency, with each such payment being due on the date that is 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 120 days and 150 days, respectively, following the Borrower’s receipt of the New Borrowing Base Notice in accordance with Section 2.07(d) or the date the adjustment occurs, as applicable, (C) within 30 days following the delivery of the Election Notice, submit (and pledge as Mortgaged Properties) additional Oil and Gas Properties owned by the Borrower or any Guarantor for consideration in connection with the determination of the Borrowing Base which the Administrative Agent and the Lenders deem sufficient in their sole discretion to eliminate such Borrowing Base Deficiency, or (D) within 30 days following the delivery of the Election Notice, eliminate such excess through a combination of prepayments and submission of additional Oil and Gas Properties as set forth in subclauses (A) and (C) above. If any Borrowing Base Deficiency remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of LC Exposure, then the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such remaining Borrowing Base Deficiency to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(j) . The Borrower shall be obligated to deposit such cash collateral amount within five Business Days following its receipt of the New Borrowing Base Notice in accordance with Section 2.07(d) or the date the adjustment occurs, as applicable; provided that all payments required to be made pursuant to this Section 3.04(c)(ii) must be made on or prior to the Termination Date.

(iii) Upon any adjustments to the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.07(e) or Section 2.07(f) if the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base as adjusted, then the Borrower shall (A) prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such excess, and (B) if any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such excess to be held as cash collateral as provided in Section 2.08(j) . The Borrower shall be obligated to make such prepayment and/or deposit of cash collateral on the date of such issuance of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, such incurrence of Permitted Second Lien Debt or such disposition or Liquidation, as applicable; provided that all payments required to be made pursuant to this Section 3.04(c )( iii) must be made on or prior to the Termination Date.

(iv) Each prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be applied, first, ratably to any ABR Borrowings then outstanding, second, ratably to any LIBOR Market Index Borrowings then outstanding, and third to any Eurodollar Borrowings then outstanding, and if more than one Eurodollar Borrowing is then outstanding, to such Eurodollar Borrowing in such order as the Borrower may direct.

 

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(v) Each prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowings. Prepayments pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section  3.02 .

(d) No Premium or Penalty . Prepayments permitted or required under this Section  3.04 shall be without premium or penalty, except as required under Section  5.02 .

Section 3.05 Fees .

(a) Commitment Fees . The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender (on a pro rata basis in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage) a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the applicable Commitment Fee Rate on the average daily amount of Availability during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the Termination Date. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the Termination Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless such computation would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

(b) Letter of Credit Fees . The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Margin used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, (ii) to the Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.200% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the date of this Agreement to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, provided that in no event shall such fee be less than $500 during any quarter, and (iii) to the Issuing Bank, for its own account, its standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date of this Agreement; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the Termination Date and any such fees accruing after the Termination Date shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section 3.05(b) shall be payable within 10 Business Days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, unless

 

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such computation would cause interest hereunder to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, in which case such participation and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

(c) Administrative Agent Fees . The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in the Fee Letter.

(d) Defaulting Lender Fees . The Borrower shall not be obligated to pay the Administrative Agent any Defaulting Lender’s ratable share of the fees described in Sections 3.05(a) and (b)  for the period commencing on the day such Defaulting Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender and continuing for so long as such Lender continues to be a Defaulting Lender.

(e) Elected Commitment Increase Fees . Any increase in a Lender’s Elected Commitment may be conditioned upon the payment of an Elected Commitment increase fee in an amount to be set forth in a separate written agreement

ARTICLE IV

PAYMENTS; PRO RATA TREATMENT; SHARING OF SET-OFFS

Section 4.01 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs .

(a) Payments by the Borrower . The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section  5.01 , Section  5.02 , Section  5.03 or otherwise) prior to 12:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without defense, deduction, recoupment, set-off or counterclaim. Fees, once paid, shall be fully earned and shall not be refundable under any circumstances. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices specified in Section  12.01 , except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Section  5.01 , Section  5.02 , Section  5.03 and Section  12.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in Dollars.

(b) Application of Insufficient Payments . If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the

 

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parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.

(c) Sharing of Payments by Lenders . If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this Section 4.01(c) shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section 4.01(c) shall apply). The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

Section 4.02 Presumption of Payment by the Borrower . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

Section 4.03 Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent . If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(a) , Section 2.08(d) , Section 2.08(e) , or Section  4.02 or otherwise hereunder, then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s

 

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obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid. If at any time prior to the acceleration or maturity of the Loans, the Administrative Agent shall receive any payment in respect of principal of a Loan or a reimbursement of an LC Disbursement while one or more Defaulting Lenders shall be party to this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall apply such payment first to the Borrowing(s) for which such Defaulting Lender(s) shall have failed to fund its pro rata share until such time as such Borrowing(s) are paid in full or each Lender (including each Defaulting Lender) is owed its Applicable Percentage of all Loans then outstanding. After acceleration or maturity of the Loans, all principal will be paid ratably as provided in Section 10.02(c) .

Section 4.04 Disposition of Proceeds . The Security Instruments contain an assignment by the Borrower and/or the Guarantors unto and in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties of all of the Borrower’s or each Guarantor’s interest in and to production and all proceeds attributable thereto which may be produced from or allocated to the Mortgaged Property. The Security Instruments further provide in general for the application of such proceeds to the satisfaction of the Indebtedness and other obligations described therein and secured thereby. Notwithstanding the assignment contained in such Security Instruments, until the occurrence of an Event of Default, (a) the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree that they will neither notify the purchaser or purchasers of such production nor take any other action to cause such proceeds to be remitted to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, but the Administrative Agent and the Lenders will instead permit such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and the Guarantors and (b) the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to take such actions as may be necessary to cause such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and/or such Guarantors.

ARTICLE V

INCREASED COSTS; BREAK FUNDING PAYMENTS; TAXES; ILLEGALITY

Section 5.01 Increased Costs .

(a) Eurodollar Changes in Law . If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate);

(ii) subject the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes indemnified pursuant to Section  5.03 and (B) Excluded Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

(iii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

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(b) Capital Requirements . If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy or liquidity), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Certificates . A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in Section 5.01(a) or (b)  shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 Business Days after receipt thereof.

(d) Effect of Failure or Delay in Requesting Compensation . Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section  5.01 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section  5.01 for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 365 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 365-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

Section 5.02 Break Funding Payments . In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan into an ABR Loan or a LIBOR Market Index Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto, or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 5.04(b) , then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event (exclusive of any lost profits or opportunity costs or processing or other related fees). In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would

 

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have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market.

A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section  5.02 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 Business Days after receipt thereof; provided that the Borrower shall not have any obligation to make any payment for any loss, cost or expense incurred by a Lender as a result of an event described in this Section  5.02 if such event occurred more than 180 days prior to the date such Lender notifies the Borrower of the amount thereof; provided further that, if such event giving rise to such loss, cost or expense is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

Section 5.03 Taxes .

(a) Payments Free of Taxes . Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if an applicable Withholding Agent shall be required to deduct or withhold any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions and withholding (including deductions and withholding applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 5.03(a) ), the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Bank (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions or withholding been made, (ii) the Borrower or such Guarantor shall make such deductions or withholding and (iii) the Withholding Agent shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower . The Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(c) Indemnification by the Borrower . The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Issuing Bank, within 10 Business Days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section  5.03 ) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate of the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the Issuing Bank as to the amount of such payment or liability under this Section  5.03 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent

 

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manifest error; provided that the Borrower shall not have any obligation to indemnify the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank for any amounts paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank under this Section  5.03 more than two years prior to the date the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank notifies the Borrower of the amount of such payment; provided further that, if such amounts paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank are required to be paid retroactively, then the two year period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

(d) Indemnification by the Lenders . Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 12.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (d).

(e) Evidence of Payments . As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower or a Guarantor to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(f) Status of Lenders .

(i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Withholding Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Withholding Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Withholding Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Withholding Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Withholding Agent as will enable the Withholding Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 5.03(f)(ii)(A) and (ii)(B) and Section 5.03(g) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

 

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(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a “United States person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code,

(A) any Lender that is a “United States person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code shall deliver to the Withholding Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Withholding Agent), executed originals of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Withholding Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Withholding Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(1) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

(2) executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI;

(3) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit G-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “ U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate ”) and (y) executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable); or

(4) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of

 

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Exhibit G-2 or Exhibit G-3 , IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit G-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner; and

(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Withholding Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Withholding Agent), executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Withholding Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Withholding Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(g) FATCA . If a payment made to a Lender under this Agreement would be subject to United States Federal withholding tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender fails to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Withholding Agent, at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Withholding Agent, such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Withholding Agent as may be necessary for the Withholding Agent to comply with its obligations under FATCA, to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this Section 5.03(g) , “ FATCA ” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

Section 5.04 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders .

(a) Designation of Different Lending Office . Each Lender may make any Loan or incur any LC Exposure to the Borrower through any Lending Office, provided that the exercise of this option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay Loans and LC Disbursements in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. If any Lender requests compensation under Section  5.01 , or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section  5.03 , then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, such

 

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designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section  5.01 or Section  5.03 , as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) Replacement of Lenders . If any Lender requests compensation under Section  5.01 , or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section  5.03 , or if any Lender shall require that its Loans be made and/or maintained as ABR Loans rather than Eurodollar Loans pursuant to Section  5.05 , or if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender hereunder, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 12.04(b) ), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees (subject to Section 3.05(d) ) and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts), and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section  5.01 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section  5.03 , such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Lender (other than a Defaulting Lender) shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if such Lender (or its Affiliate) is a Secured Swap Provider of any outstanding Swap Agreements with any Loan Party (to the extent obligations under such Swap Agreements constitute Indebtedness) the terms of which provide that it shall be an “event of default” or “additional termination event” if such Secured Swap Provider (or its Affiliate) shall cease to be a Lender hereunder, unless on or prior thereto, all such Swap Agreements have been terminated or novated to another Person and such Lender (or its Affiliate) shall have received payment of all amounts, if any, payable to it in connection with such termination or novation.

Section 5.05 Illegality . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event that it becomes unlawful for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to honor its obligation to make or maintain Eurodollar Loans either generally or having a particular Interest Period hereunder, then (a) such Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof and such Lender’s obligation to make such Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended (the “ Affected Loans ”) until such time as such Lender may again make and maintain such Eurodollar Loans and (b) all Affected Loans which would otherwise be made by such Lender shall be made instead as ABR Loans (and, if such Lender so requests by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, all Affected Loans of such Lender then outstanding shall be automatically converted into ABR Loans on the date specified by such Lender in such notice) and, to the extent that Affected Loans are so made as (or converted into) ABR Loans, all payments of principal which would otherwise be applied to such Lender’s Affected Loans shall be applied instead to its ABR Loans.

 

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Section 5.06 Availability of LIBOR Market Index Loans . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event that any Lender determines in its sole discretion that LIBOR Market Index Loans are not available to be made by it for any reason (including, without limitation, as a result of such Loans becoming illegal or such Lender determining that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the LIBOR Market Index Rate), then (a) such Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof, (b) such Lender and no other Lender shall be required to make LIBOR Market Index Loans (and the Borrower shall not be entitled to request LIBOR Market Index Loans or convert any other Loans into LIBOR Market Index Loans) until such Lender notifies the Borrower and the Administrative Agent that LIBOR Market Index Loans are again available to be made by such Lender, and (c) if such Lender so requests by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, all LIBOR Market Index Loans of such Lender then outstanding shall be automatically converted into ABR Loans on the date specified by such Lender in such notice.

ARTICLE VI

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

Section 6.01 Effective Date . The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section  12.02 ):

(a) the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders shall have received all commitment, facility and agency fees and all other fees and amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel to the Administrative Agent);

(b) the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower and each Guarantor setting forth (i) resolutions of its board of directors (or comparable governing body) with respect to the authorization of the Borrower or such Guarantor to execute and deliver the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to enter into the transactions contemplated in those documents, (ii) the officers of the Borrower or such Guarantor (y) who are authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which the Borrower or such Guarantor is a party and (z) who will, until replaced by another officer or officers duly authorized for that purpose, act as its representative for the purposes of signing documents and giving notices and other communications in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) specimen signatures of such authorized officers, and (iv) the Organizational Documents of the Borrower and such Guarantor, certified as being true and complete. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders may conclusively rely on such certificate until the Administrative Agent receives notice in writing from the Borrower to the contrary;

 

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(c) the Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of the appropriate State agencies with respect to the existence, qualification and good standing of the Loan Parties;

(d) the Administrative Agent shall have received from each party hereto counterparts (in such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent) of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party;

(e) the Administrative Agent shall have received duly executed Notes payable to each Lender that has requested a Note pursuant to Section 2.02(d) in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount dated as of the date hereof;

(f) the Administrative Agent shall have received from each party thereto duly executed counterparts (in such number as may be requested by the Administrative Agent) of the Security Instruments required as of the Effective Date, including the Security Agreement, the Guaranty Agreement, the mortgages and the other Security Instruments described on Exhibit E-1 . In connection with the execution and delivery of such Security Instruments, the Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied that the Security Instruments will, when properly recorded (or when the applicable financing statements related thereto are properly filed or such other actions needed to perfect are taken) create first priority, (A) perfected Liens (subject only to Excepted Liens identified in clauses (a) to (d) and (f) of the definition thereof, but subject to the provisos at the end of such definition) on (i) at least 85% of the total value (as determined by the Administrative Agent based on the present value of the Proved Reserves attributable thereto using a 9% discount rate) of the Oil and Gas Properties owned by Esquisto evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report and (ii) at least 75% of the total value (as determined by the Administrative Agent based on the present value of the Proved Reserves attributable thereto using a 9% discount rate) of the Oil and Gas Properties owned by WildHorse and WHE evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report, (B) perfected Liens (subject to Excepted Liens) on all other Property purported to be pledged as collateral pursuant to the Security Instruments, and (C) perfected Liens on all of the Accounts of the Loan Parties ( provided that the Liens on Excluded Accounts are not required to be perfected by control as set forth herein).

(g) the Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, special counsel to the Borrower and the Guarantors, and of local counsel in Louisiana, in each case in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and its counsel;

(h) the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of insurance coverage of the Loan Parties evidencing that the Loan Parties are carrying insurance in accordance with Section  7.12 ;

(i) the Administrative Agent shall have received title information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require satisfactory to the Administrative Agent setting forth the status of title to at least 65% of the total value (as determined by the Administrative Agent based on the present value of the Proved Reserves attributable thereto using a 9% discount rate) of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report;

 

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(j) the Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied with the environmental condition of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the Guarantors (including the WildHorse Properties, the Esquisto Properties and the CWEI Acquisition Properties);

(k) the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (i) that the Borrower has received all consents and approvals required by Section  7.03 , (ii) that the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Effective Date, except that (A) to the extent any such representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date, in which case, on and as of the Effective Date, such representations and warranties shall continue to be true and correct in all material respects as of such specified earlier date and (B) to the extent that any such representation and warranty is qualified by materiality, such representation and warranty shall continue to be true and correct in all respects, (iii) no Default or Event of Default then exists and (iv) as to the matters described in Sections 6.01(q) , 6.01(r ), 6.01(t) , 6.01(x) and 6.01(y) ;

(l) the Administrative Agent shall have received the financial statements referred to in Section 7.04(a) and the Initial Reserve Report accompanied by a certificate covering the matters described in Section 8.12(c) ;

(m) the Administrative Agent shall have received appropriate UCC search certificates and county-level real property record search results reflecting no prior Liens encumbering the Properties of the Loan Parties (including the WildHorse Properties, the Esquisto Properties and the CWEI Acquisition Properties) for each jurisdiction requested by the Administrative Agent; other than those being assigned or released on or prior to the Effective Date or Liens permitted by Section  9.03 ;

(n) the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that (i) the Borrower is concurrently consummating the Corporate Reorganization and in accordance with all Governmental Requirements and the terms of the Corporate Reorganization Agreements (in each case, with all of the material conditions precedent thereto having been satisfied in all material respects by the parties thereto, and that no party to any Corporate Reorganization Agreement is in default in respect of any material term or obligation thereunder); (ii) after giving effect to the Corporate Reorganization, WildHorse and Esquisto own all of the WildHorse Properties and Esquisto Properties, respectively, and (iii) attached to such certificate are true and complete copies of the executed Corporate Reorganization Agreements and the Transition Services Agreement;

(o) the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (i) that WHE is concurrently consummating (or has consummated) the CWEI Acquisition in accordance with the terms of the CWEI Acquisition Documents (with all of the material conditions precedent thereto having been satisfied in all material respects by the parties thereto, and that no party to any CWEI Acquisition Document is in default in respect of any material term or obligation thereunder) and acquiring substantially all of the CWEI Assets contemplated by the CWEI Acquisition Documents; (ii) as to the final purchase price for the CWEI Acquisition Properties after giving effect to all adjustments as of

 

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the closing date contemplated by the CWEI Acquisition Documents and specifying, by category, the amount of such adjustment; (iii) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of the CWEI Assets which have been excluded from the Acquisition pursuant to the terms of the CWEI Acquisition Documents, specifying with respect thereto the basis of exclusion; (iv) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of all CWEI Assets for which the seller has elected to cure a title defect; (v) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of all CWEI Assets for which the seller has elected to remediate an adverse environmental condition; (vi) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of all CWEI Assets which are currently pending final decision by a third party regarding purchase of such property in accordance with any preferential right; and (vii) that attached thereto is a true and complete executed copy of each of the CWEI Acquisition Documents and any amendments thereto, which CWEI Acquisition Documents shall not have been further amended or modified in any manner materially adverse to the Lenders;

(p) the Administrative Agent shall have received from the Borrower a written policy regarding the Loan Parties’ marketing activities for Hydrocarbons and furnish a copy thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, such policy to be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Majority Lenders;

(q) on the Effective Date and after giving effect to the use of proceeds of the initial Loan under this Agreement, none of the Loan Parties shall have any Debt (other than Indebtedness or Debt permitted hereunder);

(r) the consummation of the Borrower IPO pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act filed on Form S-1 shall have occurred in accordance in all material respects with such Form S-1;

(s) the Administrative Agent shall have received evidence reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent that, concurrently with the funding of the initial Loan under this Agreement and that upon such payment, (i) all amounts due under any revolving and term loan credit facility provided to the Loan Parties (other than this Agreement) have been or will be paid in full including, without limitation, the revolving credit facility under that certain Credit Agreement dated as of August 8, 2013 among WildHorse, as borrower, the lenders party thereto and Bank of Montreal, as administrative agent, the revolving credit facility under that certain Credit Agreement dated as of July 22, 2015 among Esquisto, as borrower, the lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, and any debt financing incurred by WHE in connection with the CWEI Acquisition, (ii) all commitments to lend under such credit facilities have been terminated and (iii) all Liens securing such credit facilities have been released;

(t) since December 31, 2015, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect;

(u) the Administrative Agent shall have received, and satisfactorily completed its review of, information regarding litigation, tax, accounting, labor, insurance, pension liabilities (actual or contingent), real estate leases, material contracts, debt agreements, property ownership, and contingent liabilities of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

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(v) the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received a pro forma balance sheet as to the Borrower and the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries after giving effect to all elements of the Transactions to be consummated on or before the Effective Date, and forecasts prepared by management of the Borrower of balance sheets and income statements on a quarterly basis for the first year following the Effective Date and on an annual basis for each year thereafter during the term of this Agreement;

(w) the Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that all Swap Agreements of the Loan Parties with counterparties other than Lenders or Affiliates of Lenders that existed prior to the Effective Date shall have been terminated or otherwise novated to Lenders or Affiliates of Lenders, in each case, on terms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

(x) after giving effect to the consummation of all of the Transactions on the Effective Date, including the repayment of all amounts owing under the credit facilities referred to in Section 6.01(s) , Availability shall be not less than 20% of the aggregate Elected Commitments;

(y) after giving effect to the consummation of all of the Transactions on the Effective Date, including the repayment of all amounts owing under the credit facilities referred to in Section 6.01(s) , the pro forma Leverage Ratio based on the sum of (i) the combined Consolidated EBITDAX of WildHorse and Esquisto for the fiscal quarter ending as of September 30, 2016, as set forth in the financial statements described in Section 7.04(a), multiplied by four (4)  plus (ii) the EBITDAX attributable to the CWEI Acquisition Properties for the fiscal quarter ending as of September 30, 2016, which the parties hereto agree (solely for the purpose of this Section 6.01(y) ) equals $7,991,000.00, multiplied by four (4), shall not exceed 2.50 to 1.00; and

(z) the Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents as the Administrative Agent or special counsel to the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of Section  11.04 , for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section  6.01 , each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required under this Section  6.01 to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the Effective Date specifying its objection thereto. All documents executed or submitted pursuant to this Section  6.01 by and on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.

 

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Section 6.02 Each Credit Event . The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing (including the initial funding), and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a) at the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default or Borrowing Base Deficiency shall have occurred and be continuing;

(b) at the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no event, development or circumstance has occurred or shall then exist that has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect;

(c) the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, except that (i) to the extent any such representations and warranties are expressly limited to an earlier date, in which case, on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, such representations and warranties shall continue to be true and correct in all material respects as of such specified earlier date and (ii) to the extent that any such representation and warranty is qualified by materiality, such representation and warranty shall continue to be true and correct in all respects;

(d) the making of such Loan or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, shall not be prohibited by any applicable Governmental Requirement, and no litigation shall be pending or threatened, which does or, with respect to any threatened litigation, seeks to, enjoin, prohibit or restrain, the making or repayment of any Loan, the issuance, amendment, renewal, extension or repayment of any Letter of Credit or any participations therein or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document;

(e) solely with respect to any Borrowing of Loans, the principal amount of such Borrowing plus the aggregate amount of cash and Cash Equivalents (other than Excluded Cash) of the Borrower and the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries at the time of such Borrowing (before giving effect thereto) shall not exceed the Excess Cash Threshold; and

(f) the receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Request in accordance with Section  2.03 or a request for a Letter of Credit in accordance with Section 2.08(b) , as applicable.

Each request for a Borrowing and each request for the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters, and to the extent, specified in Section 6.02(a) through (e) .

 

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ARTICLE VII

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

Section 7.01 Organization; Powers . Each of the Loan Parties is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority, and has all material governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals necessary, to own its assets and to carry on its business as now conducted, and is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required, except where failure to have such power, authority, licenses, authorizations, consents, approvals and qualifications could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.02 Authority; Enforceability . The Transactions are within the Loan Parties’ respective corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action (including, without limitation, any action required to be taken by any class of directors of the Borrower or any other Person, whether interested or disinterested, in order to ensure the due authorization of the Transactions). Each Loan Document to which any Loan Party is a party has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and such Guarantor and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Loan Parties, as applicable, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable Debtor Relief Laws and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

Section 7.03 Approvals; No Conflicts . The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority or any other third Person (including shareholders, members, partners or any class of directors or managers, whether interested or disinterested, of the Borrower or any other Person), nor is any such consent, approval, registration, filing or other action necessary for the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect other than (i) the recording and filing of the Security Instruments as required by this Agreement and (ii) those third party approvals or consents which, if not made or obtained, would not cause a Default hereunder, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and would not have an adverse effect on the enforceability of the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, bylaws or other Organizational Documents of any Loan Party or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture or other material agreement binding upon any Loan Party or its Properties, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any Loan Party and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any material Property of any Loan Party (other than the Liens created by the Loan Documents and by the Permitted Second Lien Debt Documents).

 

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Section 7.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change .

(a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders (i) the audited combined and consolidated balance sheet and audited, statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of each of WildHorse and Esquisto as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2015, reported on by KPMG LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) the unaudited consolidated and combined balance sheet, statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of each of WildHorse and Esquisto as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and September 30, 2016, certified by each such Person’s chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of WildHorse and Esquisto and their consolidated subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the unaudited quarterly financial statements.

(b) Since December 31, 2015, (i) there has been no event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) the business of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties has been conducted only in the ordinary course consistent with past business practices.

(c) No Loan Party has on the date hereof any material Debt (including Disqualified Capital Stock) or any contingent liabilities, off-balance sheet liabilities or partnerships, liabilities for taxes, unusual forward or long-term commitments or unrealized or anticipated losses from any unfavorable commitments, except as referred to or reflected or provided for in the Financial Statements.

Section 7.05 Litigation .

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 7.05 , there are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting any Loan Party (i) not fully covered by insurance (except for normal deductibles) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions or (iii) that could impair the consummation of the Transactions.

(b) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the matters disclosed in Schedule 7.05 that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.06 Environmental Matters . Except for such matters as set forth on Schedule 7.06 or that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on any Loan Party:

(a) the Loan Parties and each of their respective Properties and operations thereon are, and within all applicable statute of limitation periods have been, in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws;

(b) the Loan Parties have obtained all Environmental Permits required for their respective operations and each of their Properties, with all such Environmental Permits being currently in full force and effect, and none of Borrower or the other Loan Parties has received any written notice or otherwise has knowledge that any such existing Environmental Permit will be revoked or that any application for any new Environmental Permit or renewal of any existing Environmental Permit will be protested or denied;

 

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(c) there are no claims, demands, suits, orders, inquiries, or proceedings concerning any violation of, or any liability (including as a potentially responsible party) under, any applicable Environmental Laws that is pending or, to Borrower’s knowledge, threatened against any Loan Party or any of their respective Properties or as a result of any operations at such Properties;

(d) none of the Properties of the Loan Parties contain or have contained any: (i) underground storage tanks; (ii) asbestos-containing materials; (iii) landfills or dumps; (iv) hazardous waste management units as defined pursuant to RCRA or any comparable state law; or (v) sites on or nominated for the National Priority List promulgated pursuant to CERCLA or any state remedial priority list promulgated or published pursuant to any comparable state law;

(e) there has been no Release or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened Release, of Hazardous Materials at, on, under or from the Loan Parties’ Properties, there are no investigations, remediations, abatements, removals, or monitorings of Hazardous Materials required under applicable Environmental Laws at such Properties and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, none of such Properties are adversely affected by any Release or threatened Release of a Hazardous Material originating or emanating from any other real property;

(f) none of the Loan Parties has received any written notice asserting an alleged liability or obligation under any applicable Environmental Laws with respect to the investigation, remediation, abatement, removal, or monitoring of any Hazardous Materials at, under, or Released or threatened to be Released from any real properties offsite the Borrower’s or any other Loan Party’s Properties and, to the Borrower’s knowledge, there are no conditions or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to result in the receipt of such written notice;

(g) there has been no exposure of any Person or Property to any Hazardous Materials as a result of or in connection with the operations and businesses of any of the Loan Parties’ Properties that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for a claim for damages or compensation; and

(h) the Loan Parties have provided to the Lenders complete and correct copies of all material environmental site assessment reports, investigations, studies, analyses, and correspondence on environmental matters (including matters relating to any alleged non-compliance with or liability under Environmental Laws) that are in any of the Borrower’s or any other Loan Party’s possession or control and relating to their respective Properties or operations thereon.

 

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Section 7.07 Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults or Borrowing Base Deficiency .

(a) Each of the Loan Parties is in compliance with all Governmental Requirements applicable to it or its Property and all agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its Property, and possesses all licenses, permits, franchises, exemptions, approvals and other governmental authorizations necessary for the ownership of its Property and the conduct of its business, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. For clarity, the representations and warranties in this Section 7.07(a) do not relate to matters involving Environmental Laws, Environmental Permits or Hazardous Wastes; the representations and warranties with respect to such matters are set forth in Section 7.06.

(b) None of the Loan Parties is in default nor has any event or circumstance occurred which, but for the expiration of any applicable grace period or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default or would require the Borrower or any other Loan Party to Redeem or make any offer to Redeem under any indenture, note, credit agreement or instrument pursuant to which any Material Indebtedness is outstanding or by which the Borrower or any other Loan Party or any of their Properties is bound.

(c) No Default or Borrowing Base Deficiency has occurred and is continuing.

Section 7.08 Investment Company Act . None of the Loan Parties is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company,” within the meaning of, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Section 7.09 Taxes . Each of the Loan Parties has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such other Loan Party, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Loan Parties in respect of Taxes and other governmental charges are, in the reasonable opinion of the Borrower, adequate. No Tax Lien has been filed and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, no claim is being asserted with respect to any such Tax or other such governmental charge.

Section 7.10 ERISA .

(a) the Loan Parties and each ERISA Affiliate have complied in all material respects with ERISA and, where applicable, the Code regarding each Plan.

(b) Each Plan is, and has been, established and maintained in substantial compliance with its terms, ERISA and, where applicable, the Code.

(c) No act, omission or transaction has occurred which could result in imposition on the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate (whether directly or indirectly) of (i) either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i), (l) or (m) of section 502 of ERISA or a tax imposed pursuant to Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code or (ii) breach of fiduciary duty liability damages under section 409 of ERISA.

(d) Full payment when due has been made of all amounts which the Borrower, the other Loan Parties or any ERISA Affiliate is required under the terms of each Plan or applicable law to have paid as contributions to such Plan as of the date hereof.

 

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(e) None of the Loan Parties nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains, or contributes to an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate in its sole discretion at any time without any material liability.

(f) None of the Loan Parties nor any ERISA Affiliate sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or has at any time in the six-year period preceding the date hereof sponsored, maintained or contributed to, any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in section 3(2) of ERISA, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the Code.

Section 7.11 Disclosure; No Material Misstatements . The Borrower has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which any Loan Party is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Loan Parties to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any of their Affiliates in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time. There is no fact peculiar to the Loan Parties which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or in the future is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect and which has not been set forth in this Agreement or the Loan Documents or the other documents, certificates and statements furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders by or on behalf of the Loan Parties prior to, or on, the date hereof in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. There are no statements or conclusions in any Reserve Report which are based upon or include misleading information or fail to take into account material information regarding the matters reported therein, it being understood that projections concerning volumes attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties and production and cost estimates contained in each Reserve Report are necessarily based upon professional opinions, estimates and projections and that the Borrower and the other Loan Parties do not warrant that such opinions, estimates and projections will ultimately prove to have been accurate.

Section 7.12 Insurance . The Loan Parties have (a) all insurance policies sufficient for the compliance by each of them with all material Governmental Requirements and all material agreements and (b) insurance coverage in at least amounts and against such risk (including, without limitation, public liability) that are usually insured against by companies similarly situated and engaged in the same or a similar business for the assets and operations of the Loan Parties. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders have been named as additional insureds in respect of such liability insurance policies and the Administrative Agent has been named as loss payee with respect to Property loss insurance.

 

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Section 7.13 Restriction on Liens . None of the Loan Parties is a party to any material agreement or arrangement, or subject to any order, judgment, writ or decree, which either restricts or purports to restrict its ability to grant Liens to the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties on or in respect of their Properties to secure the Indebtedness and the Loan Documents.

Section 7.14 Subsidiaries . Except as set forth on Schedule 7.14 or as disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly furnish a copy to the Lenders), which shall be a supplement to Schedule 7.14 , the Borrower has no Subsidiaries and the Borrower has no Foreign Subsidiaries. Schedule 7.14 identifies each Subsidiary as (a) either a Guarantor or not a Guarantor and (b) either a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary, and each Restricted Subsidiary on such schedule is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary. Schedule 7.14 sets forth, as of the Effective Date (after giving effect to the Transactions), (i) the Persons (and their percentage ownership) that own Equity Interests in Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) all Equity Interests in Unrestricted Subsidiaries owned by a Loan Party.

Section 7.15 Location of Business and Offices . The Borrower’s jurisdiction of organization is Delaware; the name of the Borrower as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization is WildHorse Resource Development Corporation; and the organizational identification number of the Borrower in its jurisdiction of organization is 6115430 (or, in each case, as set forth in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.01(o) in accordance with Section  12.01 ). The Borrower’s principal place of business and chief executive offices are located at the address specified in Section  12.01 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(o) and Section 12.01(c) ). Each Restricted Subsidiary’s jurisdiction of organization, name as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization, organizational identification number in its jurisdiction of organization, and the location of its principal place of business and chief executive office is stated on Schedule 7.14 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(o) ).

Section 7.16 Properties; Titles, Etc.

(a) Each of the Loan Parties has good and defensible title to the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report and good title to all its material personal Properties, in each case, free and clear of all Liens except Liens permitted by Section  9.03 . After giving full effect to the Excepted Liens, the Loan Party specified as the owner owns the net interests in production attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests as reflected in the most recently delivered Reserve Report, and the ownership of such Properties shall not in any material respect obligate such Loan Party to bear the costs and expenses relating to the maintenance, development and operations of each such Property in an amount in excess of the working interest of each Property set forth in the most recently delivered Reserve Report that is not offset by a corresponding proportionate increase in the Borrower’s or such other Loan Party’s net revenue interest in such Property.

(b) All material leases and agreements necessary for the conduct of the business of the Loan Parties are valid and subsisting, in full force and effect, and there exists no default or event or circumstance which with the giving of notice or the passage of time or both would give rise to a default under any such leases or agreements, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(c) The rights and Properties presently owned, leased or licensed by each Loan Party including, without limitation, all easements and rights of way, include all rights and Properties necessary to permit each Loan Party to conduct its business in all material respects in the same manner as its business has been conducted prior to the date hereof.

(d) All of the Properties of the Loan Parties which are reasonably necessary for the operation of their businesses are in good working condition and are maintained in accordance with prudent business standards except for such failure as to condition or maintenance as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(e) Each Loan Party owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual Property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and such other Loan Parties does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Loan Parties either own or have valid licenses or other rights to use all databases, geological data, geophysical data, engineering data, seismic data, maps, interpretations and other technical information used in their businesses as presently conducted, subject to the limitations contained in the agreements governing the use of the same, which limitations are customary for companies engaged in the business of the exploration and production of Hydrocarbons, with such exceptions as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.17 Maintenance of Properties . Except for such acts or failures to act as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Oil and Gas Properties (and Properties unitized therewith) of the Loan Parties have been maintained, operated and developed in a good and workmanlike manner and in conformity with all Governmental Requirements and in conformity with the provisions of all leases, subleases or other contracts comprising a part of the Hydrocarbon Interests and other contracts and agreements forming a part of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties. Specifically in connection with the foregoing, except for those as could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) no Oil and Gas Property of the Loan Parties is subject to having allowable production reduced below the full and regular allowable (including the maximum permissible tolerance) because of any overproduction (whether or not the same was permissible at the time) and (ii) none of the wells comprising a part of the Oil and Gas Properties (or Properties unitized therewith) of the Loan Parties is deviated from the vertical more than the maximum permitted by Governmental Requirements, and such wells are, in fact, bottomed under and are producing from, and the well bores are wholly within, the Oil and Gas Properties (or in the case of wells located on Properties unitized therewith, such unitized Properties) of the Loan Parties. All pipelines, wells, gas processing plants, platforms and other material improvements, fixtures and equipment owned in whole or in part by the Loan Parties that are necessary to conduct normal operations are being maintained in a state adequate to conduct normal operations, and with respect to such of the foregoing which are operated by the Loan Parties, in a manner consistent with the Loan Parties’ past practices (other than those the failure of which to maintain in accordance with this Section  7.17 could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect).

 

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Section 7.18 Gas Imbalances, Prepayments . Except as set forth on Schedule 7.18 or on the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to Section 8.12(c) , on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments which would require the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to deliver Hydrocarbons produced from their Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor exceeding one-half bcf of gas (on an mcf equivalent basis) in the aggregate.

Section 7.19 Marketing of Production . Except for contracts listed and in effect on the date hereof on Schedule 7.19 , and thereafter either disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent or included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report (with respect to all of which contracts the Borrower represents that it or its Restricted Subsidiaries are receiving a price for all production sold thereunder which is computed substantially in accordance with the terms of the relevant contract and are not having deliveries curtailed substantially below the subject Property’s delivery capacity), no material agreements exist which are not cancelable on 60 days’ notice or less without penalty or detriment for the sale of production from the Borrower’s or the other Loan Parties’ Hydrocarbons (including, without limitation, calls on or other rights to purchase, production, whether or not the same are currently being exercised) that (a) pertain to the sale of production at a fixed price and (b) have a maturity or expiry date of longer than six (6) months from the date hereof.

Section 7.20 Swap Agreements and Qualified ECP Guarantor . Schedule 7.20 , as of the date hereof, and after the date hereof, each report required to be delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.01(e) , sets forth, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of the Borrower and each other Loan Party, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the net mark-to-market value thereof, all credit support agreements relating thereto and the counterparty to each such agreement. The Borrower has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 and is a Qualified ECP Guarantor.

Section 7.21 Use of Loans and Letters of Credit . The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit shall be used (a) on the Effective Date, to refinance certain existing Debt of the Loan Parties as set forth in Section 6.1(s) and to pay fees, commissions and expenses incurred in connection with the Transactions and (b) following the Effective Date, to provide working capital for exploration and production operations, for general corporate purposes (including, without limitation, financing Acquisitions and Investments, in each case to the extent permitted hereunder). The Loan Parties are not engaged principally, or as one of its or their important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation T, U or X of the Board). No part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit will be used whether on or following the Effective Date for any purpose which violates the provisions of Regulations T, U or X of the Board. No Letter of Credit will be used to post margin or collateral to secure any Loan Party’s obligations under any Swap Agreement with a Person other than a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.

 

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Section 7.22 Solvency . After giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby, (a) the aggregate assets (after giving effect to amounts that could reasonably be received by reason of indemnity, offset, insurance or any similar arrangement), at a fair valuation, of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, will exceed the aggregate Debt of the Loan Parties on a consolidated basis, as the Debt becomes absolute and matures, (b) each of the Loan Parties will not have incurred or intended to incur, and will not believe that it will incur, Debt beyond its ability to pay such Debt (after taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be received by each of the Borrower and the Guarantors and the amounts to be payable on or in respect of its liabilities, and giving effect to amounts that could reasonably be received by reason of indemnity, offset, insurance or any similar arrangement) as such Debt becomes absolute and matures and (c) each of the Loan Parties will not have (and will have no reason to believe that it will have thereafter) unreasonably small capital for the conduct of its business.

Section 7.23 Anti-Corruption Laws . Each Loan Party, and all directors, officers, agents, employees or Affiliates of the Loan Parties have conducted their business in accordance with Anti-Corruption Laws in all material respects and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures which are reasonably expected to achieve compliance with such Anti-Corruption Laws.

Section 7.24 OFAC . No Loan Party, nor to the knowledge of any Loan Party, any director, officer, employee, agent or Affiliate of a Loan Party, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (a) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions or (b) located, organized, resident or operating in a Designated Jurisdiction.

Section 7.25 No EEA Financial Institution . No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

Section 7.26 Corporate Reorganization Agreements . Set forth on Schedule 7.26 is a true, correct and complete list, as of the Effective Date, of all material agreements of the Borrower and each other Loan Party pertaining to the Corporate Reorganization.

ARTICLE VIII

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents then outstanding shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

Section 8.01 Financial Statements; Other Information . The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a) Annual Financial Statements . As soon as available, but in any event in accordance with then applicable law and not later than 15 days after annual financial statements are required to be delivered to the SEC, the Borrower’s audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year,

 

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all reported on by KPMG LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied; provided that the timely filing with the SEC of the Borrower’s annual report on Form 10-K will satisfy the reporting requirements of this Section 8.01(a) and (ii) unaudited segment balance sheets, audited segment statements of income and unaudited segment statements of cash flows as of the end of and for such year, which are derived from the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower.

(b) Quarterly Financial Statements . For each of the first three fiscal quarters of the Borrower’s fiscal year, as soon as available, but in any event in accordance with then applicable law and not later than 15 days after quarterly financial statements are required to be delivered to the SEC, the Borrower’s (i) unaudited consolidated balance sheets and related statements of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes; provided that the timely filing with the SEC of the Borrower’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q will satisfy the reporting requirements of this Section 8.01(b) and (ii) unaudited segment balance sheets, unaudited segment statements of income and unaudited segment statements of cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, which are derived from the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower.

(c) Certificate of Financial Officer – Compliance . Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) or Section 8.01(b) , a certificate of a Financial Officer in substantially the form of Exhibit D hereto (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 8.13(a) , Section 8.14(a) and Section  9.01 and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section  7.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate.

(d) Certificate of Financial Officer – Consolidating Information . If, at any time, all of the Consolidated Subsidiaries of the Borrower are not Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries, then concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) or Section 8.01(b) , a certificate of a Financial Officer setting forth consolidating and segment spreadsheets that show all Consolidated Unrestricted Subsidiaries and the eliminating entries, in such form as would be presentable to the auditors of the Borrower.

 

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(e) Certificate of Financial Officer – Swap Agreements . Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) and Section 8.01(b) and the delivery of each Reserve Report hereunder, a certificate of a Financial Officer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth as of a recent date, a reasonably detailed summary of the Swap Agreements to which any Loan Party is a party on such date, which summary shall include information that is sufficient (as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent) for purposes of determining the Borrowing Base hereunder including, without limitation, the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes).

(f) Certificate of Insurer – Insurance Coverage . Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) , a certificate of insurance coverage from each insurer with respect to the insurance required by Section  8.07 , in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, all copies of the applicable policies.

(g) Other Accounting Reports . Promptly upon receipt thereof, a copy of any “management letter” received by the Borrower or any of the Loan Parties by independent accountants that indicates, in the reasonable good faith judgment of the board of directors (or comparable governing body), as applicable, of the Borrower or any such other Loan Party, a material weakness in such Person’s internal controls or procedures and the management’s responses thereto.

(h) SEC and Other Filings; Reports to Shareholders . Promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Borrower or any other Loan Party with the SEC, or with any national or foreign securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its equityholders generally, as the case may be; provided that the timely filing with the SEC of any such materials or the posting of such documents (or providing a link thereto) on the Borrower’s or such other Loan Party’s website on the Internet at the Borrower’s or such other Loan Party’s website address will satisfy the reporting requirements of this Section 8.01(h) .

(i) Notices Under Material Instruments . Promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any financial statement, report or notice furnished to or by any Person pursuant to the terms of any preferred stock designation, indenture, loan or credit or other similar agreement, other than this Agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to any other provision of this Section  8.01 .

(j) Lists of Purchasers . Promptly following the written request of the Administrative Agent, a list of all Persons purchasing material quantities of Hydrocarbons from the Borrower or any other Loan Party.

(k) Notice of Sales of Oil and Gas Properties . In the event the Borrower or any other Loan Party intends to sell, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of any Oil or Gas Properties or any Equity Interests in any Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section  9.12 , prior written notice of such disposition, the price thereof and the anticipated date of closing and any other details thereof reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

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(l) Notice of Casualty Events . Prompt written notice, and in any event within five Business Days, of the occurrence of any Casualty Event or the commencement of any action or proceeding that could reasonably be expected to result in a Casualty Event.

(m) Issuance of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes . In the event the Borrower intends to issue Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, prior written notice of such intended offering of such Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, the amount thereof, and the anticipated date of closing and promptly when available will furnish a copy of the preliminary offering memorandum (if any) and the final offering memorandum (if any).

(n) Incurrence of Permitted Second Lien Debt . In the event any Loan Party intends to incur Permitted Second Lien Debt, prior written notice of such intended incurrence of such Permitted Second Lien Debt, the amount thereof, and the anticipated date of closing

(o) Information Regarding Borrower and Guarantors . Prompt written notice (and in any event within 30 days prior thereto) of any change (i) in the Borrower or any Guarantor’s corporate name or in any trade name used to identify such Person in the conduct of its business or in the ownership of its Properties, (ii) in the location of the Borrower’s or any Guarantor’s chief executive office or principal place of business, (iii) in the Borrower’s or any Guarantor’s identity or corporate structure or in the jurisdiction in which such Person is incorporated or formed, (iv) in the Borrower’s or any Guarantor’s jurisdiction of organization or such Person’s organizational identification number in such jurisdiction of organization, and (v) in the Borrower’s or any Guarantor’s federal taxpayer identification number.

(p) Production Report and Lease Operating Statements . Concurrently with the delivery of each Reserve Report required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8.12(a) , the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a report setting forth, for each calendar month during the then current fiscal year to date, the volume of production and sales attributable to production (and the prices at which such sales were made and the revenues derived from such sales) for each such calendar month from the Oil and Gas Properties of the Loan Parties, and setting forth the related ad valorem, severance and production taxes and lease operating expenses attributable thereto and incurred for each such calendar month.

(q) Notices of Certain Changes . Promptly, but in any event within five Business Days after the execution thereof, copies of any amendment, modification or supplement to any Organizational Document, any preferred stock designation or any other organic document of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

(r) Annual Budget and Updated Forecasted Financial Statements . Concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 8.01(a) , an annual budget of the Loan Parties in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and forecasts prepared by management of the Borrower of consolidated balance sheets and income statements for the Loan Parties on a quarterly basis for the first year following the year for which such financial statements are then being delivered under Section 8.01(a) and on an annual basis for each year thereafter during the term of this Agreement.

 

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(s) Notices Relating to an Acquisition . In the event that after the Effective Date: (i) WHE is required or elects to purchase any of the CWEI Assets which had been excluded from, or return any of the CWEI Acquisition Properties which had been included in, the CWEI Acquisition Properties in accordance with the terms of the CWEI Acquisition Documents, (ii) WHE is required to honor any preferential purchase right in respect of any CWEI Acquisition Property which has not been waived, (iii) any matter being disputed in accordance with the terms of the CWEI Acquisition Documents is resolved or (iv) WHE and the seller calculate and agree upon the “closing adjustment statement” or “post-closing adjustment statement” as contemplated by the CWEI Acquisition Documents, and, in each such case, in the event that the amount involved exceeds $40,000,000, then the Borrower shall promptly give the Administrative Agent notice in reasonable detail of such circumstances.

(t) Other Requested Information . Promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any other Loan Party (including, without limitation, any Plan and any reports or other information required to be filed with respect thereto under the Code or under ERISA), or compliance with the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

Section 8.02 Notices of Material Events . The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:

(a) the occurrence of any Default;

(b) the filing or commencement of, or the threat in writing of, any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or arbitration by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof not previously disclosed in writing to the Lenders or any material adverse development in any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or arbitration (whether or not previously disclosed to the Lenders) that, in either case, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties in an aggregate amount exceeding $500,000; and

(d) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice delivered under this Section  8.02 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

Section 8.03 Existence; Conduct of Business . The Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business and maintain, if necessary, its qualification to do business in each other jurisdiction in which its Oil and Gas Properties is located or the ownership of its Properties requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section  9.11 .

 

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Section 8.04 Payment of Obligations . The Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities of the Borrower and all of the other Loan Parties before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such other Loan Party has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or result in the seizure or levy of any material Property of the Borrower or any other Loan Party.

Section 8.05 Performance of Obligations under Loan Documents . The Borrower will pay the Notes according to the reading, tenor and effect thereof, and the Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, do and perform every act and discharge all of the obligations to be performed and discharged by it under the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, this Agreement, at the time or times and in the manner specified, taking into consideration any grace periods therein.

Section 8.06 Operation and Maintenance of Properties . The Borrower at its sole expense will, and will cause each other Loan Party to:

(a) operate its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties or cause such Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties to be operated in a careful and efficient manner in accordance with the practices of the industry and in compliance with all applicable contracts and agreements and in compliance with all Governmental Requirements, including, without limitation, applicable pro ration requirements and Environmental Laws, and all applicable laws, rules and regulations of every other Governmental Authority from time to time constituted to regulate the development and operation of its Oil and Gas Properties and the production and sale of Hydrocarbons and other minerals therefrom, except, in each case, where the failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(b) keep and maintain all Property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition (ordinary wear and tear excepted), preserve, maintain and keep in good repair, working order and efficiency (ordinary wear and tear and obsolescence excepted) all of its material Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties, including, without limitation, all equipment, machinery and facilities;

(c) promptly pay and discharge, or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be paid and discharged, all delay rentals, royalties, expenses and indebtedness accruing under the leases or other agreements affecting or pertaining to its Oil and Gas Properties and will do all other things necessary to keep materially unimpaired its rights with respect thereto and prevent any forfeiture thereof or default thereunder, except, in each case, where the failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

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(d) promptly perform, or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be performed, in accordance with industry standards, the obligations required by each and all of the assignments, deeds, leases, sub-leases, contracts and agreements affecting its interests in its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties, except, in each case, where the failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(e) operate its Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties or cause or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause such Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties to be operated in accordance with the practices of the industry and in material compliance with all applicable contracts and agreements and in compliance in all material respects with all Governmental Requirements; and

(f) to the extent that a Loan Party is not the operator of any Property, the Borrower shall use reasonable efforts to cause the operator to comply with this Section  8.06 .

Section 8.07 Insurance . The Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance (a) in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations and (b) in accordance with all Governmental Requirements. Within 30 days following the Effective Date, the loss payable clauses or provisions in said insurance policy or policies insuring any of the collateral for the Loans shall be endorsed in favor of and made payable to the Administrative Agent as “lender loss payee,” as its interests may appear and such policies shall name the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as “ additional insureds ” and provide that the insurer will endeavor to give at least 30 days prior notice of any cancellation to the Administrative Agent.

Section 8.08 Books and Records; Inspection Rights . The Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its Properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested.

Section 8.09 Compliance with Laws . The Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its Property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower will maintain in effect and enforce such policies and procedures, if any, as they reasonably deem appropriate, in light of their businesses and international activities (if any), to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and each of their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

 

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Section 8.10 Environmental Matters .

(a) The Borrower shall at its sole expense: (i) comply, and shall cause its Properties and operations and each other Loan Party and each other Loan Party’s Properties and operations to comply, with all applicable Environmental Laws, the violation of which could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) not Release or threaten to Release, and shall cause each Subsidiary not to Release or threaten to Release, any Hazardous Material on, under, about or from any of the Borrower’s or any other Loan Party’s Properties or any other property offsite the Property to the extent caused by the Borrower’s or any other Loan Party’s operations except in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, the Release or threatened Release of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) timely obtain or file, and shall cause each Subsidiary to timely obtain or file, all material Environmental Permits, if any, required under applicable Environmental Laws to be obtained or filed in connection with the operation or use of the Borrower’s or any other Loan Party’s Properties, which failure to obtain or file could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion, and shall cause each other Loan Party to promptly commence and diligently prosecute to completion, any assessment, evaluation, investigation, monitoring, containment, cleanup, removal, repair, restoration, remediation or other remedial obligations (collectively, the “ Remedial Work ”) in the event any Remedial Work is required or reasonably necessary by any Loan Party under applicable Environmental Laws because of or in connection with the actual or suspected past, present or future Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material on, under, about or from any of the Borrower’s or any other Loan Party’s Properties, which failure to commence and diligently prosecute to completion could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (v) conduct, and cause each other Loan Party to conduct, its operations and businesses in a prudent manner relative to the exposure of any Property or Person to Hazardous Materials that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for a material claim for damages or compensation; and (vi) establish and implement, and shall cause each other Loan Party to establish and implement, such procedures as may be necessary to continuously determine and assure that the Borrower’s and each other Loan Party’s obligations under this Section 8.10(a) are timely and fully satisfied, which failure to establish and implement could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) The Borrower will promptly, but in no event later than five Business Days after obtaining knowledge of the occurrence of a triggering event, notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in writing of any threatened action, investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Authority or any threatened demand or lawsuit by any Person against the Borrower or any other Loan Party or their Properties in connection with any Environmental Laws that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in liability (whether individually or in the aggregate) in excess of $5,000,000, not fully covered by insurance (subject to normal deductibles).

(c) The Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, provide environmental assessments, audits and tests in accordance with the most current version of the American Society of Testing Materials standards upon request by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and no more than once per year in the absence of any Event of Default (or as otherwise required to be obtained by any Governmental Authority), or in connection with any future Acquisitions; provided that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 8.10(c) , no boring, subsurface sampling or phase II environmental review shall be required with respect to any environmental assessments, audits or tests conducted pursuant to this Section 8.10(c) .

 

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Section 8.11 Further Assurances .

(a) The Borrower at its sole expense will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, promptly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent all such other documents, agreements and instruments reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to comply with, cure any defects or accomplish the conditions precedent, covenants and agreements of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, as the case may be, in the Loan Documents, including the Notes, or to further evidence and more fully describe the collateral intended as security for the Indebtedness, or to correct any omissions in this Agreement or the Security Instruments, or to state more fully the obligations secured therein, or to perfect, protect or preserve any Liens created pursuant to this Agreement or any of the Security Instruments or the priority thereof, or to make any recordings, file any notices or obtain any consents, all as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent, in connection therewith.

(b) The Borrower hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to file one or more financing or continuation statements, and amendments thereto, relative to all or any part of the Collateral without the signature of the Borrower or any Guarantor where permitted by law. A carbon, photographic or other reproduction of the Security Instruments or any financing statement covering the Collateral or any part thereof shall be sufficient as a financing statement where permitted by law. The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that any such financing statement may describe the collateral as “ all assets ” of the Borrower or any such Guarantor or words of similar effect as may be required by the Administrative Agent.

Section 8.12 Reserve Reports .

(a) On or before March 1 and September 1 of each year, commencing March 1, 2017, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report evaluating the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the Guarantors as of the immediately preceding January 1 and July 1. The Reserve Report as of July 1 of each year shall be prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower who shall certify (i) there are no statements or conclusions in such Reserve Report which are based upon or include misleading information or fail to take into account material information regarding the matters reported therein, it being understood that projections concerning volumes attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties and production and cost estimates contained in any Reserve Report are necessarily based upon professional opinions, estimates and projections and that the Borrower and the Guarantors do not warrant that such opinions, estimates and projections will ultimately prove to have been accurate, and (ii) that such Reserve Report has been prepared in accordance with the procedures used in the immediately preceding January 1 Reserve Report. The Reserve Report as of January 1 of each year shall be prepared by one or more Approved Petroleum Engineers.

(b) In the event of an Interim Redetermination, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower who shall certify such Reserve Report to be true and accurate and to have been prepared in accordance with the procedures used in the immediately preceding January 1 Reserve Report. For any Interim Redetermination requested by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.07(b) , the Borrower shall provide such Reserve Report with an “ as of ” date as required by the Administrative Agent as soon as possible, but in no event later than 30 days following the receipt of such request.

 

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(c) With the delivery of each Reserve Report, the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a certificate from a Responsible Officer certifying that in all material respects: (i) the information contained in the Reserve Report and any other information delivered in connection therewith is true and correct, (ii) the Borrower or a Guarantor owns good and defensible title to the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report and such Properties are free of all Liens except for Liens permitted by Section  9.03 , (iii) except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, on a net basis there are no gas imbalances, take or pay or other prepayments in excess of the volume specified in Section  7.18 with respect to its Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report which would require the Borrower or any of the Guarantors to deliver Hydrocarbons either generally or produced from such Oil and Gas Properties at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor, (iv) none of their Oil and Gas Properties have been sold since the date of the last Borrowing Base determination except as set forth on an exhibit to the certificate, which certificate shall list all of its Oil and Gas Properties sold and in such detail as reasonably required by the Administrative Agent, (v) attached to the certificate is a list of all marketing agreements entered into subsequent to the later of the date hereof or the most recently delivered Reserve Report which the Borrower could reasonably be expected to have been obligated to list on Schedule 7.19 had such agreement been in effect on the date hereof and (vi) attached thereto is a schedule of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that are Mortgaged Properties and demonstrating the percentage of the total value of the Borrower’s and the Guarantors’ Oil and Gas Properties that the value of such Mortgaged Properties represent in compliance with Section 8.14(a) .

Section 8.13 Title Information .

(a) On or before the delivery to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of each Reserve Report required by Section  8.12 , the Borrower will deliver title information in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent covering enough of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report that were not included in the immediately preceding Reserve Report, so that the Administrative Agent shall have received together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, satisfactory title information on at least 85% of the total value (as determined by the Administrative Agent based on the present value of the Proved Reserves attributable thereto using a 9% discount rate) of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report.

(b) If the Borrower has provided title information for additional Properties under Section 8.13(a) , the Borrower shall, within 90 days of notice from the Administrative Agent that material title defects or exceptions exist with respect to such additional Properties, either (i) cure any such material title defects or exceptions (including defects or exceptions as to priority) that do not constitute Excepted Liens pursuant to Section  9.03 , raised by such information, (ii) substitute acceptable Mortgaged Properties with no material title defects or exceptions except for Excepted Liens (other than Excepted Liens described in clauses (e), (g) and (i) of such definition) having an equivalent value, or (iii) deliver title information in form

 

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and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent so that the Administrative Agent shall have received, together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, satisfactory title information on at least 85% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report.

(c) If the Borrower fails to cure any material title defect requested by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to be cured within the 90-day period or the Borrower fails to comply with the requirements to provide acceptable title information covering 85% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recent Reserve Report, then notwithstanding Section 10.01(d) , such failure shall not be a Default, but instead the Administrative Agent and/or the Majority Lenders shall have the right to exercise the following remedy in their sole discretion from time to time, and any failure to so exercise this remedy at any time shall not be a waiver as to future exercise of the remedy by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders. To the extent that the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders are not satisfied with title to any such Oil and Gas Properties after the 90-day period has elapsed, such unacceptable Oil and Gas Properties shall not count towards the 85% requirement, and the Administrative Agent may send a notice to the Borrower and the Lenders that the Borrowing Base then in effect shall be reduced by an amount as determined by the Required Lenders to cause the Borrower to be in compliance with the requirement to provide acceptable title information on 85% of the value of the Oil and Gas Properties. This new Borrowing Base shall become effective immediately after receipt of such notice.

Section 8.14 Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors .

(a) In connection with each redetermination of the Borrowing Base, the Borrower shall review the Reserve Report and the list of current Mortgaged Properties (as described in Section 8.12(c)(vi) ) to ascertain whether the Mortgaged Properties represent at least 85% of the total value (as determined by the Administrative Agent based on the present value of the Proved Reserves attributable thereto using a 9% discount rate) of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recently completed Reserve Report after giving effect to exploration and production activities, acquisitions, dispositions and production. In the event that the Mortgaged Properties do not represent at least 85% of such total value, then the Borrower shall, and shall cause the Guarantors to, grant, within 30 days of delivery of the certificate required under Section 8.12(c) , to the Administrative Agent as security for the Indebtedness a first-priority Lien interest ( provided that Excepted Liens of the type described in clauses (a) to (d) and (f) of the definition thereof may exist, but subject to the provisos at the end of such definition) on additional Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the Guarantors not already subject to a Lien of the Security Instruments such that after giving effect thereto, the Mortgaged Properties will represent at least 85% of such total value. All such Liens will be created and perfected by and in accordance with the provisions of the Mortgages and financing statements or other Security Instruments, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and in sufficient executed (and acknowledged where necessary or appropriate) counterparts for recording purposes.

 

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(b) The Borrower shall cause each Restricted Subsidiary to unconditionally guaranty, on a joint and several basis, the prompt payment and performance of the Indebtedness pursuant to the Guaranty Agreement. In connection therewith, within 20 Business Days following any acquisition or creation (or similar event) of a new Restricted Subsidiary, the Borrower shall cause such Restricted Subsidiary, to (A) become a party to the Guaranty Agreement by executing and delivering an amendment or a supplement to the Guaranty Agreement in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent and (B) execute and deliver such other additional closing documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent.

(c) The Borrower will and will cause each Guarantor to grant to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties to secure the Indebtedness, a perfected, first-priority security interest in all of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower owned by the Borrower or such Guarantor. In the case of the Borrower and any Guarantor in existence on the Effective Date, such grant shall be effectuated by the Borrower and each Guarantor executing and delivering the Security Agreement on the Effective Date. In addition, within 20 Business Days following any acquisition or creation (or similar event) of a new Restricted Subsidiary, the Borrower shall, or shall cause the applicable Guarantor that owns Equity Interests in such Restricted Subsidiary to, execute and deliver an amendment or supplement to the Security Agreement to confirm the pledge all of the Equity Interests in such new Restricted Subsidiary. The Borrower will and will cause each Guarantor to also deliver to the Administrative Agent, together with or prior to its delivery of the Security Agreement on the Effective Date or any amendment or supplement thereto as set forth above, (A) original stock or equity certificates, if any, evidencing the Equity Interests of each Restricted Subsidiary owned by it, together with an appropriate undated stock power for each certificate duly executed in blank by the registered owner thereof or, if uncertificated, such other documents as may be reasonably required by the Administrative Agent to perfect the Administrative Agent’s Lien therein by “ control ” in accordance with the applicable Uniform Commercial Code (including, without limitation, Sections 8-106, 9-106 and 9-314 thereof) and (B) such other additional closing documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent.

(d) Subject to the foregoing clauses (a) and (c), the Borrower will at all times cause the other material tangible and intangible assets (other than Equity Interests in Unrestricted Subsidiaries) of the Borrower and each Guarantor to be subject to a Lien of the Security Instruments.

(e) The Borrower agrees that it will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, grant a Lien on any Property to secure the Permitted Second Lien Debt without contemporaneously granting to the Administrative Agent, as security for the Indebtedness, a first priority, perfected Lien (subject only to Excepted Liens) on the same Property pursuant to Security Instruments in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. In connection therewith, the Borrower shall, and will cause each other Loan Party to, execute and deliver such other additional closing documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent.

(f) Notwithstanding any provision in any of the Loan Documents to the contrary, in no event is any Building (as defined in the applicable Flood Insurance Regulations) or Manufactured (Mobile) Home (as defined in the applicable Flood Insurance Regulations) owned by the Borrower or any Guarantor included in the Mortgaged Property and no Building or

 

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Manufactured (Mobile) Home shall be encumbered by any Security Instrument; provided, that (A) the Borrower’s and Guarantors’ interests in all lands and Hydrocarbons situated under any such Building or Manufactured (Mobile) Home shall be included in the Mortgaged Property and shall be encumbered by the Security Instruments and (B) the Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, permit to exist any Lien on any Building or Manufactured (Mobile) Home except Excepted Liens.

Section 8.15 ERISA Compliance . The Borrower will promptly furnish and will cause the other Loan Parties and any ERISA Affiliate to promptly furnish to the Administrative Agent (i) promptly after the filing thereof with the United States Secretary of Labor or the Internal Revenue Service, copies of each annual and other report with respect to each Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, section 302 of ERISA, or section 412 of the Code or any trust created thereunder, and (ii) immediately upon becoming aware of the occurrence of any “ prohibited transaction, ” as described in section 406 of ERISA or in section 4975 of the Code, in connection with any Plan or any trust created thereunder that could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties in an aggregate amount exceeding $500,000 (when taken together with all other such prohibited transactions that have occurred within the preceding 12 months), a written notice signed by the President or the principal Financial Officer, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate, as the case may be, specifying the nature thereof, what action the Borrower, such other Loan Party or the ERISA Affiliate is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto, and, when known, any action taken or proposed by the Internal Revenue Service or the Department of Labor with respect thereto.

Section 8.16 Commodity Price Risk Management Policy . The Loan Parties shall maintain a commodity price risk management policy, which policy shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent; provided that such policy shall be subject to the review of the Administrative Agent no more than once every three years.

Section 8.17 Unrestricted Subsidiaries . The Borrower:

(a) will cause the management, business and affairs of each of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries to be conducted in such a manner (including, without limitation, by keeping separate books of account, furnishing separate financial statements of Unrestricted Subsidiaries to creditors and potential creditors thereof and by not permitting Properties of the Borrower and its respective Restricted Subsidiaries to be commingled) so that each Unrestricted Subsidiary that is a corporation will be treated as a corporate entity separate and distinct from the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries; and

(b) will not, and will not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, incur, assume, guarantee or be or become liable for any Debt of any of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

Section 8.18 Post-Closing Covenants .

(a) Not later than February 2, 2017 (or such later date as determined by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) mortgages and/or amendments to mortgages in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and in proper form for recording in each applicable jurisdiction, covering

 

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such Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report so that the Mortgaged Properties (after giving the filing of such mortgages and/or amendments to mortgages) represent at least 85% of the total value (as determined by the Administrative Agent based on the present value of the Proved Reserves attributable thereto using a 9% discount rate) of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report and (ii) to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, an opinion of local counsel to the Borrower in each jurisdiction where the mortgages or amendments to mortgages are to be recorded.

(b) Not later than April 18, 2017 (or such later date as determined by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), the Administrative Agent shall have received title information, reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth satisfactory title information on at least 85% of the total value (as determined by the Administrative Agent based on the present value of the Proved Reserves attributable thereto using a 9% discount rate) of the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by the Initial Reserve Report.

Section 8.19 Commodity Exchange Act Keepwell Provisions .

(a) The Borrower hereby guarantees the payment and performance of all Indebtedness of each Loan Party (other than the Borrower) and absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each Benefitting Guarantor in order for such Benefitting Guarantor to honor its obligations (without giving effect to Section 8.19(b) ) under the Guaranty Agreement and any other Security Instrument including obligations with respect to Swap Agreements ( provided, however , that the Borrower shall only be liable under this Section 8.19(a) for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 8.19(a) , or otherwise under this Agreement or any Loan Document, as it relates to such Benefitting Guarantor, voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations of the Borrower under this Section 8.19(a) shall remain in full force and effect until all Indebtedness is paid in full to the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and all other Secured Parties, and all of the Lenders’ Commitments are terminated. The Borrower intends that this Section 8.19(a) constitute, and this Section 8.19(a) shall be deemed to constitute, a “ keepwell, support, or other agreement ” for the benefit of each Benefitting Guarantor for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, Indebtedness guaranteed by any Guarantor, or secured by the grant of any Lien by such Guarantor under any Security Instrument, shall exclude all Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Guarantor.

Section 8.20 Accounts . No Loan Party will maintain any deposit account (other than an Excluded Account) with a financial institution that is not a Lender. All of the Accounts other than Excluded Accounts of the Loan Parties shall at all times be subject to an Account Control Agreement; provided, that in the case of any Account acquired pursuant to an acquisition permitted under Section 9.05 (and which was not formed in contemplation of such acquisition), so long as the Borrower provides the Administrative Agent with written notice of the existence of such Account within five (5) Business Days following the date of such acquisition (or such

 

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later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), the Borrower will have thirty (30) days (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion) to (i) transfer such account to an account with a Lender and (ii) subject such account to an Account Control Agreement.

Section 8.21 Minimum Hedging . At any time any Permitted Second Lien Debt is outstanding, the Borrower will maintain in full force and effect Swap Agreements in respect of commodities reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, covering aggregate notional volumes of not less than sixty percent (60%) of the reasonably anticipated projected production from Proved Developed Producing Oil and Gas Properties (as set forth on the most recently delivered Reserve Report) for the thirty-six (36) month period from the last day of the month in which such Permitted Second Lien Debt is outstanding.

ARTICLE IX

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder and all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents then outstanding have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

Section 9.01 Financial Covenants .

(a) Leverage Ratio . The Borrower will not, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter commencing with the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2017, permit the Borrower’s ratio of (i) Total Debt on such day to (ii) Consolidated EBITDAX for the Rolling Period ending on such day (the “ Leverage Ratio ”) to be greater than 4.00 to 1.00.

(b) Current Ratio . The Borrower will not permit, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter commencing with the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2017, the Borrower’s ratio of (i) consolidated current assets (including the unused amount of the total Commitments (but only to the extent that the Borrower is permitted to borrow such amount under the terms of this Agreement including, without limitation, Section  6.02 hereof), and excluding non-cash assets under ASC 815) to (ii) consolidated current liabilities (excluding non-cash obligations under ASC 815 and current maturities under this Agreement) of the Borrower to be less than 1.0 to 1.0.

Section 9.02 Debt . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, incur, create, assume or suffer to exist any Debt, except:

(a) the Notes or other Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents or any guaranty of or suretyship arrangement for the Notes or other Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents;

(b) accounts payable and accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of Property or services, from time to time incurred in the ordinary course of business which are not greater than 90 days past the date of invoice or delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate action and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP;

 

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(c) Debt under Capital Leases not to exceed $15,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding;

(d) Debt associated with bonds or surety obligations required by Governmental Requirements in connection with the operation of the Oil and Gas Properties;

(e) endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business;

(f) Permitted Second Lien Debt of the Borrower not to exceed $200,000,000 and guarantees thereof by any Loan Party, in each case, subject to the Intercreditor Agreement;

(g) Debt under Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes and guarantees thereof by any Loan Party;

(h) other Debt not to exceed $15,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding; and

(i) Debt of the Borrower or a Guarantor to the Borrower or any Guarantor.

Section 9.03 Liens . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any of its Properties (now owned or hereafter acquired), except:

(a) Liens securing the payment of any Indebtedness;

(b) Excepted Liens;

(c) Liens securing Capital Leases permitted by Section 9.02(c) but only on the Property under lease; and

(d) junior Liens on Collateral securing Permitted Second Lien Debt, provided that such Liens (i) are subordinate to the Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent securing the Indebtedness and (ii) are at all times subject to the Intercreditor Agreement.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the Liens permitted pursuant to this Section  9.03 (other than Liens securing the Indebtedness and Permitted Second Lien Debt and Excepted Liens) may at any time attach to any Equity Interests in Restricted Subsidiaries or to any Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Reserve Report used in the most recent determination of the Borrowing Base.

 

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Section 9.04 Dividends and Distributions; Repayment of Certain Debt; Amendments to Certain Debt Documents .

(a) Restricted Payments . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, return any capital to its stockholders or make any distribution of its Property to its Equity Interest holders, except:

(i) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of its Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital Stock);

(ii) Restricted Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends to Loan Parties ratably with respect to their Equity Interests;

(iii) the Loan Parties may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries; and

(iv) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments not to exceed $50,000,000 in any fiscal year; provided that (A) no Default or Event of Default exists or results therefrom, (B) immediately after giving effect to such repurchase, Availability shall not be less than 15% of the total Commitments at such time, and (C) the Leverage Ratio, on a pro forma basis, shall not be greater than 3.00 to 1.00 before and immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment.

(b) Repayment of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes; Amendment of Terms of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes Documents . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, prior to the date that is 180 days after the Maturity Date:

(i) call, make or offer to make any optional or voluntary Redemption of or otherwise optionally or voluntarily Redeem (whether in whole or in part) any Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, except that, so long as no Default exists, the Borrower may, substantially contemporaneously with its receipt of any cash proceeds from (A) any issuance of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, (B) any incurrence of Permitted Second Lien Debt or (C) any sale of Equity Interests in the Borrower (other than Disqualified Capital Stock), prepay or otherwise Redeem Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes in an amount equal to the amount of the net cash proceeds of such issuance of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, such incurrence of Permitted Second Lien Debt or such sale of Equity Interests of the Borrower; and

amend, modify, waive or otherwise change, consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms of the Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes Documents (except to the extent a new issuance of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, the proceeds of which were used to Redeem existing Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes or Permitted Second Lien Debt pursuant to the foregoing clause (i), would be permitted to have such terms as so amended, modified, waived or otherwise changed) if the effect thereof would be to (A) shorten its maturity or average life, (B)

 

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increase the amount of any payment of principal thereof, (C) increase the rate or shorten any period for payment of interest thereon, (D) modify or amend any financial covenant such that the resulting financial covenant is not contained in Section  9.01 (or incorporated herein by reference) or is more restrictive as to the Borrower than any financial covenant contained in Section  9.01 (or incorporated herein by reference) without this Agreement being contemporaneously amended to amend or add a similar provision, or (E) modify or amend any other covenant or event of default such that the resulting covenants and events of default in respect thereof, taken as a whole, are more restrictive with respect to the Loan Parties than the covenants and Events of Default in this Agreement without this Agreement being contemporaneously amended to amend or add a similar provision (as determined in good faith by senior management of the Borrower).

(c) Repayment of Permitted Second Lien Debt; Amendment of Terms of Permitted Second Lien Debt Documents . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, prior to the date that is 180 days after the Maturity Date:

(i) call, make or offer to make any optional or voluntary Redemption of or otherwise optionally or voluntarily Redeem (whether in whole or in part) any Permitted Second Lien Debt, except that, so long as no Default exists, the Borrower may, substantially contemporaneously with its receipt of any cash proceeds from (A) any issuance of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, (B) any incurrence of Permitted Second Lien Debt or (C) any sale of Equity Interests in the Borrower (other than Disqualified Capital Stock), prepay or otherwise Redeem Permitted Second Lien Debt in an amount equal to the amount of the net cash proceeds of such issuance of Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes, such incurrence of Permitted Second Lien Debt or such sale of Equity Interests of the Borrower; and

(ii) amend, modify, waive or otherwise change, consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms of the Permitted Second Lien Debt Documents (except to the extent a new issuance of Permitted Second Lien Debt, the proceeds of which were used to Redeem existing Permitted Second Lien Debt or Permitted Senior Unsecured Notes pursuant to the foregoing clause (i), would be permitted to have such terms as so amended, modified, waived or otherwise changed) if the effect thereof would be to (A) shorten its maturity or average life, (B) increase the amount of any payment of principal thereof, (C) increase the rate or shorten any period for payment of interest thereon, (D) modify or amend any financial covenant such that the resulting financial covenant is not contained in Section  9.01 (or incorporated herein by reference) or is more restrictive as to the Borrower than any financial covenant contained in Section  9.01 (or incorporated herein by reference) without this Agreement being contemporaneously amended to amend or add a similar provision, (E) modify or amend any other covenant or event of default such that the resulting covenants and events of default in respect thereof, taken as a whole, are more restrictive with respect to the Loan Parties than the covenants and Events of Default in this Agreement without this Agreement being contemporaneously amended to amend or add a similar provision (as determined in good faith by senior management of the Borrower), or (F) otherwise violate or conflict with the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

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Section 9.05 Investments and Loans . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, make or permit to remain outstanding any Investments in or to any Person or any intercompany loans, except that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to:

(a) Investments as of the Effective Date which are disclosed to the Lenders in Schedule 9.05 ;

(b) accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business and promissory notes received in settlement of any such accounts receivable;

(c) direct obligations of the United States or any agency thereof, or obligations guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof, in each case maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof;

(d) commercial paper maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof having a rating of at least P-2 or A-2 from either Moody’s or S&P, respectively;

(e) deposits maturing within one year from the date of creation thereof with, including certificates of deposit issued by, any Lender or any office located in the United States of any other bank or trust company which is organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, has capital, surplus and undivided profits aggregating at least $100,000,000 (as of the date of such bank or trust company’s most recent financial reports) and has a short term deposit rating of no lower than A2 or P2, as such rating is set forth from time to time, by S&P or Moody’s, respectively;

(f) deposits in money market funds investing not less than 90% of their assets in Investments described in Section 9.05(c) , Section 9.05(d) or Section 9.05(e) ;

(g) Investments (i) made by the Borrower in or to any of the Guarantors including any Person who, contemporaneously with the making of such Investment, becomes a Guarantor, (ii) made by any Restricted Subsidiary in or to the Borrower or any Guarantor, and (iii) in an aggregate amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed $15,000,000, made by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in or to all other Restricted Subsidiaries which are not Guarantors;

(h) Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries not to exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate at any time; and

(i) other Investments not to exceed $15,000,000 in the aggregate at any time.

Section 9.06 Nature of Business; No International Operations . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, allow any material change to be made in the character of its business as an independent oil and gas exploration and production company. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of the other Loan Parties to, acquire or make any other expenditure (whether such expenditure is capital, operating or otherwise) in or related to, any Oil and Gas Properties not located within the geographical boundaries of the United States.

 

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Section 9.07 Limitation on Leases . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any obligation for the payment of rent or hire of Property of any kind whatsoever (real or personal but excluding Capital Leases to the extent such Capital Leases do not go beyond the value and terms of the leased property and leases of Hydrocarbon Interests), under leases or lease agreements which would cause the aggregate amount of all payments made by the Borrower and the other Loan Parties pursuant to all such leases or lease agreements, including, without limitation, any residual payments at the end of any lease, to exceed $15,000,000 in any period of twelve consecutive calendar months during the life of such leases.

Section 9.08 Proceeds of Notes . The Borrower will not permit the proceeds of the Notes to be used for any purpose other than those described in the first sentence of Section  7.21 . Neither the Borrower nor any Person acting on behalf of the Borrower has taken or will take any action which might cause any of the Loan Documents to violate Regulations T, U or X or any other regulation of the Board or to violate Section 7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation thereunder, in each case as now in effect or as the same may hereinafter be in effect. If requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender a statement to the foregoing effect in conformity with the requirements of FR Form U-1 or such other form referred to in Regulation U, Regulation T or Regulation X of the Board, as the case may be.

Section 9.09 ERISA Compliance . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, at any time:

(a) engage in, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to engage in, any transaction in connection with which the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate could be subjected to either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to subsections (c), (i) or (l) of section 502 of ERISA or a tax imposed by Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code;

(b) terminate, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to terminate, any Plan in a manner, or take any other action with respect to any Plan, which could result in any liability of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate to the PBGC;

(c) fail to make, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to fail to make, full payment when due of all amounts which, under the provisions of any Plan, agreement relating thereto or applicable law, the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate is required to pay as contributions thereto;

(d) permit to exist, or allow any ERISA Affiliate to permit to exist, any accumulated funding deficiency within the meaning of section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, with respect to any Plan;

(e) permit, or allow any ERISA Affiliate to permit, the actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under any Plan maintained by the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate which is regulated under Title IV of ERISA to materially exceed the current value of the assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities such that a determination would result that any

 

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Plan is, or is expected to be, in “ at risk ” status (as defined in Section 303(i)(4) of ERISA or Section 430(i)(4) of the Code); provided that the term “ actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities ” shall have the meaning specified in section 4041 of ERISA;

(f) contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, any Multiemployer Plan;

(g) acquire, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to acquire, an interest in any Person that causes such Person to become an ERISA Affiliate with respect to the Borrower or any other Loan Party or with respect to any ERISA Affiliate of the Borrower or any other Loan Party if such Person sponsors, maintains or contributes to, or at any time in the six-year period preceding such acquisition has sponsored, maintained, or contributed to, (1) any Multiemployer Plan, or (2) any other Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA under which the actuarial present value of the benefit liabilities under such Plan materially exceeds the current value of the assets (computed on a plan termination basis in accordance with Title IV of ERISA) of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities such that a determination would result that any Plan is, or is expected to be, in “ at risk ” status (as defined in Section 303(i)(4) of ERISA or Section 430(i)(4) of the Code);

(h) incur, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to incur, a liability to or on account of a Plan under sections 515, 4062, 4063, 4064, 4201 or 4204 of ERISA;

(i) contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to contribute to or assume an obligation to contribute to, any employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in section 3(1) of ERISA, including, without limitation, any such plan maintained to provide benefits to former employees of such entities, that may not be terminated by such entities in their sole discretion at any time without any material liability; or

(j) amend, or permit any ERISA Affiliate to amend, a Plan resulting in an increase in current liability such that the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate is required to provide security to such Plan under section 401(a)(29) of the Code.

Section 9.10 Sale or Discount of Receivables . Except for receivables obtained by the Loan Parties out of the ordinary course of business or the settlement of joint interest billing accounts in the ordinary course of business or discounts granted to settle collection of accounts receivable or the sale of defaulted accounts arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the compromise or collection thereof and not in connection with any financing transaction, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, discount or sell (with or without recourse) any of its notes receivable or accounts receivable.

Section 9.11 Mergers, Etc . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, merge into or with or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its Property to any other Person (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) (any such transaction, a “ consolidation ”) or liquidate, wind-up or dissolve (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution), terminate or discontinue

 

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its business; provided that so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, or would result after giving effect thereto, (a) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower may participate in a consolidation with any other Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower, provided, that if any such consolidation involves a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Guarantor and another Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, the Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Guarantor shall be the surviving Person, and (b) the Borrower may participate in a consolidation with any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower so long as the Borrower is the surviving Person.

Section 9.12 Sale of Properties . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, sell, assign, farm-out, convey or otherwise transfer any Property except for:

(a) the sale of Hydrocarbons in the ordinary course of business;

(b) farmouts of undeveloped acreage and assignments in connection with such farmouts;

(c) the sale or transfer of equipment that is no longer necessary for the business of the Loan Party or is replaced by equipment of at least comparable value and use;

(d) sales or other dispositions (including Casualty Events and events that would, but for their magnitude, constitute Casualty Events), other than as provided in clauses (a) through (c) or (e), of Oil and Gas Properties or any interest therein or Restricted Subsidiaries owning Oil and Gas Properties; provided that (i) the consideration received in respect of such sale or other disposition shall be equal to or greater than the fair market value of the Oil and Gas Property, interest therein or Restricted Subsidiary subject of such sale or other disposition (in each case, as reasonably determined by the Borrower and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying to that effect), (ii) not less than (A) 75% of the proceeds of such sale or other disposition of Oil and Gas Property, if to a Person other than an Affiliate, shall be in cash and (B) 50% of the proceeds of such sale or other disposition of Oil and Gas Property, if to an Affiliate, shall be in cash, provided that, if less than 75% of the proceeds of any such sale or disposition are in cash, the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the covenants set forth in Section  9.01 both before and after giving effect to such sale or disposition, (iii) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from such sale or disposition, as applicable, (iv) if such sale or disposition would result in an automatic redetermination of the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.07(f) , the Borrower delivers reasonable prior written notice thereof to the Administrative Agent, (v) if a Borrowing Base Deficiency would result from such sale or disposition as a result of an automatic redetermination of the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.07(f) , the Borrower prepays Borrowings, prior to or contemporaneously with the consummation of such sale or disposition, to the extent that such prepayment would have been required under Section 3.04(c)(iii) after giving effect to such automatic redetermination of the Borrowing Base, and (vi) if any such sale or other disposition is of a Restricted Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties, such sale or other disposition shall include all the Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary; and

 

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(e) sales and other dispositions of Properties not regulated by Section 9.12(a) to (d)  having a fair market value not to exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate during any 12-month period.

For the sake of clarity, the forfeiture of all or any portion of any lease as the result of a decision by any Loan Party not to drill any well or take any other action necessary to maintain such lease in full force and effect is not a sale or other disposition which is subject to this Section  9.12 .

Section 9.13 Environmental Matters . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, cause or permit any of its Property to be in violation of, or do anything or permit anything to be done which will subject any such Property to a Release or threatened Release of Hazardous Materials, exposure to any Hazardous Materials, or to any Remedial Work, under any Environmental Laws, assuming disclosure to the applicable Governmental Authority of all relevant facts, conditions and circumstances, if any, pertaining to such Property where such violations, Release or threatened Release, exposure, or Remedial work could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.14 Transactions with Affiliates . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, enter into any transaction, including, without limitation, any purchase, sale, lease or exchange of Property or the rendering of any service, with any Affiliate (other than the Guarantors and, in the case of any Loan Party other than the Borrower, the Borrower) unless such transactions are otherwise permitted under this Agreement and are upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to it than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate; provided that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to: (a) reasonable and customary fees paid to members of the board of directors (or comparable governing body) of the Borrower or the Loan Parties, (b) compensation arrangements for directors (or the members of the comparable governing body), officers and other employees of the Borrower or the Loan Parties entered into in the ordinary course of business, (c) transactions approved by the independent directors (or the independent members of the comparable governing body) or the conflicts committee of the board of directors (or comparable governing body) of the Borrower, (d) Investments by a Loan Party in an Unrestricted Subsidiary permitted by Section 9.05(h) , (e) Investments permitted by Section 9.05(i) , (f) the Transition Services Agreement, and (g) the transactions listed on Schedule 9.14 .

Section 9.15 Subsidiaries . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, create or acquire any additional Restricted Subsidiary or redesignate an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary unless such subsidiary is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary and the Borrower gives written notice to the Administrative Agent of such creation or acquisition and complies with Section  8.14 . The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, sell, assign or otherwise dispose of any Equity Interests in any Restricted Subsidiary except in compliance with Section  9.12 . Neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary shall have any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary.

Section 9.16 Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any contract, agreement or understanding (other than this Agreement, the Security Instruments, the Second Lien Debt Documents and Capital Leases creating Liens permitted by Section 9.03(c) )

 

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which in any way prohibits or restricts the granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien on any of its Property in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties or, except for restrictions substantially no more restrictive than those in Section 9.04(a) hereof, restricts any Restricted Subsidiary from paying dividends or making distributions to the Borrower or any Guarantor, or which, except for dividend or distribution restrictions as aforesaid, requires the consent of or notice to other Persons in connection therewith.

Section 9.17 Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, allow gas imbalances, take-or-pay or other prepayments with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower or any other Loan Party that would require the Borrower or such other Loan Party to deliver Hydrocarbons at some future time without then or thereafter receiving full payment therefor to exceed three bcf of gas (on an mcf equivalent basis) in the aggregate.

Section 9.18 Swap Agreements .

(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, enter into any Swap Agreements with any Person other than:

(i) Swap Agreements in respect of commodities (A) with an Approved Counterparty and (B) the notional volumes for which (when aggregated with other commodity Swap Agreements then in effect other than (x) basis differential swaps on volumes already hedged pursuant to other Swap Agreements and (y) Swap Agreements which have the effect of eliminating some or all of the hedging of volumes already hedged pursuant to other Swap Agreements) do not exceed, as of the date such Swap Agreement is executed, (1) for the first 24 months after the date of execution of such Swap Agreement (the “ First Measurement Period ”), 100% and (2) for the first 36 months immediately following the First Measurement Period, 75%, in each case, of the reasonably anticipated projected production (assuming no curtailment or interruption of transportation for such anticipated production) from proved Oil and Gas Properties included in the most recent Reserve Report for each month during the period during which such Swap Agreement is in effect for each of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, (which, in the case of natural gas liquids, may be hedged with Swap Agreements for crude oil), each calculated separately,

(ii) Swap Agreements that would be permitted by clause (i) hereof pertaining to Oil and Gas Properties to be acquired pursuant to a Specified Acquisition; provided that Swap Agreements pursuant to this Section 9.18(a)(ii) must be Liquidated upon the earlier to occur of: (A) the date that is 90 days after the execution of the purchase and sale agreement relating to the Specified Acquisition to the extent that such Specified Acquisition has not been consummated by such date, (B) any Loan Party knows with reasonable certainty that the Specified Acquisition will not be consummated, and (C) in the case of any Affiliated Acquisition, the date that is 20 days following the date any Loan Party enters into any such Swap Agreement with respect to the expected production from the Oil and Gas Properties to be acquired in such Affiliated Acquisition if, as of such date, no binding and enforceable purchase and sale agreement has been entered into by and between a Loan Party and an Affiliate thereof (other than another Loan Party) with respect to such Affiliated Acquisition,

 

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(iii) Swap Agreements in respect of interest rates with an Approved Counterparty, as follows: (A) Swap Agreements effectively converting interest rates from fixed to floating, the notional amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Swap Agreements of the Loan Parties then in effect effectively converting interest rates from fixed to floating) do not exceed 100% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Loan Parties’ Debt for borrowed money which bears interest at a fixed rate and (B) Swap Agreements effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed, the notional amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Swap Agreements of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties then in effect effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed) do not exceed 100% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Loan Parties’ Debt for borrowed money which bears interest at a floating rate, and

(iv) Swap Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of the Loan Parties’ business in respect of Emission Credits; provided that the aggregate amount that is owing but unpaid by the Loan Parties under all such Swap Agreements shall not exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate at any time.

(b) In no event shall any Swap Agreement contain any requirement, agreement or covenant for a Loan Party to post collateral or margin to secure their obligations under such Swap Agreement or to cover market exposures.

(c) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of the other Loan Parties to, incur or permit to exist any speculative Swap Agreements or any Swap Agreements in respect of commodities with a tenor in excess of 60 months.

(d) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, Liquidate any Swap Agreement in respect of commodities unless (x) if such Swap Liquidation would result in an automatic redetermination of the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.07(f) , the Borrower delivers reasonable prior written notice thereof to the Administrative Agent, and (y) if a Borrowing Base Deficiency would result from such Swap Liquidation as a result of an automatic redetermination of the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.07(f) , the Borrower prepays Borrowings, prior to or contemporaneously with the consummation of such Swap Liquidation to the extent that such prepayment would have been required under Section 3.04(c)(iv) after giving effect to such automatic redetermination of the Borrowing Base.

(e) For purposes of Section 9.18(a)(i) ,the reasonably anticipated projected production from the Loan Parties’ proved Oil and Gas Properties included in the most recent Reserve Report delivered pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed to include any increase therein anticipated based on information obtained by the Loan Parties and delivered to the Administrative Agent subsequent to the publication of such Reserve Report, including the Loan Parties’ internal forecasts of (i) additions to anticipated future production from new wells and (ii) completed acquisitions coming on stream; provided that any such supplemental information shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

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Section 9.19 Amendments to Certain Documents . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, amend, modify or supplement the Transition Services Agreement, any Corporate Reorganization Agreement or any CWEI Acquisition Document if, in any case, the effect thereof could reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the Lenders or in contravention of the Loan Documents or any Governmental Requirement (and, in any case, the Borrower shall promptly furnish to the Administrative Agent a copy of any such amendment, modification or supplement).

Section 9.20 Marketing Activities .

(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, engage in marketing activities for any Hydrocarbons or enter into any contracts related thereto other than (i) contracts for the sale of Hydrocarbons scheduled or reasonably estimated to be produced from their proved Oil and Gas Properties during the period of such contract, (ii) contracts for the sale of Hydrocarbons scheduled or reasonably estimated to be produced from proved Oil and Gas Properties of third parties during the period of such contract associated with the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties that the Borrower or one of the other Loan Parties has the right to market pursuant to joint operating agreements, unitization agreements or other similar contracts that are usual and customary in the oil and gas business and (iii) other contracts for the purchase and/or sale of Hydrocarbons of third parties (A) which have generally offsetting provisions (i.e. corresponding pricing mechanics, delivery dates and points and volumes) such that no “position” is taken and (B) for which appropriate credit support has been taken to alleviate the material credit risks of the counterparty thereto.

(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any other Loan Party to, amend in any material respect the written Hydrocarbon Marketing Policy delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.01(p) without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Majority Lenders.

Section 9.21 Sale and Leaseback . The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any other Loan Party to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby it shall sell or transfer any Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such Property which it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the Property being sold or transferred.

Section 9.22 Amendments to Organizational Documents; Changes in Fiscal Year End .

(a) The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any other Loan Party to, amend, supplement or otherwise modify (or permit to be amended, supplemented or modified) its Organizational Documents in any manner that would be adverse to the Lenders in any material respect.

(b) The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any other Loan Party to, change the last day of its fiscal year from December 31 of each year, or the last days of the first three fiscal quarters in each of its fiscal years from March 31, June 30 and September 30 of each year, respectively

 

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Section 9.23 Non-Eligible Contract Participants . The Borrower shall not permit any Loan Party that is not an Eligible Contract Participant to own, at any time, any Oil and Gas Properties or any Equity Interests in any Subsidiaries.

Section 9.24 Designation and Conversion of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries .

(a) Unless designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary on Schedule 7.14 as of the date hereof or thereafter, assuming compliance with Section 9.24(b) , any Person that becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary) shall be classified as a Restricted Subsidiary. Any Person that becomes a Subsidiary of any Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be automatically classified as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

(b) The Borrower may designate by written notification thereof to the Administrative Agent, any Restricted Subsidiary, including a newly formed or newly acquired Subsidiary (other than any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary), as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if (i) prior, and after giving effect, to such designation, neither a Default nor a Borrowing Base Deficiency would exist and (ii) such designation is deemed to be a cash Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount equal to the fair market value as of the date of such designation of the Borrower’s direct and indirect ownership interest in such Subsidiary and such Investment would be permitted to be made at the time of such designation under Section 9.05(h) or Section 9.05(i) . Except as provided in this Section 9.24(b) , no Restricted Subsidiary may be redesignated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

(c) The Borrower may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary if after giving effect to such designation, (i) the representations and warranties of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries contained in each of the Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of such date as if made on and as of the date of such redesignation (or, if stated to have been made expressly as of an earlier date, were true and correct as of such date), (ii) no Default would exist and (iii) the Borrower complies with the requirements of Section  8.14 , Section  8.17 and Section  9.15 . Any such designation shall be treated as a cash dividend in an amount equal to the lesser of the fair market value of the Borrower’s direct and indirect ownership interest in such Subsidiary or the amount of the Borrower’s cash investment previously made for purposes of the limitation on Investments under Section 9.05(h) or Section 9.05(i) .

Section 9.25 Sanctions . The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any other Loan Party, to directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of any Borrowing or any Letter of Credit, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other individual or entity, (a) to fund any activities of or business with any individual or entity, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, (b) in any manner that will result in a violation by any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Arranger, Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank, or otherwise) of Sanctions, or (c) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws.

 

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ARTICLE X

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

Section 10.01 Events of Default . The occurrence of one or more of the following events shall constitute an “ Event of Default ”:

(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof, by acceleration or otherwise;

(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in Section 10.01(a) ) payable under any Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five days;

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party in or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification of any Loan Document or waiver under such Loan Document, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;

(d) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 8.01(i) , Section 8.01(o) , Section  8.02 , Section  8.03 , Section  8.13 (for clarity, taking into consideration Section 8.13(c) ), Section  8.14 , Section  8.18 , Section  8.20 or in Article IX of this Agreement;

(e) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in Section 10.01(a) , Section 10.01(b) , Section 10.01(c) or Section 10.01(d) ) or any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after the earlier to occur of (A) notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) or (B) a Responsible Officer of the Borrower or such other Loan Party otherwise becoming aware of such default;

(f) any Loan Party shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable;

(g) (i) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or (ii) any event or condition (other than a “ termination event ” as set forth in Sections 5(b)(1), 5(b)(2), 5(b)(3) and 5(b)(4) of the 1992 ISDA Master Agreement form of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association or in Sections 5(b)(1), 5(b)(2), 5(b)(3), 5(b)(4) and 5(b)(5) of the 2002 ISDA Master Agreement form of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association) that enables or permits (after giving effect to all applicable notice and cure periods) the holder or holders of any Material

 

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Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the Redemption thereof or any offer to Redeem to be made in respect thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity or require the Borrower or any other Loan Party to make an offer in respect thereof;

(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Debtor Relief Law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any other Loan Party or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

(i) any Loan Party shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Debtor Relief Law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in Section 10.01(h) , (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any other Loan Party or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing; or any stockholder of the Borrower shall make any request or take any action for the purpose of calling a meeting of the equityholders of the Borrower to consider a resolution to dissolve and wind-up the Borrower’s affairs;

(j) any Loan Party shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

(k) (i) one or more final, non-appealable judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $15,000,000 (to the extent not covered by independent third party insurance provided by insurers of the highest claims paying rating or financial strength as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage and is not subject to an insolvency proceeding) or (ii) any one or more final, non-appealable non-monetary judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, shall be rendered against any Loan Party or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 60 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of any Loan Party to enforce any such judgment;

(l) the Loan Documents after delivery thereof shall for any reason, except to the extent permitted by the terms thereof, cease to be in full force and effect and valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with their terms against any Loan Party party thereto, or shall be repudiated by any of them, or cease to create a valid and perfected Lien of the priority required thereby on any material part of the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, except to the extent permitted by the terms of this Agreement, or the Borrower or any other Loan Party or any of their Affiliates shall so state in writing;

 

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(m) a Change in Control shall occur;

(n) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Majority Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $10,000,000 for all periods; or

(o) the Borrower shall cease to be a reporting company under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute or the Equity Interests of the Borrower shall cease to be listed on a nationally recognized stock exchange.

Section 10.02 Remedies .

(a) In the case of an Event of Default other than one described in Section 10.01(h) , Section 10.01(i) or Section 10.01(j) , at any time thereafter during the continuance of such Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Majority Lenders, shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Notes and the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors accrued hereunder and under the Notes and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided in Section 2.08(j) ), shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of acceleration or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and each Guarantor; and in case of an Event of Default described in Section 10.01(h) , Section 10.01(i) or Section 10.01(j) , the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the Notes and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and the other obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantors accrued hereunder and under the Notes and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, the payment of cash collateral to secure the LC Exposure as provided in Section 2.08(j) ), shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower and each Guarantor.

(b) In the case of the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders will have all other rights and remedies available at law and equity.

(c) All proceeds realized from the liquidation or other disposition of Collateral or otherwise received after maturity of the Loans, whether by acceleration or otherwise, shall be applied:

(i) first , to payment or reimbursement of that portion of the Indebtedness constituting fees, expenses and indemnities payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

 

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(ii) second , pro rata to payment or reimbursement of that portion of the Indebtedness constituting fees, expenses and indemnities payable to the Lenders;

(iii) third , pro rata to payment of accrued interest on the Loans;

(iv) fourth , pro rata to payment of principal outstanding on the Loans, LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time and Indebtedness referred to in clause (b) of the definition of Indebtedness owing to a Secured Swap Provider;

(v) fifth , pro rata to any other Indebtedness;

(vi) sixth , to serve as cash collateral to be held by the Administrative Agent to secure the remaining LC Exposure; and

(vii) seventh , any excess, after all of the Indebtedness shall have been indefeasibly paid in full in cash, shall be paid to the Borrower or as otherwise required by any Governmental Requirement.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, amounts received from the Borrower or any Guarantor that is not an Eligible Contract Participant shall not be applied to any Excluded Swap Obligations owing to a Secured Swap Provider (it being understood, that in the event that any amount is applied to Indebtedness other than Excluded Swap Obligations as a result of this clause, the Administrative Agent shall make such adjustments as it determines are appropriate to distributions pursuant to clause fourth above from amounts received from Eligible Contract Participants to ensure, as nearly as possible, that the proportional aggregate recoveries with respect to Indebtedness described in clause fourth above by Secured Swap Providers that are the holders of any Excluded Swap Obligations are the same as the proportional aggregate recoveries with respect to other Indebtedness pursuant to clause fourth above).

ARTICLE XI

THE AGENTS

Section 11.01 Appointment and Authority .

(a) Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints Wells Fargo to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article XI are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, and neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

 

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(b) The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “ collateral agent ” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Secured Swap Provider and a potential Bank Products Provider) and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of such Lender and the Issuing Bank for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on the Collateral granted by any of the Loan Parties to secure any of the Indebtedness, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section  11.05 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Security Instruments, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article XI and Article XII (including Section 12.03(c) , as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.

Section 11.02 Rights as a Lender . The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

Section 11.03 Exculpatory Provisions . The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

 

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(d) shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.02 and 12.02 ) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the Issuing Bank.

(e) shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Security Instruments, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article VI or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

Section 11.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent . The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the Issuing Bank unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the Issuing Bank prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

Section 11.05 Delegation of Duties . The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions

 

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of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

Section 11.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent .

(a) (1) the Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower and (2) if the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender in such Person’s capacity as a Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Majority Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person, remove such Person as Administrative Agent. Upon receipt by the relevant parties of any such notice of resignation or removal, the Majority Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Majority Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Majority Lenders) (the “ Resignation Effective Date ”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

(b) With effect from the Resignation Effective Date (1) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the Issuing Bank directly, until such time, if any, as the Majority Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section  12.05 with respect to Section  5.03 and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date), and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section) . The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other

 

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Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

Section 11.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders . Each Lender and the Issuing Bank acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and the Issuing Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder. The Agents shall not be required to keep themselves informed as to the performance or observance by the Borrower or any of the other Loan Parties of this Agreement, the Loan Documents or any other document referred to or provided for herein or to inspect the Properties or books of the Borrower or the other Loan Parties. Each Lender acknowledges that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is acting in this transaction as special counsel to the Administrative Agent only. Each other party hereto will consult with its own legal counsel to the extent that it deems necessary in connection with the Loan Documents and the matters contemplated therein.

Section 11.08 No Other Duties, Etc . Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Arrangers, Syndication Agent or Documentation Agents shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the Issuing Bank hereunder.

Section 11.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding . In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or LC Exposure shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, LC Exposures and all other Indebtedness that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent under Sections  3.05 and 12.03 ) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

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and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the Issuing Bank to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, if the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections  3.05 and 12.03 .

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the Issuing Bank any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Indebtedness or the rights of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the Issuing Bank or in any such proceeding.

The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Majority Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Indebtedness (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Indebtedness pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Indebtedness owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Indebtedness with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (ii) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Majority Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Majority Lenders contained in Section 12.02(b) , (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to assign the relevant Indebtedness to any such acquisition vehicle pro rata by the Lenders, as a result of which each of the Lenders shall be deemed to have received a pro rata portion of any Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by such an acquisition vehicle on account of the assignment of the Indebtedness to be credit bid, all without the need for any Secured Party or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (iv) to the extent that Indebtedness that is assigned to an acquisition vehicle is not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Indebtedness assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Indebtedness shall automatically be reassigned to the

 

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Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Indebtedness that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.

Section 11.10 Collateral and Guaranty Matters . Without limiting the provision of Section  11.09 , each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Bank Products Provider and a potential Secured Swap Provider) and the Issuing Bank irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion:

(a) to release any Lien on any Property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Commitments and payment in full of all Indebtedness (other than (A) contingent indemnification obligations and (B) obligations and liabilities under agreements by the Borrower or any Guarantor with Bank Products Providers and Secured Swap Providers as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Bank Products Provider or Secured Swap Provider shall have been made) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank shall have been made), (ii) that is sold or otherwise disposed of or to be sold or otherwise disposed of as part of or in connection with any sale or other disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document to a Person that is not the Borrower or a Guarantor (including, without limitation, any Property of a Restricted Subsidiary that is redesignated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 9.24(b) ), or (iii) if approved, authorized or ratified in writing in accordance with Section  12.02 ;

(b) to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty Agreement if such Person ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents; and

(c) to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 9.03(c) .

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Majority Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty Agreement pursuant to this Section  11.10 . In each case as specified in this Section  11.10 , the Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the release of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Security Instruments or to subordinate its interest in such item, or to release such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty Agreement, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section  11.10 .

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by any Loan Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

 

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Section 11.11 Secured Bank Products Agreements and Secured Swap Agreements . The benefit of the Security Instruments and of the provisions of this Agreement relating to any collateral securing the Indebtedness shall also extend to and be available to the Secured Swap Providers with respect to any Swap Agreement including any Swap Agreement in existence prior to the date hereof, but excluding any additional transactions or confirmations entered into (a) after such Secured Swap Provider ceases to be a Secured Swap Provider or (b) after assignment by a Secured Swap Provider to a Person who is not, at the time of such assignment, a Secured Swap Provider. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein or in any Security Instrument, no Bank Products Provider or Secured Swap Provider that obtains the benefits of Section 10.02(c), the Guaranty Agreement or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or of the Guaranty Agreements or any Security Instrument shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article XI to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Indebtedness arising under agreements by any Loan Party with Bank Products Providers and Secured Swap Providers unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such Indebtedness, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Bank Products Provider or Secured Swap Provider, as the case may be.

Section 11.12 Action by Administrative Agent . In all cases the Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary power hereunder or under any other Loan Documents unless it shall (a) receive written instructions from the Majority Lenders or the Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section  12.02 ) specifying the action to be taken and (b) be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expenses which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The instructions as aforesaid and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto by the Administrative Agent shall be binding on all of the Lenders. If a Default has occurred and is continuing, then the Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default as shall be directed by the requisite Lenders in the written instructions (with indemnities) described in this Section  11.12 , provided that, unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders. If a Default has occurred and is continuing, neither the Syndication Agent nor the Documentation Agents shall have any obligation to perform any act in respect thereof.

Section 11.13 Intercreditor Agreement . The Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into an Intercreditor Agreement with respect to Permitted Second Lien Debt and to amend such Intercreditor Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Section  12.02 . Each Lender (by receiving the benefits thereunder and of the collateral pledged pursuant to the Security Instruments) agrees that the terms of such Intercreditor Agreement shall be binding on such Lender and its successors and assigns, as if it were a party thereto.

 

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ARTICLE XII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 12.01 Notices .

(a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to Section 12.01(b) ), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile, as follows:

(i) if to the Borrower, to it at WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, 9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400, Houston, Texas, 77024, Attn: Andrew J. Cozby, Facsimile No. (713) 568-4911, with a copy to WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, 9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400, Houston, Texas, 77024, Attn: Kyle N. Roane, Facsimile No. (713) 568-4911;

(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, for payments and requests for credit extensions, to it at Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, 1525 W WT Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28262, Attn: Syndication Agency Services, Facsimile No. (704) 590-3481;

(iii) if to the Administrative Agent, for all other notices, to it at Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, 1000 Louisiana Street, 9th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002, Attn: Michael Real, Facsimile No. (713) 319-1925;

(iv) if to the Issuing Bank, to it at Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, 1525 W WT Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28262, Attn: Syndication Agency Services, Facsimile No. (704) 590-3481; and

(v) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or facsimile number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications (including e-mail, FpML Messaging, and Internet or intranet websites pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II , Article III , Article IV and Article V unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

(c) Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.

 

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(d) The Platform . THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND ITS RELATED PARTIES DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM.

(i) In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties have any liability to the Loan Parties, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic messaging service, or through the Internet.

(ii) The Loan Parties hereby acknowledge that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arrangers will make available to the Lenders and the Issuing Bank materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Loan Parties hereunder (collectively, “ Borrower Materials ”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar, or another similar electronic system (the “ Platform ”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “ Public Lender ”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Loan Parties or their Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Loan Parties hereby agree that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify that portion of the Borrower Materials that may be distributed to the Public Lenders and that (i) all such Borrower Materials shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (ii) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Loan Parties shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to the Loan Parties or any of their securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 12.11); (iii) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (iv) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.”

 

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Section 12.02 Waivers; Amendments .

(a) No failure on the part of the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender to exercise and no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect to, any right, power or privilege, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such right, power or privilege, under any of the Loan Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege under any of the Loan Documents preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by Section 12.02(b) , and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof nor any Security Instrument nor any provision thereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Majority Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Majority Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment, Elected Commitment or the Maximum Credit Amount of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) increase the Borrowing Base without the written consent of each Lender, decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base without the consent of the Required Lenders, or modify Section  2.07 in any manner that results in an increase in the Borrowing Base without the consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender); provided that a Scheduled Redetermination may be postponed by Required Lenders, (iii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, or reduce any other Indebtedness hereunder or under any other Loan Document, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) postpone the scheduled date of payment or prepayment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or any other Indebtedness hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone or extend the Termination Date without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (v) change Section 4.01(b) or Section 4.01(c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (vi) waive or amend Section 3.04(c) , Section  6.01 , Section  8.14 or Section 10.02(c) or change the definition of the terms “Domestic Subsidiary,” “Foreign Subsidiary,” or “Subsidiary,” without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), (vii) waive or amend Section  11.11 without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender) and each Secured Swap Provider affected thereby, (viii) waive or amend Section  12.14 without the written consent of each Secured Swap Provider affected thereby, (ix) release any Guarantor (except as set forth in Section  11.10 or in the Guaranty Agreement), release all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than as provided in Section  11.10 ), or reduce the percentage set forth in Section 8.14(a) to

 

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less than 85%, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), or (x) change any of the provisions of this Section 12.02(b) or the definitions of “Required Lenders” or “Majority Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or under any other Loan Documents or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder or any other Loan Documents, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender); provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or the Issuing Bank hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such other Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A)any supplement to Schedule 7.14 (Loan Parties and Subsidiaries) shall be effective simply by delivering to the Administrative Agent a supplemental schedule clearly marked as such and, upon receipt, the Administrative Agent will promptly deliver a copy thereof to the Lenders, and (B) without the consent of any Lender, (I) the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may amend this Agreement or any other Loan Document without the consent of the Lenders in order to correct, amend or cure any ambiguity, inconsistency or defect or correct any typographical error or other manifest error in any Loan Document, and (II) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (or other applicable Loan Party) may enter into any amendment, modification or waiver of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or enter into any agreement or instrument to effect the granting, perfection, protection, expansion or enhancement of any security interest in any Collateral or Property to become Collateral to secure the Indebtedness for the benefit of the Lenders or as required by any Governmental Requirement to give effect to, protect or otherwise enhance the rights or benefits of any Lender under the Loan Documents.

Section 12.03 Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver .

(a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including, without limitation, the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of counsel and other outside consultants for the Administrative Agent, the reasonable and documented travel, photocopy, mailing, courier, telephone and other similar expenses, including all Syndtrak (or similar service) expenses, and the reasonable and documented cost of environmental assessments and audits and surveys and appraisals, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration (both before and after the execution hereof and including advice of counsel to the Administrative Agent as to the rights and duties of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect thereto) of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any amendments, modifications or waivers of or consents related to the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable and documented costs, expenses, Taxes, assessments and other charges incurred by any Agent or any Lender in connection with any filing, registration, recording or perfection of any security interest contemplated by this Agreement or any Security Instrument or any other document referred to therein, (iii) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder, and (iv) if a Default has occurred, all documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with

 

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the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including its rights under this Section  12.03 , or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including, without limitation, all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

(b) THE BORROWER SHALL INDEMNIFY EACH AGENT, EACH ARRANGER, THE ISSUING BANK AND EACH LENDER, AND EACH RELATED PARTY OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING PERSONS (EACH SUCH PERSON BEING CALLED AN “ INDEMNITEE ”) AGAINST, AND DEFEND AND HOLD EACH INDEMNITEE HARMLESS FROM, ANY AND ALL LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, LIABILITIES AND RELATED EXPENSES, INCLUDING THE REASONABLE FEES, CHARGES AND DISBURSEMENTS OF ANY COUNSEL FOR ANY INDEMNITEE, INCURRED BY OR ASSERTED AGAINST ANY INDEMNITEE ARISING OUT OF, IN CONNECTION WITH, OR AS A RESULT OF (i) THE EXECUTION OR DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR ANY AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY, THE PERFORMANCE BY THE PARTIES HERETO OR THE PARTIES TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER OR THE CONSUMMATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR BY ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT ( PROVIDED THAT THE INDEMNIFICATION IN THIS CLAUSE (i) SHALL NOT EXTEND TO DISPUTES SOLELY BETWEEN OR AMONG ANY AGENT, THE LENDERS OR THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES), (ii) THE FAILURE OF THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THIS AGREEMENT, OR WITH ANY GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENT, (iii) ANY INACCURACY OF ANY REPRESENTATION OR ANY BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY OR COVENANT OF THE BORROWER OR ANY GUARANTOR SET FORTH IN ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR ANY INSTRUMENTS, DOCUMENTS OR CERTIFICATIONS DELIVERED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (iv) ANY LOAN OR LETTER OF CREDIT OR THE USE OF THE PROCEEDS THEREFROM, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, (A) ANY REFUSAL BY THE ISSUING BANK TO HONOR A DEMAND FOR PAYMENT UNDER A LETTER OF CREDIT IF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH DEMAND DO NOT STRICTLY COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH LETTER OF CREDIT, OR (B) THE PAYMENT OF A DRAWING UNDER ANY LETTER OF CREDIT NOTWITHSTANDING THE NON-COMPLIANCE, NON-DELIVERY OR OTHER IMPROPER PRESENTATION OF THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, (v) ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, (vi) THE OPERATIONS OF THE BUSINESS OF THE BORROWER AND THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES BY THE BORROWER AND THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES, (vii) ANY ASSERTION THAT THE LENDERS WERE NOT ENTITLED TO RECEIVE THE PROCEEDS RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE SECURITY INSTRUMENTS, (viii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY REGARDING ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES OR OPERATIONS, INCLUDING, THE PRESENCE, GENERATION, STORAGE, RELEASE, THREATENED RELEASE, USE, TRANSPORT, DISPOSAL, ARRANGEMENT OF DISPOSAL OR TREATMENT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OR AT ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES, (ix) THE BREACH

 

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OR NON-COMPLIANCE BY THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY WITH ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY, (x) THE PAST OWNERSHIP BY THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY OF ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES OR PAST ACTIVITY ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES WHICH, THOUGH LAWFUL AND FULLY PERMISSIBLE AT THE TIME, COULD RESULT IN PRESENT LIABILITY, (xi) THE PRESENCE, USE, RELEASE, STORAGE, TREATMENT, DISPOSAL, GENERATION, THREATENED RELEASE, TRANSPORT, ARRANGEMENT FOR TRANSPORT OR ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OR AT ANY OF THE PROPERTIES OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER LOAN PARTY OR ANY ACTUAL OR ALLEGED PRESENCE OR RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON OR FROM ANY PROPERTY OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE BORROWER OR ANY OF THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES, (xii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY RELATED IN ANY WAY TO THE BORROWER OR ANY OF THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES, OR (xiii) ANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH OR SAFETY CONDITION IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, OR (xiv) ANY ACTUAL OR PROSPECTIVE CLAIM, LITIGATION, INVESTIGATION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER BROUGHT BY THE BORROWER OR ANY THIRD PARTY OR WHETHER ANY INDEMNITEE IS A PARTY THERETO, AND SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL EXTEND TO EACH INDEMNITEE NOTWITHSTANDING THE SOLE OR CONCURRENT NEGLIGENCE OF EVERY KIND OR CHARACTER WHATSOEVER, WHETHER ACTIVE OR PASSIVE, WHETHER AN AFFIRMATIVE ACT OR AN OMISSION INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL TYPES OF NEGLIGENT CONDUCT IDENTIFIED IN THE RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS OF ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES OR BY REASON OF STRICT LIABILITY IMPOSED WITHOUT FAULT ON ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE INDEMNITEES; PROVIDED THAT SUCH INDEMNITY SHALL NOT, AS TO ANY INDEMNITEE, BE AVAILABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES OR RELATED EXPENSES (A) ARE DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY FINAL AND NONAPPEALABLE JUDGMENT TO HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH INDEMNITEE OR (B) ARE IN RESPECT OF ANY PROPERTY FOR ANY OCCURRENCE ARISING FROM THE ACTS OR OMISSIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY LENDER DURING THE PERIOD AFTER WHICH SUCH PERSON, ITS SUCCESSORS OR ASSIGNS HAVE OBTAINED TITLE AND POSSESSION OF SUCH PROPERTY BY FORECLOSURE OR DEED IN LIEU OF FORECLOSURE).

(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to any Agent, any Arranger or the Issuing Bank under Section 12.03(a) or (b) , each Lender severally agrees to pay to such Agent, such Arranger or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against such Agent, such Arranger or the Issuing Bank in its capacity as such.

 

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(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.

(e) All amounts due under this Section  12.03 shall be payable not later than 10 Business Days after written demand therefor accompanied by appropriate documentation thereof.

Section 12.04 Successors and Assigns .

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section  12.04 . Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in Section 12.04(c) ) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in Section 12.04(b )( ii) , any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:

(A) the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required if such assignment is to an assignee that is a Lender immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment, an Affiliate of such a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, is to any other assignee; and

(B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment to an assignee that is a Lender immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment.

(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

 

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(A) except in the case of (1) an assignment to an assignee that is a Lender immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment or an Affiliate of a Lender, (2) an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans or (3) an assignment pursuant to clause (iii) of the last paragraph of Section  11.09 , the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement;

(C) the parties to each assignment (other than any assignment pursuant to clause (iii) of the last paragraph of Section  11.09 ) shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500;

(D) the assignee, if it shall not already be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire;

(E) in no event may any Lender assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to the Borrower, any Affiliate of the Borrower or a natural person; and

(F) the Applicable Percentage of Maximum Credit Amount and Elected Commitment assigned are equal.

(iii) Subject to Section 12.04(b)(iv) and the acceptance and recording thereof, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Section  5.01 , Section  5.02 , Section  5.03 and Section  12.03 ). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section  12.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with Section 12.04(c) .

(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Maximum Credit Amount and Elected Commitment of, and

 

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principal amount (and stated interest) of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “ Register ”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. In connection with any changes to the Register, if necessary, the Administrative Agent will reflect the revisions on Annex I and forward a copy of such revised Annex I to the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and each Lender.

(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire and applicable tax forms (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in Section 12.04(b) and any written consent to such assignment required by Section 12.04(b) , the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this Section 12.04(b) .

(c) (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank, sell participations to one or more banks or other Person (other than the Borrower, any Affiliate of the Borrower or a natural person) (a “ Participant ”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the proviso to Section  12.02 that affects such Participant. In addition such agreement must provide that the Participant be bound by the provisions of Section  12.03 . Subject to Section 12.04(c )( ii) , the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section  5.01 , Section  5.02 and Section  5.03 (in each case, without duplication of any benefits afforded the Lender granting such participation) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 12.04(b) . Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “ Participant Register ”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any

 

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Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section  5.01 or Section  5.03 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section  5.03 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 5.03(f) as though it were a Lender.

(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including, without limitation, any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or other central bank, and this Section  12.04 shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section  12.04 , no transfer or assignment of the interests or obligations of any Lender or any grant of participations therein shall be permitted if such transfer, assignment or grant would require the Borrower and the Guarantors to file a registration statement with the SEC or to qualify the Loans under the “ Blue Sky ” laws of any state.

Section 12.05 Survival; Revival; Reinstatement .

(a) All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Section  5.01 (subject to Section 5.01(d) ),

 

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Section  5.02 (subject to the proviso in the last sentence thereof), Section  5.03 (subject to the proviso in the last sentence of Section 5.03(c) ) and Section  12.03 (for a period of two years after the Maturity Date) and Article XI shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof; provided that any time limitation on the survival of any provision hereunder shall be tolled for any claims filed prior to the expiration of such time limitation until two months after final, non-appealable adjudication of any such claim.

(b) To the extent that any payments on the Indebtedness or proceeds of any Collateral are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be repaid to a trustee, debtor in possession, receiver or other Person under any bankruptcy law, common law or equitable cause, then to such extent, the Indebtedness so satisfied shall be revived and continue as if such payment or proceeds had not been received and the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ Liens, security interests, rights, powers and remedies under this Agreement and each Loan Document shall continue in full force and effect. In such event, each Loan Document shall be automatically reinstated and the Borrower shall take such action as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to effect such reinstatement.

Section 12.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness .

(a) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.

(b) This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

(c) THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO AND THERETO AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.

(d) Except as provided in Section  6.01 , this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission (e.g. .pdf) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

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Section 12.07 Severability . Any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof or thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 12.08 Right of Setoff . If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations (of whatsoever kind, including, without limitations obligations under Swap Agreements) at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower or any other Loan Party owed to such Lender now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section  12.08 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender or its Affiliates may have.

Section 12.09 GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS .

(a) THIS AGREEMENT AND THE NOTES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b) ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THE LOAN DOCUMENTS SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, IN EITHER CASE LOCATED IN NEW YORK COUNTY, NEW YORK, AND, BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH PARTY HEREBY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND (TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW) IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS. THIS SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION IS NON-EXCLUSIVE AND DOES NOT PRECLUDE A PARTY FROM OBTAINING JURISDICTION OVER ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY COURT OTHERWISE HAVING JURISDICTION.

(c) EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO THE SERVICE OF PROCESS OF ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED COURTS IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY THE MAILING OF COPIES THEREOF BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL, POSTAGE PREPAID, TO IT AT THE ADDRESS SPECIFIED IN

 

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SECTION 12.01 OR SUCH OTHER ADDRESS AS IS SPECIFIED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.01 (OR ITS ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION), SUCH SERVICE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE 30 DAYS AFTER SUCH MAILING. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF A PARTY OR ANY HOLDER OF A NOTE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR TO COMMENCE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS OR OTHERWISE PROCEED AGAINST ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.

(d) EACH PARTY HEREBY (i) IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN; (ii) IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO CLAIM OR RECOVER IN ANY SUCH LITIGATION ANY SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES OTHER THAN, OR IN ADDITION TO, ACTUAL DAMAGES; (iii) CERTIFIES THAT NO PARTY HERETO NOR ANY REPRESENTATIVE OR AGENT OR COUNSEL FOR ANY PARTY HERETO HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, OR IMPLIED THAT SUCH PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVERS, AND (iv) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT, THE LOAN DOCUMENTS AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION 12.09 .

Section 12.10 Headings . Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

Section 12.11 Confidentiality . Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process; provided that, subject to the Borrower’s obligation to reimburse expenses under Section  12.03 , it shall use commercially reasonable efforts to seek to obtain confidential treatment of such Information; provided further , that it shall not be liable for failure to obtain such confidential treatment, (d) to any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section  12.11 , to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any Swap Agreement relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the

 

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Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section  12.11 or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section  12.11 , “ Information ” means all information received from the Borrower or any other Loan Party relating to the Borrower or any other Loan Party and their businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any other Loan Party after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section  12.11 shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, “ Information ” shall not include, and the Borrower, the other Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the respective Affiliates of each of the foregoing (and the respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and other representatives of the aforementioned Persons), and any other party, may disclose to any and all Persons, without limitation of any kind (a) any information with respect to the United States federal and state income tax treatment of the transactions contemplated hereby and any facts that may be relevant to understanding the United States federal or state income tax treatment of such transactions (“ tax structure ”), which facts shall not include for this purpose the names of the parties or any other person named herein, or information that would permit identification of the parties or such other persons, or any pricing terms or other nonpublic business or financial information that is unrelated to such tax treatment or tax structure, and (b) all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or such Lender relating to such tax treatment or tax structure.

Section 12.12 Interest Rate Limitation . It is the intention of the parties hereto that each Lender shall conform strictly to usury laws applicable to it. Accordingly, if the transactions contemplated hereby would be usurious as to any Lender under laws applicable to it (including the laws of the United States of America, the State of New York, the State of Texas or any other jurisdiction whose laws may be mandatorily applicable to such Lender notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement), then, in that event, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any of the Loan Documents or any agreement entered into in connection with or as security for the Notes, it is agreed as follows: (i) the aggregate of all consideration which constitutes interest under law applicable to any Lender that is contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received by such Lender under any of the Loan Documents or agreements or otherwise in connection with the Notes shall under no circumstances exceed the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law, and any excess shall be canceled automatically and if theretofore paid shall be credited by such Lender on the principal amount of the Indebtedness (or, to the extent that the principal amount of the Indebtedness shall have been or would thereby be paid in full, refunded by such Lender to the Borrower); and (ii) in the event that the maturity of the Notes is accelerated by reason of an election of the holder thereof resulting from any Event of Default under this Agreement or otherwise, or in the event of any required or permitted prepayment, then such consideration that constitutes interest under law applicable to any Lender may never include more than the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law, and excess interest, if any, provided for in this Agreement or otherwise shall be canceled automatically by such Lender as of

 

132


the date of such acceleration or prepayment and, if theretofore paid, shall be credited by such Lender on the principal amount of the Indebtedness (or, to the extent that the principal amount of the Indebtedness shall have been or would thereby be paid in full, refunded by such Lender to the Borrower). All sums paid or agreed to be paid to any Lender for the use, forbearance or detention of sums due hereunder shall, to the extent permitted by law applicable to such Lender, be amortized, prorated, allocated and spread throughout the stated term of the Loans evidenced by the Notes until payment in full so that the rate or amount of interest on account of any Loans hereunder does not exceed the maximum amount allowed by such applicable law. If at any time and from time to time (A) the amount of interest payable to any Lender on any date shall be computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender pursuant to this Section  12.12 and (B) in respect of any subsequent interest computation period the amount of interest otherwise payable to such Lender would be less than the amount of interest payable to such Lender computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender, then the amount of interest payable to such Lender in respect of such subsequent interest computation period shall continue to be computed at the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to such Lender until the total amount of interest payable to such Lender shall equal the total amount of interest which would have been payable to such Lender if the total amount of interest had been computed without giving effect to this Section  12.12 . To the extent that Chapter 303 of the Texas Finance Code is relevant for the purpose of determining the Highest Lawful Rate applicable to a Lender, such Lender elects to determine the applicable rate ceiling under such Chapter by the weekly ceiling from time to time in effect. Chapter 346 of the Texas Finance Code does not apply to the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.

Section 12.13 EXCULPATION PROVISIONS . EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO SPECIFICALLY AGREES THAT IT HAS A DUTY TO READ THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND AGREES THAT IT IS CHARGED WITH NOTICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; THAT IT HAS IN FACT READ THIS AGREEMENT AND IS FULLY INFORMED AND HAS FULL NOTICE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERMS, CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS OF THIS AGREEMENT; THAT IT HAS BEEN REPRESENTED BY INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL OF ITS CHOICE THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS PRECEDING ITS EXECUTION OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; AND HAS RECEIVED THE ADVICE OF ITS ATTORNEY IN ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS; AND THAT IT RECOGNIZES THAT CERTAIN OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS RESULT IN ONE PARTY ASSUMING THE LIABILITY INHERENT IN SOME ASPECTS OF THE TRANSACTION AND RELIEVING THE OTHER PARTY OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH LIABILITY. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES AND COVENANTS THAT IT WILL NOT CONTEST THE VALIDITY OR ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY EXCULPATORY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS ON THE BASIS THAT THE PARTY HAD NO NOTICE OR KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH PROVISION OR THAT THE PROVISION IS NOT “CONSPICUOUS.”

Section 12.14 No Third Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the agreement of the Lenders to make Loans and the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend Letters of Credit hereunder are solely for the benefit of the Borrower,

 

133


and no other Person (including, without limitation, any other Loan Party, any obligor, contractor, subcontractor, supplier or materialsman) shall have any rights, claims, remedies or privileges hereunder or under any other Loan Document against the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender for any reason whatsoever. Except as specified in Section  11.11 and Section  12.03 , there are no third party beneficiaries.

Section 12.15 USA Patriot Act Notice . Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “ Act ”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with the Act.

Section 12.16 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility . In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that: (a) (i) no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or any Lender is intended to be or has been created in respect of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents, irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or any Lender has advised or is advising the Borrower or any Subsidiary on other matters; (ii) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the other Agents and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the other Agents and the Lenders, on the other hand; (iii) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent that it has deemed appropriate; and (iv) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; and (b) (i) each of the Administrative Agent, the other Agents and the Lenders is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any other Person; (ii) none of the Administrative Agent, the other Agents or the Lenders has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, the other Agents and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged, for their own accounts or the accounts of customers, in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and none of the Administrative Agent, the other Agents or the Lenders has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, the other Agents and the Lenders with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

Section 12.17 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents . The words “execution,” “execute,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated

 

134


hereby (including without limitation Assignment and Assumptions, Borrowing Request Notices, Interest Election Request Notices, amendments, waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it; and provided further, without limiting the foregoing, upon the request of any party, any electronic signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

Section 12.18 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among the parties, each party hereto (and each Lender a party hereto on behalf of itself and each other applicable Secured Party) acknowledges that any liability arising under a Loan Document of any Secured Party that is an EEA Financial Institution, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of an EEA Resolution Authority, and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising under any Loan Documents which may be payable to it by any Secured Party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

[SIGNATURES BEGIN NEXT PAGE]

 

135


The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

BORROWER:     WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation
    By:  

/s/ Andrew J. Cozby

    Name:   Andrew J. Cozby
    Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief
      Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:     WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent
    By:  

/s/ Michael Real

    Name:   Michael Real
    Title:   Director

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


ISSUING BANK AND LENDER:     WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Issuing Bank and a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Michael Real

    Name:   Michael Real
    Title:   Director

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


SYNDICATION AGENT AND LENDER:     BMO HARRIS BANK N.A., as Syndication Agent and a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Gumaro Tijerina

    Name:   Gumaro Tijerina
    Title:   Managing Director

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENT AND LENDER:     BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Co-Documentation Agent and a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Raza Jafferi

    Name:   Raza Jafferi
    Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENT AND LENDER:     BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as Co-Documentation Agent and a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Christopher Aitkin

    Name:   Christopher Aitkin
    Title:   Assistant Vice President

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENT AND LENDER:     CITIBANK, N.A., as Co-Documentation Agent and a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Cliff Vaz

    Name:   Cliff Vaz
    Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENT AND LENDER:     COMERICA BANK, as Co-Documentation Agent and a Lender
    By:  

/s/ William B. Robinson

    Name:   William B. Robinson
    Title:   Senior Vice President

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENT AND LENDER:     ING CAPITAL LLC, as Co-Documentation Agent and a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Josh Strong

    Name:   Josh Strong
    Title:   Director
    By:  

/s/ Scott Lamoreaux

    Name:   Scott Lamoreaux
    Title:   Director

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


LENDER:     BOKF, N.A. DBA BANK OF TEXAS, as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Mari Salazar

    Name:   Mari Salazar
    Title:   SVP – Energy Lending

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


LENDER:     CAPITAL ONE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Michael Higgins

    Name:   Michael Higgins
    Title:   Senior Director

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


LENDER:     JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Linda Papadakis

    Name:   Linda Papadakis
    Title:   Authorized Officer

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]


LENDER:     RAYMOND JAMES BANK, N.A., as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Alexander L. Rody

    Name:   Alexander L. Rody
    Title:   Senior Vice President

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation]

 


ANNEX I

LIST OF MAXIMUM CREDIT AMOUNTS AND ELECTED COMMITMENTS

 

Name of Lender

   Applicable
Percentage
    Maximum Credit
Amount
     Elected
Commitment
 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

     11.9444   $ 119,444,000.00       $ 53,750,000.00   

BMO Harris Bank N.A.

     11.9444   $ 119,444,000.00       $ 53,750,000.00   

Bank of America, N.A.

     9.5556   $ 95,556,000.00       $ 43,000,000.00   

Barclays Bank PLC

     9.5556   $ 95,556,000.00       $ 43,000,000.00   

Citibank, N.A.

     9.5556   $ 95,556,000.00       $ 43,000,000.00   

Comerica Bank

     9.5556   $ 95,556,000.00       $ 43,000,000.00   

ING Capital LLC

     9.5556   $ 95,556,000.00       $ 43,000,000.00   

BOKF, N. A. DBA Bank of Texas

     8.3333   $ 83,333,000.00       $ 37,500,000.00   

Capital One National Association

     8.3333   $ 83,333,000.00       $ 37,500,000.00   

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

     8.3333   $ 83,333,000.00       $ 37,500,000.00   

Raymond James Bank, N.A.

     3.3333   $ 33,333,000.00       $ 15,000,000.00   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL

     100.00000000   $ 1,000,000,000.00       $ 450,000,000.00   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Annex I-1


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF NOTE

$ [                      ]                                                                                                                                      [                      ] , 20 [          ]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Borrower ”), hereby promises to pay to [            ] (the “ Lender ”), at the principal office of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent (the “ Administrative Agent ”), at [            ] , the principal sum of [            ] Dollars ($ [            ] ) (or such lesser amount as shall equal the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement, as hereinafter defined), in lawful money of the United States of America and in immediately available funds, on the dates and in the principal amounts provided in the Credit Agreement, and to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each such Loan, at such office, in like money and funds, for the period commencing on the date of such Loan until such Loan shall be paid in full, at the rates per annum and on the dates provided in the Credit Agreement.

The date, amount, Type, interest rate, and, if applicable, Interest Period of each Loan made by the Lender to the Borrower, and each payment made on account of the principal thereof, shall be recorded by the Lender on its books and, prior to any transfer of this Note, may be endorsed by the Lender on the schedules attached hereto or any continuation thereof or on any separate record maintained by the Lender. Failure to make any such notation or to attach a schedule shall not affect any Lender’s or the Borrower’s rights or obligations in respect of such Loans or affect the validity of such transfer by any Lender of this Note.

This Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and the other agents and lenders signatory thereto (including the Lender), and evidences Loans made by the Lender thereunder (such Credit Agreement as the same may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Note have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement.

This Note is issued pursuant to, and is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in, the Credit Agreement and is entitled to the benefits provided for in the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents. The Credit Agreement provides for the acceleration of the maturity of this Note upon the occurrence of certain events, for prepayments of Loans upon the terms and conditions specified therein and other provisions relevant to this Note.

 

Exhibit A-1


THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Exhibit A-2


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF BORROWING REQUEST NOTICE

[[              ]] , 20 [          ]

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Borrower ”), pursuant to Section  2.03 of the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, the “ Credit Agreement ”) among the Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent and the other agents and lenders (the “ Lenders ”) which are or become parties thereto (unless otherwise defined herein, each capitalized term used herein is defined in the Credit Agreement), hereby requests a Borrowing as follows:

1. Aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing is $ [              ] ;

2. Date of such Borrowing is [              ] , 20 [          ] ;

3. Requested Borrowing is to be [an ABR Borrowing] [a LIBOR Market Index Borrowing] [a Eurodollar Borrowing] ;

4. In the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period applicable thereto is [              ] ;

5. Amount of Borrowing Base in effect on the date hereof is $ [              ] and the Aggregate Elected Commitment Amount in effect on the date hereof is $ [              ] ;

6. Total Revolving Credit Exposures on the date hereof (i.e., outstanding principal amount of Loans and total LC Exposure) is $ [              ] ; and

7. Pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Borrowing) is $ [              ] ; and

8. Location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section  2.05 of the Credit Agreement, is as follows:

[                                      ]

[                                      ]

[                                      ]

[                                      ]

[                                      ]

The undersigned certifies that he/she is the [              ] of the Borrower, and that as such he/she is authorized to execute this certificate on behalf of the Borrower. The undersigned further certifies, represents and warrants on behalf of the Borrower that (i) the principal amount of such Borrowing plus the aggregate amount of unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents (other than Excluded Cash) of the Borrower and the Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries at the time of

 

Exhibit B-1


such Borrowing (before giving effect thereto) does not exceed the Excess Cash Threshold and (ii) all other conditions precedent to such Borrowing set forth in Section  6.02 of the Credit Agreement including, without limitation, the absence of any Default at the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing, are satisfied and that the Borrower is entitled to receive the requested Borrowing under the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement.

 

WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION , a Delaware limited liability company
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Exhibit B-2


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF INTEREST ELECTION REQUEST NOTICE

[              ] , 20 [          ]

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Borrower ”), pursuant to Section  2.04 of the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, the “ Credit Agreement ”) among the Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent and the other agents and lenders (the “ Lenders ”) which are or become parties thereto (unless otherwise defined herein, each capitalized term used herein is defined in the Credit Agreement), hereby makes an Interest Election Request as follows:

1. The Borrowing to which this Interest Election Request applies, and if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information specified pursuant to (3) and (4) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing) is [              ] ;

2. The effective date of the election made pursuant to this Interest Election Request is [              ] , 20 [          ] ; [and]

3. The resulting Borrowing is to be [an ABR Borrowing] [a LIBOR Market Index Borrowing] [a Eurodollar Borrowing ][ ; and]

[4. [If the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing] The Interest Period applicable to the resulting Borrowing after giving effect to such election is [            ]].

The undersigned certifies that he/she is the [              ] of the Borrower, and that as such he/she is authorized to execute this certificate on behalf of the Borrower. The undersigned further certifies, represents and warrants on behalf of the Borrower that the Borrower is entitled to receive the requested continuation or conversion under the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement.

 

WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION , a Delaware limited liability company
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Exhibit C-1


EXHIBIT D

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

The undersigned hereby certifies that he/she is the [              ] of WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Borrower ”), and that as such he/she is authorized to execute this certificate on behalf of the Borrower. With reference to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto being the “ Agreement ”) among the Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, and the other agents and lenders (the “ Lenders ”) which are or become a party thereto, and such Lenders, the undersigned represents and warrants as follows (each capitalized term used herein having the same meaning assigned to it in the Agreement unless otherwise specified):

1. There exists no Default or Event of Default [or specify Default and describe any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto] .

2. Attached hereto are the detailed computations necessary to determine whether the Borrower is in compliance with Section 8.13(a) , Section 8.14(a) , and Section  9.01 as of the end of the [fiscal quarter][fiscal year] ending [              ] .

3. No change in GAAP or the application thereof in the financial statements [referred to in item 4 below][in connection with which this Compliance Certificate is delivered] has occurred since the date of the most recent audited financial statements referred to in Section 7.04 [or specify any change] .

4. [The Borrower filed [Annual] [Quarterly] financial statements with the SEC on [                ], 20[ ].]

 

Exhibit D-1


EXECUTED AND DELIVERED this [              ] day of [              ] .

 

WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION , a Delaware limited liability company
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Exhibit D-2


EXHIBIT E

EXHIBIT E-1

SECURITY INSTRUMENTS AS OF EFFECTIVE DATE

1. Security Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 among the Borrower, the Guarantors, and the Administrative Agent.

2. Mortgage, Line of Credit Mortgage, Deed of Trust, Assignment of As-Extracted Collateral, Security Agreement, Fixture Filing and Financing Statement dated as of December 19, 2016 by WildHorse, as mortgagor, in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders and others.

3. Mortgage, Line of Credit Mortgage, Deed of Trust, Assignment of As-Extracted Collateral, Security Agreement, Fixture Filing and Financing Statement dated as of December 19, 2016 by Esquisto, as mortgagor, in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders and others.

4. Mortgage, Line of Credit Mortgage, Deed of Trust, Assignment of As-Extracted Collateral, Security Agreement, Fixture Filing and Financing Statement dated as of December 19, 2016 by WHE, as mortgagor, in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders and others.

5. Financing Statements in respect of the foregoing items.

6. Guaranty Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 by the Guarantors party thereto in favor of the Administrative Agent.

7. Account Control Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 among the applicable depositary, the Administrative Agent and the applicable Loan Party in respect of each Account (other than Excluded Accounts) of such Loan Party with such depositary.

 

Exhibit E-1-1


EXHIBIT E-2

FORM OF GUARANTY AGREEMENT

[See attached.]

 

Exhibit E-2-1


EXHIBIT E-3

FORM OF SECURITY AGREEMENT

[See attached.]

 

Exhibit E-3-1


EXHIBIT F

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (the “ Assignment and Assumption ”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “ Assignor ”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “ Assignee ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, the “ Credit Agreement ”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex I attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including any letters of credit and guarantees included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as the “ Assigned Interest ”). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

2.    Assignor:                                                                                                  
                                                                                                    
3.    Assignee:    [and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender] 1 ]
4.    Borrower:    WildHorse Resource Development Corporation
5.    Administrative Agent:    Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement
6.    Credit Agreement:    The Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, the Lenders parties thereto, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto

 

1   Select as applicable.

 

Exhibit F-1


7.    Assigned Interest:   

 

Commitment Assigned

   Aggregate Amount of
Commitment/Loans
for all Lenders
     Amount of
Commitment/Loans
Assigned
     Percentage Assigned of
Commitment/Loans 2
 
   $         $           %   
   $         $           %   
   $         $           %   

Effective Date:                      , 20         [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
By:  

 

  Title:

ASSIGNEE

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]

By:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

2   Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

 

Exhibit F-2


[ Consented to and ] 3 Accepted:
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent
By:  

 

  Title:
[ Consented to :] 4
[NAME OF RELEVANT PARTY]
By:  

 

  Title:

 

3   To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.
4   To be added only if the consent of the Borrower and/or other parties (e.g. Issuing Bank) is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

Exhibit F-3


ANNEX 1

[                      ] 5

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

1. Representations and Warranties .

1.1 Assignor . The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

1.2 Assignee . The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section  8.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

 

 

5   Describe Credit Agreement at option of Administrative Agent.

 

Exhibit F-4


2. Payments . From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

3. General Provisions . This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by facsimile or other electronic transmission (e.g. .pdf) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

Exhibit F-5


EXHIBIT G

EXHIBIT G-1

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE (FOREIGN LENDERS; NOT PARTNERSHIPS)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, as Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, the Lenders party thereto, and the other agents party thereto.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section  5.03 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

Date:                 , 20[    ]

 

Exhibit G-1-1


EXHIBIT G-2

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE (FOREIGN PARTICIPANTS; NOT PARTNERSHIPS)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, as Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, the Lenders party thereto, and the other agents party thereto.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section  5.03 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

Date:                 , 20[    ]

 

Exhibit G-2-1


EXHIBIT G-3

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE (FOREIGN PARTICIPANTS; PARTNERSHIPS)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, as Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, the Lenders party thereto, and the other agents party thereto.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section  5.03 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect to such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable) or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable) from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]

 

By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

Date:                 , 20[    ]

 

Exhibit G-3-1


EXHIBIT G-4

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE (FOREIGN LENDERS; PARTNERSHIPS)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, as Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, the Lenders party thereto, and the other agents party thereto.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section  5.03 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable) or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable) from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

Date:                 , 20[    ]

 

Exhibit G-4-1


EXHIBIT H

FORM OF ELECTED COMMITMENT INCREASE CERTIFICATE

[                ], 20[    ]

To:    Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent

The Borrower, the Administrative Agent and certain Lenders and other agents have heretofore entered into a Credit Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2016 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

This Elected Commitment Increase Certificate is being delivered pursuant to Section 2.06(c) of the Credit Agreement.

Please be advised that the undersigned Lender has agreed (a) to increase its Elected Commitment under the Credit Agreement effective [                  ] , 20 [      ] (the “ Increase Effective Date ”) from $ [                  ] to $ [                  ] and (b) that it shall continue to be a party in all respects to the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

With reference to Section 2.06(c)(ii)(D) of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower hereby confirms that [Check Applicable Box] :

[ ]     There are, or if the Increase Effective Date is after the date hereof, there will be no Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding on the Increase Effective Date.

[ ]     There are, or if the Increase Effective Date is after the date hereof, there will be Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding on the Increase Effective Date and the Borrower will pay any compensation required by Section  5.02 of the Credit Agreement on the Increase Effective Date.

 

Very truly yours,
WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, a Delaware limited liability company
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Exhibit H-1


Accepted and Agreed:

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Administrative Agent

By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

Accepted and Agreed:
[Name of Increasing Lender]
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Exhibit H-2


EXHIBIT I

FORM OF ADDITIONAL LENDER CERTIFICATE

[                ], 20[    ]

 

To: Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

The Borrower, the Administrative Agent and certain Lenders and other agents have heretofore entered into a Credit Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2016 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

This Additional Lender Certificate is being delivered pursuant to Section 2.06(c) of the Credit Agreement.

Please be advised that the undersigned Additional Lender has agreed (a) to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement effective [          ] , 20 [      ] (the “ Additional Lender Effective Date ”) with a Maximum Aggregate Credit Amount of $ [          ] and an Elected Commitment of $ [          ] and (b) that it shall be a party in all respects to the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

This Additional Lender Certificate is being delivered to the Administrative Agent together with (i) if the Additional Lender is a Foreign Lender, any documentation required to be delivered by such Additional Lender pursuant to Section 5.03(f) of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Additional Lender, and (ii) an Administrative Questionnaire in the form supplied by the Administrative Agent, duly completed by the Additional Lender. [The Borrower shall pay an upfront fee in an amount equal to [           ] payable to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Additional Lender.] [The Borrower shall pay the processing and recordation fee payable to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.06(c)(ii)(G) of the Credit Agreement.]

With reference to Section 2.06(c)(ii)(D) of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower hereby confirms that [Check Applicable Box] :

 

  [     ] There are, or if the Additional Lender Effective Date is after the date hereof, there will be no Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding on the Additional Lender Effective Date.

 

  [     ] There are, or if the Additional Lender Effective Date is after the date hereof, there will be Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding on the Additional Lender Effective Date and the Borrower will pay any compensation required by Section  5.02 of the Credit Agreement on the Additional Lender Effective Date.

 

Exhibit I-1


Very truly yours,
WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, a Delaware limited liability company
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Exhibit I-2


Accepted and Agreed:

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Administrative Agent

By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

Accepted and Agreed:
[ADDITIONAL LENDER]
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

 

Exhibit I-3


SCHEDULE 7.05

LITIGATION

None.

 

Schedule 7.05-1


SCHEDULE 7.06

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

None.

 

Schedule 7.06-1


SCHEDULE 7.14

LOAN PARTIES AND SUBSIDIARIES

Borrower and Restricted Subsidiaries:

 

Name of

Owner

   Guarantor    Restricted
Subsidiary
     Type of Interest    Percentage
Owned
 

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation

   WildHorse Resources II, LLC      Yes       Limited Liability
Company Interest
     100

WildHorse Resources II, LLC

   WildHorse Resources
Management Company, LLC
     Yes       Limited Liability
Company Interest
     100

WildHorse Resources II, LLC

   Oakfield Energy LLC      Yes       Limited Liability
Company Interest
     100

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation

   Esquisto Resources II, LLC      Yes       Limited Liability
Company Interest
     100

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation

   WHE AcqCo., LLC      Yes       Limited Liability
Company Interest
     100

Esquisto Resources II, LLC

   Petromax E&P Burleson,
LLC
     Yes       Limited Liability
Company Interest
     100

Esquisto Resources II, LLC

   Burleson Water Resources,
LLC
     Yes       Limited Liability
Company Interest
     100

 

Schedule 7.14-1


Unrestricted Subsidiaries:

None.

 

Schedule 7.14-2


SCHEDULE 7.18

GAS IMBALANCES

None.

 

Schedule 7.18-1


SCHEDULE 7.19

MARKETING CONTRACTS

Esquisto:

 

Counterparty    Company    Effective       

(Successor/Assignee)

  

(Successor/Assignee)

   Date     

Type

ETC Texas Pipeline, LTD

   Ursa Operating Company LLC / Esquisto Resources II, LLC      5/1/2013       Gas Purchase and Gas Processing Contract

ETC Texas Pipeline, LTD

   Petromax Operating Company, Inc      2/1/2014       Gas Purchase and Gas Processing Contract

DCP South Central Texas LLC

   Comstock Oil & Gas, L.P. / Esquisto Resources II, LLC      8/1/2014       Gas Purchase Contract

WildHorse:

 

Counterparty    Company    Effective       

(Successor/Assignee)

  

(Successor/Assignee)

   Date     

Type

Regency Intrastate Gas LP

   WildHorse Resources II, LLC      8/8/2013       Firm Transport Agreement Notice

CIMA Energy, LTD

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      1/1/2015       NAESB

Texas Gas Transmission, LLC

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      1/22/2015       TAPS Request

Enable Midstream Partners, LP

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      1/23/2015       Quantum Agency Agreement

Shell Energy North America (US), L.P.

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      1/22/2015       NAESB

Texas Gas Transmission, LLC

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      1/29/2015       Agency Appointment

Texas Gas Transmission, LLC

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      2/2/2015       TAPS Agreement

BP Energy Company

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      3/23/2015       NAESB

Regency Field Services LLC

   WildHorse Resources II, LLC      2/1/2013       Gas Gathering Agreement

Regency Field Services LLC

   WildHorse Resources II, LLC      9/8/2016       Gas Gathering Agreement Termination

Eastrans, LLC

   WildHorse Resources II, LLC      3/1/2015       Cartwheel Agreement

Eastrans, LLC

   WildHorse Resources II, LLC      3/1/2015       Intrastate Gas Transportation Agreement

DCP Assets Holding LP

   WildHorse Resources II, LLC      3/1/2015       RCT Processing Agreement

Southern Natural Gas Company

   Oakfield Energy LLC      6/11/2015       Interconnect Agreement

Southern Natural Gas Company

   Oakfield Energy LLC      6/30/2015       Interconnect Agreement Amendment

Southern Natural Gas Company

   Oakfield Energy LLC      12/7/2015       Supply Pool Balancing Agreement

Franks Operating Company

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      9/10/2015       NAESB

Oakfield Energy LLC

   WildHorse Resources II, LLC      8/1/2015       Gathering Agreement

Oakfield Energy LLC

   WildHorse Resources II, LLC      12/1/2015       Gathering Agreement Amendment

Southern Natural Gas Company

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      3/1/2016       Quantum Agency Agreement

Southern Natural Gas Company

   Oakfield Energy LLC      2/1/2016       Quantum Agency Agreement

31 Group LLC

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      6/1/2016       NAESB

Conocophillips Company

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      9/1/2016       NAESB

Conocophillips Company

   WildHorse Resources Management Company LLC      9/1/2016       Quantum Agency Agreement

 

Schedule 7.19-1


SCHEDULE 7.20

SWAP AGREEMENTS

Esquisto:

 

TradeID    TradeDate      Counterparty    TradePrice      Quantity     ExternalConfirmationID    Commodity    ForwardDate
208433      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,100   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-16

208589      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,100   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-16

228499      3/16/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 42.00         (15,000  

85000F9-2NYJ7

  

Crude Oil

  

Oct-16

231513      4/29/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.58         (7,000  

85000F9-2T2D9

  

Crude Oil

  

Oct-16

229867      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 42.61         (20,000  

85000F9-2QXV5

  

Crude Oil

  

Oct-16

233067      5/25/2016      

WELLS

   $ 50.28         (10,000   N6028450   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-16

235214      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 50.70         (5,000  

85000F9-32KKY

  

Crude Oil

  

Oct-16

235218      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.08         (50,000   N6151920   

Natural Gas

  

Oct-16

204874      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           6,352      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-16

204897      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (6,352   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-16

237739      8/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 48.63         (10,000   N6311502   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-16

208434      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,000   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-16

208590      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,000   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-16

228500      3/16/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 42.00         (15,000  

85000F9-2NYJ7

  

Crude Oil

  

Nov-16

231514      4/29/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.58         (7,000  

85000F9-2T2D9

  

Crude Oil

  

Nov-16

229868      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 42.61         (20,000  

85000F9-2QXV5

  

Crude Oil

  

Nov-16

233068      5/25/2016      

WELLS

   $ 50.28         (10,000   N6028450   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-16

235215      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 50.70         (5,000  

85000F9-32KKY

  

Crude Oil

  

Nov-16

235219      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.08         (50,000   N6151920   

Natural Gas

  

Nov-16

204875      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           6,152      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-16

204898      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (6,152   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-16

237740      8/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 48.63         (10,000   N6311502   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-16

208435      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,100   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-16

208591      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,100   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-16

228501      3/16/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 42.00         (15,000  

85000F9-2NYJ7

  

Crude Oil

  

Dec-16

231515      4/29/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.58         (7,000  

85000F9-2T2D9    

  

Crude Oil

  

Dec-16

 

Schedule 7.20-1


229869      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 42.61         (20,000   85000F9-2QXV5   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-16

233069      5/25/2016      

WELLS

   $ 50.28         (10,000   N6028450   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-16

235216      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 50.70         (5,000   85000F9-32KKY   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-16

235220      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.08         (50,000   N6151920   

Natural Gas

  

Dec-16

204876      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           5,968      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-16

204899      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (5,968   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-16

237741      8/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 48.63         (10,000   N6311502   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-16

242266      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-17

208436      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,100   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-17

208592      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,100   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-17

228555      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-17

231055      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-17

229870      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-17

235202      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-17

235221      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Jan-17

204877      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           5,796      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-17

204900      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (5,796   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-17

237742      8/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 50.40         (5,000   N6311503   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-17

242267      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-17

208437      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (2,800   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-17

208593      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (2,800   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-17

228556      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-17

231056      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-17

229871      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-17

235203      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-17

235222      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Feb-17

204878      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           5,632      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-17

204901      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (5,632   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-17

237743      8/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 50.40         (5,000   N6311503   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-17

242268      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-17

208438      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,100   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-17

208594      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,100   N5542062       

Crude Oil

  

Mar-17

 

Schedule 7.20-2


228557      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-17

231057      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-17

229872      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-17

235204      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-17

235223      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Mar-17

204879      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           5,484      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-17

204902      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (5,484   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-17

237744      8/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 50.40         (5,000   N6311503   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-17

242269      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-17

208439      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,000   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-17

208595      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,000   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-17

228558      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-17

231058      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-17

229873      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-17

235205      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-17

235224      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Apr-17

204880      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           5,340      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-17

204903      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (5,340   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-17

242270      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

May-17

208440      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,100   53281   

Crude Oil

  

May-17

208596      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,100   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

May-17

228559      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

May-17

231059      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

May-17

229874      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

May-17

235206      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

May-17

235225      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

May-17

204881      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           5,208      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

May-17

204904      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (5,208   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

May-17

242271      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-17

208441      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,000   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-17

208597      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,000   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-17

228560      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976       

Crude Oil

  

Jun-17

 

Schedule 7.20-3


231060      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-17

229875      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-17

235207      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-17

235226      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Jun-17

204882      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           5,084      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-17

204905      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (5,084   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-17

242272      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-17

208442      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,100   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-17

208598      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,100   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-17

228561      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-17

231061      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-17

229876      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-17

235208      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-17

235227      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Jul-17

204883      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,968      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-17

204906      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,968   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-17

242273      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-17

208443      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,100   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-17

208599      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,100   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-17

228562      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-17

231062      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-17

229877      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-17

235209      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-17

235228      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Aug-17

204884      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,856      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-17

204907      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,856   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-17

242274      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-17

208444      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,000   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-17

208600      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,000   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-17

228563      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-17

231063      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-17

229878      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6       

Crude Oil

  

Sep-17

 

Schedule 7.20-4


235210      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-17

235229      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Sep-17

204885      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,748      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-17

204908      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,748   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-17

242275      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-17

208445      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,100   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-17

208601      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,100   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-17

228564      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-17

231064      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-17

229879      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-17

235211      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-17

235230      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Oct-17

204886      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,648      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-17

204909      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,648   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-17

242276      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-17

208446      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,000   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-17

208602      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,000   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-17

228565      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-17

231065      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-17

229880      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-17

235212      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-17

235231      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Nov-17

204887      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,556      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-17

204910      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,556   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-17

242277      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 53.87         (15,000   85000F9-39POT   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-17

208447      10/7/2015      

Comerica

   $ 53.62         (3,100   53281   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-17

208603      10/8/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.65         (3,100   N5542062   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-17

228566      3/17/2016      

WELLS

   $ 45.54         (15,000   N5875976   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-17

231066      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 47.62         (12,000   85000F9-2S8F2   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-17

229881      4/8/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 44.45         (10,000   85000F9-2QXV6   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-17

235213      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 52.55         (5,000   85000F9-32KKZ   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-17

235232      7/1/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.17         (50,000   N6151921   

Natural Gas

  

Dec-17

 

Schedule 7.20-5


204888      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,464      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-17

204911      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,464   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-17

242278      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-18

230036      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-18

231067      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-18

235190      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-18

204889      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,376      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-18

204912      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,376   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-18

242279      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-18

230037      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-18

231068      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-18

235191      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-18

204890      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,296      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-18

204913      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,296   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-18

242280      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-18

230038      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-18

231069      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-18

235192      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-18

204891      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,216      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-18

204914      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,216   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Mar-18

242281      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-18

230039      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-18

231070      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-18

235193      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-18

204892      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,140      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-18

204915      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,140   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Apr-18

242282      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

May-18

230040      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

May-18

231071      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

May-18

235194      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

May-18

204893      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,068      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

May-18

204916      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,068   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

May-18

 

Schedule 7.20-6


242283      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-18

230041      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-18

231072      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-18

235195      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-18

204894      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           4,000      N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-18

204917      7/28/2015      

WELLS

     —           (4,000   N5377936   

Crude Oil

  

Jun-18

242284      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-18

230042      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-18

231073      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-18

235196      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Jul-18

242285      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-18

230043      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-18

231074      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-18

235197      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Aug-18

242286      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-18

230044      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-18

231075      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-18

235198      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Sep-18

242287      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-18

230045      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-18

231076      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-18

235199      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Oct-18

242288      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-18

230046      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-18

231077      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-18

235200      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Nov-18

242289      10/10/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.00         (10,000   85000F9-39POU   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-18

230047      4/12/2016      

WELLS

   $ 47.96         (12,000   N5924342   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-18

231078      4/22/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 48.80         (15,000   85000F9-2S8F3   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-18

235201      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 54.12         (10,000   85000F9-32KL1   

Crude Oil

  

Dec-18

235178      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000   85000F9-32KOJ   

Crude Oil

  

Jan-19

235179      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000   85000F9-32KOJ   

Crude Oil

  

Feb-19

 

Schedule 7.20-7


235180      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000  

85000F9-32KOJ

  

Crude Oil

  

Mar-19

235181      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000  

85000F9-32KOJ

  

Crude Oil

  

Apr-19

235182      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000  

85000F9-32KOJ

  

Crude Oil

  

May-19

235183      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000  

85000F9-32KOJ

  

Crude Oil

  

Jun-19

235184      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000  

85000F9-32KOJ

  

Crude Oil

  

Jul-19

235185      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000  

85000F9-32KOJ

  

Crude Oil

  

Aug-19

235186      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000  

85000F9-32KOJ

  

Crude Oil

  

Sep-19

235187      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000  

85000F9-32KOJ

  

Crude Oil

  

Oct-19

235188      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000  

85000F9-32KOJ

  

Crude Oil

  

Nov-19

235189      7/1/2016      

JPMORG

   $ 55.05         (5,000  

85000F9-32KOJ

  

Crude Oil

  

Dec-19

WildHorse Hedges outstanding

 

TradeID    TradeDate      Counterparty    TradePrice      Quantity     ExternalConfirmationID    Commodity    ForwardDate
178943      8/14/2013      

BMO

   $ 3.77         (100,000   431729   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

178955      8/27/2013      

WELLS

   $ 3.87         (50,000   N3949867   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

178967      9/4/2013      

Comerica

   $ 3.94         (40,000   48240   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

178979      11/21/2013      

Comerica

   $ 3.81         (50,000   48690   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

178991      11/21/2013      

WELLS

   $ 3.82         (50,000   N4101692   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

179003      11/22/2013      

WELLS

   $ 3.86         (80,000   N4106377   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

179015      12/19/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.28         (80,000     

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

195135      1/7/2014      

BA

   $ 4.24         (60,000   20488231   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

195146      1/22/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.30         (30,000   N4204301   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

195156      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.39         (70,000   N4212385   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

195226      2/13/2014      

BMO

     —           30,000      478907_478906   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

195246      2/13/2014      

WELLS

     —           40,000      N4246117   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

195236      2/13/2014      

BMO

     —           (30,000   478907_478906   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

195256      2/13/2014      

WELLS

     —           (40,000   N4246117   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2014

178944      8/14/2013      

BMO

   $ 3.77         (100,000   431729   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

178956      8/27/2013      

WELLS

   $ 3.87         (50,000   N3949867   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

178968      9/4/2013      

Comerica

   $ 3.94         (40,000   48240   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

 

Schedule 7.20-8


178980      11/21/2013      

Comerica

   $ 3.81         (50,000   48690   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

178992      11/21/2013      

WELLS

   $ 3.82         (50,000   N4101692   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

179004      11/22/2013      

WELLS

   $ 3.86         (80,000   N4106377   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

179016      12/19/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.28         (80,000     

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

195136      1/7/2014      

BA

   $ 4.24         (60,000   20488231   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

195147      1/22/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.30         (30,000   N4204301   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

195157      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.39         (70,000   N4212385   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

195227      2/13/2014      

BMO

     —           30,000      478907_478906   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

195247      2/13/2014      

WELLS

     —           40,000      N4246117   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

195237      2/13/2014      

BMO

     —           (30,000   478907_478906   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

195257      2/13/2014      

WELLS

     —           (40,000   N4246117   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2014

178945      8/14/2013      

BMO

   $ 3.77         (100,000   431729   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

178957      8/27/2013      

WELLS

   $ 3.87         (50,000   N3949867   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

178969      9/4/2013      

Comerica

   $ 3.94         (40,000   48240   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

178981      11/21/2013      

Comerica

   $ 3.81         (50,000   48690   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

178993      11/21/2013      

WELLS

   $ 3.82         (50,000   N4101692   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

179005      11/22/2013      

WELLS

   $ 3.86         (80,000   N4106377   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

179017      12/19/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.28         (80,000     

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

195137      1/7/2014      

BA

   $ 4.24         (60,000   20488231   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

195148      1/22/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.30         (30,000   N4204301   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

195158      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.39         (70,000   N4212385   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

195228      2/13/2014      

BMO

     —           30,000      478907_478906   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

195248      2/13/2014      

WELLS

     —           40,000      N4246117   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

195238      2/13/2014      

BMO

     —           (30,000   478907_478906   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

195258      2/13/2014      

WELLS

     —           (40,000   N4246117   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2014

179018      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2015

179389      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2015

179401      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2015

179413      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2015

179030      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2015

195159      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2015

195183      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772       

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2015

 

Schedule 7.20-9


195195      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2015

195171      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2015

179019      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2015

179390      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2015

179414      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2015

179402      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2015

179031      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2015

195160      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2015

195184      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2015

195196      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2015

195172      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2015

179020      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2015

179391      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2015

179403      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2015

179415      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2015

179032      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2015

195161      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2015

195185      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2015

195197      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2015

195173      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2015

197044      2/24/2015      

BMO

   $ 2.98         (200,000   645530   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2015

179021      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

179392      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

179416      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

179404      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

179033      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

195162      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

195186      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

195198      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

195174      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

197045      2/24/2015      

BMO

   $ 2.98         (200,000   645530   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

197760      3/9/2015      

WELLS

   $ 2.86         (70,000   N5043806   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2015

 

Schedule 7.20-10


179022      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

179393      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

179405      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

179417      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

179034      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

195163      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

195187      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

195199      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

195175      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

197046      2/24/2015      

BMO

   $ 2.98         (200,000   645530   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

197761      3/9/2015      

WELLS

   $ 2.86         (70,000   N5043806   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2015

202520      5/8/2015      

ING

   $ 61.81         (2,000   82931643   

Crude Oil

  

6/1/2015

179023      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

179394      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

179418      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

179406      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

179035      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

195164      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

195188      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

195200      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

195176      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

197047      2/24/2015      

BMO

   $ 2.98         (200,000   645530   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

197762      3/9/2015      

WELLS

   $ 2.86         (70,000   N5043806   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2015

202521      5/8/2015      

ING

   $ 61.81         (2,000   82931643   

Crude Oil

  

7/1/2015

179024      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

179395      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

179407      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

179419      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

179036      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

195165      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

195189      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

195201      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

 

Schedule 7.20-11


195177      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

197048      2/24/2015      

BMO

   $ 2.98         (200,000   645530   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

197763      3/9/2015      

WELLS

   $ 2.86         (70,000   N5043806   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

201434      5/12/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (271,806   N5212629   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2015

202522      5/8/2015      

ING

   $ 61.81         (2,000   82931643   

Crude Oil

  

8/1/2015

179025      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

179396      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

179420      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

179408      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

179037      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

195166      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

195190      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

195202      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

195178      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

197049      2/24/2015      

BMO

   $ 2.98         (200,000   645530   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

197764      3/9/2015      

WELLS

   $ 2.86         (70,000   N5043806   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

201435      5/12/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (247,862   N5212629   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2015

202523      5/8/2015      

ING

   $ 61.81         (2,000   82931643   

Crude Oil

  

9/1/2015

179026      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

179397      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

179409      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

179421      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

179038      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

195167      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

195191      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

195203      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

195179      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

197050      2/24/2015      

BMO

   $ 2.98         (200,000   645530   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

197765      3/9/2015      

WELLS

   $ 2.86         (70,000   N5043806   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

201436      5/12/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (211,747   N5212629   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2015

202524      5/8/2015      

ING

   $ 61.81         (2,000   82931643   

Crude Oil

  

10/1/2015

179027      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

 

Schedule 7.20-12


179398      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

179422      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

179410      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

179039      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

195168      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

195192      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

195204      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

195180      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

197051      2/24/2015      

BMO

   $ 2.98         (200,000   645530   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

197766      3/9/2015      

WELLS

   $ 2.86         (70,000   N5043806   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

201437      5/12/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (196,842   N5212629   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2015

202525      5/8/2015      

ING

   $ 61.81         (2,000   82931643   

Crude Oil

  

11/1/2015

179028      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

179399      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

179411      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

179423      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

179040      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

195169      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

195193      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

195205      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

195181      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

197052      2/24/2015      

BMO

   $ 2.98         (200,000   645530   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

197767      3/9/2015      

WELLS

   $ 2.86         (70,000   N5043806   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

201438      5/12/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (173,702   N5212629   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2015

202526      5/8/2015      

ING

   $ 61.81         (2,000   82931643   

Crude Oil

  

12/1/2015

179029      8/14/2013      

ING

   $ 4.01         (90,000   1656983   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

179400      8/27/2013      

BA

   $ 4.05         (90,000   19081878   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

179424      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.00         (20,000   20177642   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

179412      11/25/2013      

BA

   $ 4.01         (60,000   20177744   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

179041      11/25/2013      

BMO

   $ 4.01         (70,000   456038   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

195170      1/27/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.13         (90,000   N4212391   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

195194      11/5/2014      

BA

   $ 4.00         (50,000   23380772   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

 

Schedule 7.20-13


195206      11/5/2014      

WELLS

   $ 4.00         (50,000   N4742723   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

195182      11/7/2014      

BMO

   $ 4.00         (50,000   559523   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

197053      2/24/2015      

BMO

   $ 2.98         (200,000   645530   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

197768      3/9/2015      

WELLS

   $ 2.86         (70,000   N5043806   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

201439      5/12/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (165,406   N5212629   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2015

207731      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (2,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

1/1/2016

209713      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

1/1/2016

195207      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2016

197748      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2016

197869      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2016

197881      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2016

207652      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2016

207732      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (2,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

2/1/2016

209714      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

2/1/2016

195208      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2016

197749      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2016

197870      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2016

197882      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2016

207653      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2016

207733      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (2,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

3/1/2016

209715      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

3/1/2016

195209      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2016

197750      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2016

197871      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2016

197883      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2016

207654      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2016

226424      2/8/2016      

WELLS

   $ 2.33         (200,000   N5771300   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2016

207734      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (1,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

4/1/2016

209716      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

4/1/2016

195210      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2016

197751      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2016

197872      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2016

 

Schedule 7.20-14


197884      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2016

207655      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2016

226425      2/8/2016      

WELLS

   $ 2.33         (300,000   N5771300   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2016

207735      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (1,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

5/1/2016

209717      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

5/1/2016

195211      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2016

197752      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2016

197873      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2016

197885      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2016

207656      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2016

226426      2/8/2016      

WELLS

   $ 2.33         (300,000   N5771300   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2016

207736      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (1,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

6/1/2016

209718      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

6/1/2016

195212      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2016

197753      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2016

197874      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2016

197886      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2016

207657      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2016

225679      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         200,000      2095-1   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2016

225686      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         (200,000   2097-1   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2016

226427      2/8/2016      

WELLS

   $ 2.33         (300,000   N5771300   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2016

207737      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (1,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

7/1/2016

209719      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

7/1/2016

195213      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

197754      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

197875      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

197887      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

207658      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

225680      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         100,000      2095-1   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

225687      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         (100,000   2097-1   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

225870      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           60,000      308869860   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

225876      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           (60,000   308869860   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

 

Schedule 7.20-15


226428      2/8/2016      

WELLS

   $ 2.33         (150,000   N5771300   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

229832      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         110,000      2336-1   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

229826      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         (110,000   2337-1   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

233607      6/7/2016      

BA

   $ 2.53         (200,000   28589558   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2016

207738      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (1,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

8/1/2016

209720      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

8/1/2016

195214      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

197755      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

197876      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

197888      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

207659      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

225681      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         100,000      2095-1   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

225688      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         (100,000   2097-1   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

225871      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           60,000      308869860   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

225877      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           (60,000   308869860   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

226429      2/8/2016      

WELLS

   $ 2.33         (150,000   N5771300   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

229833      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         110,000      2336-1   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

229827      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         (110,000   2337-1   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

233608      6/7/2016      

BA

   $ 2.53         (200,000   28589558   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2016

207739      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (1,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

9/1/2016

209721      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

9/1/2016

195215      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

197756      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

197877      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

197889      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

207660      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

225682      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         100,000      2095-1   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

225689      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         (100,000   2097-1   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

225872      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           60,000      308869860   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

225878      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           (60,000   308869860   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

226430      2/8/2016      

WELLS

   $ 2.33         (150,000   N5771300   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

229834      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         110,000      2336-1   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

 

Schedule 7.20-16


229828      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         (110,000   2337-1   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

233609      6/7/2016      

BA

   $ 2.53         (200,000   28589558   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2016

207740      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (1,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

10/1/2016

209722      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

10/1/2016

195216      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

197757      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

197878      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

197890      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

207661      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

225683      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         80,000      2095-1   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

225690      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         (80,000   2097-1   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

225873      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           30,000      308869860   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

225879      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           (30,000   308869860   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

226431      2/8/2016      

WELLS

   $ 2.33         (150,000   N5771300   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

229835      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         80,000      2336-1   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

229829      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         (80,000   2337-1   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

232150      5/9/2016      

Comerica

   $ 2.66         (230,000   54851   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

233610      6/7/2016      

Comerica

     —           120,000      54987   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

233613      6/7/2016      

Comerica

     —           (120,000   54987   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2016

207741      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (1,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

11/1/2016

209723      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

11/1/2016

195217      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

197758      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

197879      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

197891      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

207662      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

225684      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         80,000      2095-1   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

225691      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         (80,000   2097-1   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

225874      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           30,000      308869860   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

225880      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           (30,000   308869860   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

226432      2/8/2016      

WELLS

   $ 2.33         (150,000   N5771300   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

229836      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         80,000      2336-1   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

 

Schedule 7.20-17


229830      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         (80,000   2337-1   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

232151      5/9/2016      

Comerica

   $ 2.66         (230,000   54851   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

233611      6/7/2016      

Comerica

     —           120,000      54987   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

233614      6/7/2016      

Comerica

     —           (120,000   54987   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2016

207742      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 50.60         (1,000   711542   

Crude Oil

  

12/1/2016

209724      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 50.22         (1,000   N5590129   

Crude Oil

  

12/1/2016

195218      11/5/2014      

Comerica

   $ 4.00         (60,000   51456   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

197759      3/9/2015      

BA

   $ 3.18         (160,000   24881973   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

197880      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           150,000      652017   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

197892      3/17/2015      

BMO

     —           (150,000   652017   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

207663      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (90,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

225685      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         80,000      2095-1   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

225692      1/20/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.19         (80,000   2097-1   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

225875      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           30,000      308869860   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

225881      1/22/2016      

ING

     —           (30,000   308869860   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

226433      2/8/2016      

WELLS

   $ 2.33         (150,000   N5771300   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

229837      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         80,000      2336-1   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

229831      4/8/2016      

Capital One

   $ 0.20         (80,000   2337-1   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

232152      5/9/2016      

Comerica

   $ 2.66         (230,000   54851   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

233612      6/7/2016      

Comerica

     —           120,000      54987   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

233615      6/7/2016      

Comerica

     —           (120,000   54987   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2016

207743      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

1/1/2017

209725      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

1/1/2017

198038      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2017

198050      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2017

207664      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2017

230283      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2017

232153      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2017

232165      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2017

233776      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2017

233764      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2017

243796      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2017

 

Schedule 7.20-18


207744      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

2/1/2017

209726      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

2/1/2017

198039      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2017

198051      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2017

207665      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2017

230284      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2017

232154      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2017

232166      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2017

233777      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2017

233765      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2017

243797      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2017

207745      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

3/1/2017

209727      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

3/1/2017

198040      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2017

198052      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2017

207666      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2017

230285      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2017

232155      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2017

232167      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2017

233778      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2017

233766      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2017

243798      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2017

207746      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

4/1/2017

209728      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

4/1/2017

198041      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2017

198053      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2017

207667      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2017

230286      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2017

232156      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2017

232168      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2017

233779      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2017

233767      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2017

 

Schedule 7.20-19


243799      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2017

207747      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

5/1/2017

209729      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

5/1/2017

198042      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2017

198054      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2017

207668      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2017

230287      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2017

232157      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2017

232169      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2017

233780      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2017

233768      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2017

243800      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2017

207748      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

6/1/2017

209730      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

6/1/2017

198043      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2017

198055      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2017

207669      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2017

230288      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2017

232158      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2017

232170      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2017

233781      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2017

233769      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2017

243801      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2017

207749      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

7/1/2017

209731      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

7/1/2017

198044      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2017

198056      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2017

207670      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2017

230289      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2017

232159      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2017

232171      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2017

233782      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2017

 

Schedule 7.20-20


233770      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2017

243802      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2017

207750      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

8/1/2017

209732      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

8/1/2017

198045      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2017

198057      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2017

207671      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2017

230290      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2017

232160      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2017

232172      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2017

233783      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2017

233771      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2017

243803      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2017

207751      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

9/1/2017

209733      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

9/1/2017

198046      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2017

198058      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2017

207672      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2017

230291      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2017

232161      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2017

232173      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2017

233784      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2017

233772      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2017

243804      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2017

207752      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

10/1/2017

209734      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

10/1/2017

198047      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2017

198059      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2017

207673      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2017

230292      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2017

232162      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2017

232174      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2017

 

Schedule 7.20-21


233785      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2017

233773      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2017

243805      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2017

207753      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

11/1/2017

209735      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

11/1/2017

198048      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2017

198060      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2017

207674      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2017

230293      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2017

232163      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2017

232175      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2017

233786      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2017

233774      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2017

243806      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2017

207754      9/16/2015      

BMO

   $ 53.95         (1,000   711544   

Crude Oil

  

12/1/2017

209736      10/30/2015      

WELLS

   $ 53.35         (500   N5590130   

Crude Oil

  

12/1/2017

198049      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           200,000      25029539   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2017

198061      3/24/2015      

BA

     —           (200,000   25029539   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2017

207675      9/15/2015      

WELLS

   $ 3.01         (40,000   N5490734   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2017

230294      4/14/2016      

BMO

   $ 2.80         (260,000   851292   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2017

232164      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           160,000      2575236   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2017

232176      5/9/2016      

ING

     —           (160,000   2575236   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2017

233787      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         100,000      872372   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2017

233775      6/9/2016      

BMO

   $ 0.34         (100,000   872371   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2017

243807      10/13/2016      

WELLS

   $ 3.37         (280,000     

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2017

232177      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

1/1/2018

232178      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

2/1/2018

232179      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

3/1/2018

232180      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

4/1/2018

232181      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

5/1/2018

232182      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

6/1/2018

232183      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

7/1/2018

 

Schedule 7.20-22


232184      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

8/1/2018

232185      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

9/1/2018

232186      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

10/1/2018

232187      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

11/1/2018

232188      5/9/2016      

ING

   $ 2.95         (170,000   2575238   

Natural Gas

  

12/1/2018

 

Schedule 7.20-23


SCHEDULE 7.26

CORPORATE REORGANIZATION AGREEMENTS

The Transition Services Agreement

The Master Contribution Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016, among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, WildHorse Resources II, LLC, Esquisto Resources II, LLC, WHE AcqCo., LLC, NGP XI US Holdings L.P., WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC, Esquisto Investment Holdings, LLC, WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC, WHR Holdings, LLC, Esquisto Holdings, LLC, WildHorse Merger Sub, LLC, and Esquisto Merger Sub, LLC

The Registration Rights Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016, among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation and the “Initial Holders” party thereto

The Stockholders’ Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016, among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, WildHorse Holdings, LLC, Esquisto Holdings, LLC, and WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC

The Underwriting Agreement dated as of December 19, 2016 among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, Barclays Capital Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and BMO Capital Markets Corp.

The Amended and Restated Company Agreement of Esquisto Holdings, LLC

The Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Esquisto Resources II, LLC

The Amended and Restated Company Agreement of WHE AcqCo Holdings LLC

The Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of WHE AcqCo., LLC

The Amended and Restated Company Agreement of WHR Holdings, LLC

The Amended and Restated Company Agreement of WildHorse Investment Holdings LLC

The Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of WildHorse Resources II, LLC

 

Schedule 7.26-1


SCHEDULE 9.05

EXISTING INVESTMENTS

None.

 

Schedule 9.05-1


SCHEDULE 9.14

AFFILIATE TRANSACTIONS

None, other than transactions set forth on Schedule 7.26.

 

Schedule 9.14-1

Exhibit 10.4

Execution Version

TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT

This Transition Services Agreement (this “ Agreement ”) is executed and agreed to as of December 19, 2016 (the “ Effective Date ”) by and among WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Parent ”), Esquisto Resources II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”), and CH4 Energy IV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, PetroMax Operating Co., Inc., a Texas corporation, and Crossing Rocks Energy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (collectively, the “ Service Providers ” and each a “ Service Provider ”). The Parent, the Company and the Service Providers are hereinafter each referred to as a “ Party ” and are collectively referred to as the “ Parties ”.

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Service Providers have in place a staff of management, administrative, financial, accounting, marketing, and human resource personnel capable of providing transition services to the Company;

WHEREAS, the Parent and the Company desire to enter into this Agreement with the Service Providers to obtain certain services necessary to manage the certain operations of the Company’s business, as more fully described herein; and

WHEREAS, the Service Providers desire to provide the Services (as defined below) to the Company.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS

1.1 Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:

Agreement ” is defined in the preamble.

Asset ” or “ Assets ” means all assets and property, real or personal, owned by the Company.

Company ” is defined in the preamble.

Effective Date ” is defined in the preamble.

Force Majeure Event ” means any event not reasonably within the control of the Party claiming the force majeure, including the following to the extent such events are not reasonably within the control of the Party claiming the force majeure: act of God, act of the public enemy, war, blockade, public riot, lightning, fire, storm, flood or other act of nature, explosion, governmental action (including changes in Laws, regulations or policies with the effect of Law


or, in each case, the enforcement thereof), and governmental delay or restraint (including with respect to the issuance of permits); provided, however, that a “Force Majeure Event” shall not include (i) lack of financing or funds and (ii) to the extent affecting only such Party’s or such Party’s affiliate’s employees, any strike, work stoppage or other organized labor difficulty.

Governmental Authority ” means any federal, state, local, municipal, tribal or other government; any governmental, regulatory or administrative agency, commission, body or other authority exercising or entitled to exercise any administrative, executive, judicial, legislative, regulatory or taxing authority or power; and any court or governmental tribunal having or asserting jurisdiction.

Law ” means any applicable constitutional provision, statute, act, code, law, regulation, rule, ordinance, order, decree, ruling, proclamation, resolution, judgment, decision, declaration or interpretative or advisory opinion or letter of a Governmental Authority.

Management Fee ” is defined in Section 3.1 .

Outsourced Service ” is defined in Section 2.1 .

Parent ” is defined in the preamble.

Party ” and “ Parties ” are defined in the preamble.

Person ” means a natural person, partnership (whether general or limited), limited liability company, Governmental Authority, trust, estate, association, corporation, venture, custodian, nominee or any other individual or entity in its own or any representative capacity.

Prudent Industry Practice ” means, at a particular time, any of the practices, methods, standards of care, skill, safety and diligence, as the same may change from time to time, but applied in light of the facts known at the time, that are consistent with the general standards applied or utilized under comparable circumstances by a reasonably prudent operator, in a good and workmanlike manner, with due diligence and dispatch, in accordance with good industry practice. Service Providers have been and are currently providing services to the Company with regard to the Assets and for the purpose of this agreement the Service Providers’ past practices shall be deemed Prudent Industry Practice.

Service Providers ” is defined in the preamble.

Services ” is defined in Section 2.1 .

Term ” is defined in Section 4.1 .

Third Party ” means a Person other than a Party.

 

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ARTICLE II.

SERVICES

2.1 Services . The Service Providers shall provide the Company with the services necessary to manage the day to day operations of the Company, including engineering, land, operating, financial and other similar services necessary and sufficient or appropriate to conduct the affairs of the Company (the “ Services ”). The Services shall include, but are not limited to, the services set forth on Schedule 2.1 hereto. Such Services shall be provided by the Service Providers solely for the benefit of the Parent and the Company. The Service Providers may cause one or more Third Party contractors, subject to the prior approval of the Company, to provide any of the Services (any such Services provided by Third Party contractors being referred to herein as an “ Outsourced Service ”); provided, however, that except as expressly provided in this Agreement, any Outsourced Services shall be subject to the provisions of this Agreement in the same way as any Service that is not an Outsourced Service is subject to the provisions of this Agreement.

2.2 Records and Auditing Rights . Each Service Provider shall at all times maintain adequate books and records to verify the accounts and transactions under this Agreement. Such records shall be retained and kept available for inspection and audit by the Parent and the Company, and other representatives of the Parent and the Company on days such Service Provider is open for business during normal working hours upon reasonable notice to such Service Provider.

2.3 Standard of Care . Each Service Provider hereby warrants that it will perform all of its obligations under this Agreement in accordance with Prudent Industry Practices and in compliance with all applicable Laws.

2.4 Duty to the Company . Each Service Provider shall dedicate sufficient personnel and resources to provide the Services in accordance with Prudent Industry Practices.

2.5 Conditions of Service.

(a) Subject to Sections 2.3 and 2.4 , the Service Providers shall have complete authority and discretion to elect the means, manner and method of performing the Services.

(b) All Third Party contractors that provide Outsourced Services shall be selected by the Service Providers with reasonable care and with reasonable assurances that such Third Party contractors can perform the Services pursuant to the requirements of this Agreement.

(c) The Service Providers shall perform the Services as an “independent contractor” of the Company and nothing in this Agreement is intended, and nothing shall be construed, to create an agency, employer/employee, partnership, joint venture, association or other similar relationship between the Service Providers and the Company.

 

3


(d) This Agreement is a purely commercial transaction between the Parties and nothing stated in this Agreement shall operate to create any special or fiduciary duty between the Parties.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, all matters pertaining to the employment, supervision, compensation, promotion and discharge of any personnel of each Service Provider are the responsibility of such Service Provider. All such employment arrangements are solely each Service Provider’s obligation, and the Company shall have no liability with respect thereto or with respect to the employment arrangements of any other Service Provider.

ARTICLE III.

PAYMENTS

3.1 Management Fee . As sole consideration for the Services rendered by the Service Providers to the Company under this Agreement, the Company shall pay the Service Providers an aggregate management fee of $10.00 per month during the Term (the “ Management Fee ”). The Company will pay the Management Fee no later than the 20th day of the month following the calendar month in which services are provided. The Management Fee is intended to reimburse the Service Providers for expenses for the Services that are general and administrative charges as accounted for under standard accounting methods. The Management Fee shall also be deemed to include reimbursement for geoscience expenses. Direct third party expenses incurred by the Service Providers in connection with Services that are not general and administrative expenses or geoscience expenses, including lifting and operating expenses, capital expenditures and lease acquisitions costs, will be reimbursed to the Service Providers on a monthly basis; provided, however , the Service Providers shall provide documentation for any such third party expenses prior to any reimbursement by the Company.

3.2 Call for Company Advances . On an as needed basis, each Service Provider may request the Company advance funds to such Service Provider to cover all out-of-pocket third-party costs and expenses to be incurred by such Service Provider at the request of, and for the benefit of, the Company, including, without limitation, the direct operating expenses of the Company and any cost or expense relating to a capital project of the Company. Any requests for advances hereunder shall be accompanied by appropriate documentation from such Service Provider supporting such costs and expenses. Upon the Company’s approval, the Company shall advance such funds within ten business days following such request from such Service Provider, subject to extension to the extent necessary to provide any additional documentation reasonably requested of such Service Provider by the Parent or the Company. Such Service Provider, the Parent and the Company shall determine, no less frequently than on a monthly basis, whether excess cash advances may be returned to the Company; provided, that any unused advances shall be returned to the Company at the end of the Term.

ARTICLE IV.

TERM; TERMINATION

4.1 Term . This Agreement will commence on the Effective Date and will remain in effect until 180 days following the Effective Date; provided, that this Agreement may be terminated at any time by the Company, by delivering written notice to the Service Providers (such period of time during which this Agreement is in effect, the “ Term ”).

 

4


4.2 Transition Services . During (i) the last 30 days of the Term or (ii) the period of time commencing on the date a termination notice is provided by the Company pursuant to Section 4.1 until the effective date of such termination, the Service Providers shall in good faith assist and cooperate with the Parent and the Company to facilitate the transfer of the Services to any Person designated by the Parent and the Company; provided , that, during such period, the Company shall pay to the Service Providers any amounts payable by the Company to the Service Providers pursuant to this Agreement.

ARTICLE V.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

5.1 Duties and Responsibilities . Each Service Provider shall comply in all respects with the terms of this Agreement and shall use its reasonable commercial efforts, in the conduct of business and operations of the Company, (i) to comply, in all material respects, with the terms and provisions of all agreements relating to the Company’s business, operations or properties to which it is a party or to which the Company’s properties are subject and (ii) to comply, in all material respects, with all applicable Laws, ordinances or governmental rules and regulations to which the Company is subject (including, without limitation, all applicable federal, state and local environmental Laws, ordinances, rules and regulations).

5.2 Personnel . Each Service Provider covenants and agrees that it will at all times retain and have available to it and the Company a professional staff and outside consultants that together will be reasonably adequate in size, experience and competency to discharge properly the duties and functions of such Service Provider and the Company hereunder and under any applicable operating and other agreements, including, but not limited to, technical personnel, attorneys, accountants and secretarial and clerical personnel.

5.3 Utilized Property . In connection with providing the Services, each Service Providers shall utilize certain personal property and other assets of such Service Provider (the “ Utilized Property ”). Ownership of the Utilized Property shall remain with such Service Provider notwithstanding that the Utilized Property may be used primarily for the benefit of the Company. The Utilized Property include, but are not limited to, (i) all rights of such Service Provider in respect of the lease of office space for its principal office, (ii) all tangible personal property owned by such Service Provider, including corporate office build-out, computers, office furniture, computer hardware and software and corporate pool cars, (iii) utilities, telecommunications, office supplies and mailing expenses, (iv) professional services that benefit the Company, and (v) insurance premiums for the corporate office and corporate shared pool vehicles, including D&O insurance premiums, as applicable. Such Service Provider shall be responsible for maintaining all Utilized Property in good condition and repair, reasonable wear and tear excepted, and may refurbish or replace, at such Service Provider’s expense, such items as they become worn out or obsolete. If any Service Provider uses or licenses intellectual property owned by Third Parties in the performance of Services under this Agreement, such Service Provider shall obtain and maintain any such licenses and authorizations necessary to authorize its use of such intellectual property in connection with such Services.

 

5


ARTICLE VI.

LIMITED WARRANTY; LIMITATION ON LIABILITY; INSURANCE; AND

INDEMNIFICATION

6.1 Limited Warranty; Warranties Disclaimer . THE WARRANTY CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION 6.1 SHALL BE EXCLUSIVE, AND IS GIVEN AND ACCEPTED IN LIEU OF ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. WITH RESPECT TO ANY DEFECT IN THE SERVICES RENDERED OR PRODUCTS OBTAINED FOR THE COMPANY (WHETHER A CLAIM FOR SUCH DEFECT ARISES UNDER CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, STATUTE, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL OR EQUITABLE THEORY OR PRINCIPLE INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), EACH SERVICE PROVIDER’S SOLE LIABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY AND THE COMPANY’S SOLE REMEDY SHALL BE THE REPERFORMANCE OF THE SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS AGREEMENT, UNLESS THE DEFECT WAS CAUSED BY THE FRAUD, GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH SERVICE PROVIDER.

6.2 Limitation on Liability . It is expressly understood by each Service Provider and the Company that no Service Provider shall have liability for the failure of Third Party providers to perform any Outsourced Services hereunder and further that no Service Provider shall have liability whatsoever for the Services provided by any such Third Party unless in either event such Outsourced Services are provided in a manner that would evidence gross negligence or intentional misconduct on the part of such Service Provider but the Service Provider shall, on behalf of the Company, pursue all rights and remedies under any such Third Party contract. It is further understood by each Service Provider and the Company that no Service Provider shall have liability for the Services provided by any other Service Provider and that any liabilities for the Service Providers under this Agreement shall be several and not joint. The Parent and the Company agree that the remuneration paid to the Service Providers hereunder for the Services to be performed reflect this limitation of liability and disclaimer of warranties. In no event shall the any Service Provider be liable to the Parent and the Company or any other Person for any indirect, special or consequential damages resulting from any error in the performance of Services or from the breach of this Agreement, regardless of the fault of such Service Provider, or any Third Party provider or whether such Service Provider, or the Third Party provider, is wholly, concurrently, partially or solely negligent. To the extent any Third Party provider has limited its liability to any Service Provider for Outsourced Services under an agreement, the Company agrees to be bound by such limitation of liability for any product or Outsourced Service provided to the Company by such Third Party provider under such Service Provider’s agreement.

6.3 Insurance . Each Service Provider agrees to the terms and its obligations set forth on Schedule 6.3 with respect to insurance.

6.4 Indemnification . Each Service Providers, severally and not jointly, shall defend, indemnify and hold Parent and Company harmless from and against any and all claims that the Parties may suffer due to such Service Provider’s failure to comply with all of the insurance requirements in this Agreement. In no event shall the amount or scope of the insurance required herein place any limitation on the liability assumed by such Service Provider elsewhere in this

 

6


Agreement. Each Service Provider, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to release, protect, defend, indemnify and hold the Company and Parent harmless from and against any and all claims arising out of bodily injury to persons, including, but not limited to, sickness or death, in any manner caused by, directly or indirectly resulting from, incident to, connected with or arising out of, performance of the Services, WHETHER OR NOT RESULTING IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM THE SOLE, CONCURRENT OR COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE (EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT OF THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF THE COMPANY OR PARENT) OR STRICT LIABILITY OF THE COMPANY OR PARENT, OR ANY DEFECT IN THE PREMISES, EQUIPMENT OR TOOLS OWNED, OPERATED OR CONTROLLED BY THE COMPANY OR PARENT. Company hereby agrees to release, protect, defend, indemnify and hold each Service Provider harmless from and against any and all claims arising out of bodily injury to persons employed by Company, including, but not limited to, sickness or death, in any manner caused by, directly or indirectly resulting from, incident to, connected with or arising out of, performance of the Services up to the amount of such limits on such Service Provider’s indemnification obligations set forth in the immediately preceding sentence, WHETHER OR NOT RESULTING IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM THE SOLE, CONCURRENT OR COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE (EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT OF THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH SERVICE PROVIDER) OR STRICT LIABILITY OF SERVICE PROVIDER, OR ANY DEFECT IN THE PREMISES, EQUIPMENT OR TOOLS OWNED, OPERATED OR CONTROLLED BY SUCH SERVICE PROVIDER. The indemnification obligations of the Parties under this Article 6 shall expressly survive the termination of this Agreement.

ARTICLE VII.

FORCE MAJEURE

7.1 Excused Performance . A Party shall not be responsible or liable for or deemed in breach of this Agreement for any delay or failure in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to the extent such performance is prevented by a Force Majeure Event; provided that:

(a) the affected Party gives the other Party prompt notice describing the particulars of the Force Majeure Event and the proposed cure;

(b) the suspension of performance is of no greater scope and of no longer duration than is reasonably attributable to the Force Majeure Event;

(c) the affected Party uses commercially reasonable efforts to remedy its inability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Force Majeure Event; and

(d) when the affected Party is able to resume performance of its obligations under this Agreement, that Party shall give the other Party written notice to that effect.

7.2 No Preclusion . The existence of a Force Majeure Event shall not relieve any Party of (a) any of its payment obligations under this Agreement, or (b) any other obligation under this Agreement to the extent that performance of such other obligation is not precluded by such Force Majeure Event.

 

7


7.3 Limitations on Effect of Force Majeure . In no event will any delay or failure of performance caused by a Force Majeure Event extend this Agreement beyond its Term.

ARTICLE VIII.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

8.1 Company Representations . The Parent and the Company represent and warrant as of the Effective Date that:

(a) the Parent is a corporation incorporated and validly existing under the Laws of the State of Delaware and the Company is a limited liability company duly organized and validly existing under the Laws of the State of Delaware, as applicable, and each has all necessary authorizations required by applicable Law to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

(b) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Parent and the Company has been duly authorized by all requisite corporate or limited liability company action, as applicable, and will not: (i) violate any provisions of its organizational documents or (ii) result in the breach or acceleration of any performance required by the terms of any contract, agreement or arrangement to which it is a party or any applicable Laws; and

(c) this Agreement is a valid and binding obligation of the Parent and the Company, enforceable against the Parent and the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, regardless of whether the issue of enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

8.2 Service Provider Representations . Each Service Provider represents and warrants as of the Effective Date that:

(a) such Service Provider is a corporation or limited liability company, as applicable, duly organized and validly existing under the Laws of the State of Delaware or Texas, as applicable, and has all necessary authorizations required by applicable Law to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

(b) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by such Service Provider have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate or limited liability company action, as applicable, and will not: (i) violate any provisions of its organizational documents or (ii) result in the breach or acceleration of any performance required by the terms of any contract, agreement or arrangement to which it is a party, or any applicable Laws; and

(c) this Agreement is a valid and binding obligation of such Service Provider, enforceable against such Service Provider in accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar Laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, regardless of whether the issue of enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

8


ARTICLE IX.

MISCELLANEOUS

9.1 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, and each such counterpart hereof shall be deemed to be an original instrument, but all of such counterparts shall constitute for all purposes one agreement. Any signature hereto delivered by a Party by facsimile transmission shall be deemed an original signature hereto.

9.2 Notices .

(a) Except as expressly set forth to the contrary in this Agreement, all notices and communications required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be sufficient in all respects if given in writing and delivered personally, or sent by overnight courier, or mailed by U.S. Express Mail or by certified or registered United States Mail with all postage fully prepaid, or sent by facsimile transmission (provided any such facsimile transmission is confirmed either orally or by written confirmation) or sent by email, addressed to the appropriate Party at the address or email address for such Party shown below or at such other address as such Party shall have theretofore designated by written notice delivered to the Party giving such notice:

If to the Parent:

WildHorse Resource Development Corporation

9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400

Houston, Texas 77024

Attn: General Counsel

Facsimile: (713) 568-4911

If to the Company:

Esquisto Resources II, LLC

c/o WildHorse Resource Development Corporation

9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400

Houston, Texas 77024

Attn: General Counsel

Facsimile: (713) 568-4911

If to the Service Providers:

 

Crossing Rocks Energy, LLC

301 Commerce St, Suite 2001

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Attn: Scott Lakey

Facsimile: (817)796-1155

PetroMax Operating Co., Inc.

603 Main Street, Ste 201

Garland, TX 75040

Attn: Will Shaw

Facsimile: 972-271-2533

CH4 Energy IV, LLC

421 W. 3 rd  Street, Suite  750

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Attn: Richard Brannon
Facsimile: (817) 924-8697
 

 

9


(b) Any notice given in accordance herewith shall be deemed to have been given when delivered to the addressee by email, or in person, or by courier, or transmitted by facsimile transmission during normal business hours, or upon actual receipt by the addressee after such notice has either been delivered to an overnight courier or deposited in the United States Mail, as the case may be. The Parties may change the address, telephone numbers, and facsimile numbers to which such communications are to be addressed by giving written notice to the other Parties in the manner provided in this Section 9.2 .

9.3 Entire Agreement; Conflicts . This Agreement and the Schedules hereto collectively constitute the entire agreement among the Parties pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, negotiations and discussions, whether oral or written, of the Parties pertaining to the subject matter hereof. In the event of a conflict between the terms and provisions of this Agreement and the terms and provisions of any Schedule hereto, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall govern and control; provided, however, that the inclusion in any of the Schedules hereto of terms and provisions not addressed in this Agreement shall not be deemed a conflict, and all such additional provisions shall be given full force and effect, subject to the provisions of this Section 9.3 .

9.4 Amendment . This Agreement may be amended only by an instrument in writing executed by all of the Parties and expressly identified as an amendment or modification.

9.5 Parties in Interest . Nothing in this Agreement shall entitle any Person other than the Parties to any claim, cause of action, remedy or right of any kind.

9.6 Successors and Permitted Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their successors and permitted assigns.

9.7 Assignment . Except for the ability of a Service Provider to cause one or more of the Services to be performed by a Third Party provider (subject to the terms of this Agreement), no Party shall have the right to assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party and any such assignment that is made without such consent shall be void and of no force and effect. No permitted assignment shall release any Party from any of its obligations under this Agreement. All of the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assignees.

9.8 Further Assurances . In connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, each Party shall execute and deliver all such future instruments and take such other and further action as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this Agreement and the intention of the Parties as expressed herein.

 

10


9.9 Severability . If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced by any rule of Law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any adverse manner to any Party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal, or incapable of being enforced, the Parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the Parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.

9.10 No Recourse . For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Agreement shall not give rise to any right of recourse against any current or former stockholder, member, partner, owner, director, manager, officer or employee of any Service Provider or of the Parent or the Company or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives or affiliated companies.

9.11 Governing Law . THIS AGREEMENT IS TO BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.

9.12 Interpretation . All references in this Agreement to Schedules, Articles, Sections, subsections and other subdivisions refer to the corresponding Schedules, Articles, Sections, subsections and other subdivisions of or to this Agreement unless expressly provided otherwise. Titles appearing at the beginning of any Articles, Sections, subsections and other subdivisions of this Agreement are for convenience only, do not constitute any part of this Agreement, and shall be disregarded in construing the language hereof. The words “this Agreement,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereunder” and “hereof,” and words of similar import, refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section, subsection or other subdivision unless expressly so limited. The words “this Article,” “this Section” and “this subsection,” and words of similar import, refer only to the Article, Section or subsection hereof in which such words occur. The word “including” (in its various forms) means including without limitation. All references to “$” or “dollars” shall be deemed references to United States dollars. Each accounting term not defined herein will have the meaning given to it under GAAP as interpreted as of the date of this Agreement. Pronouns in masculine, feminine or neuter genders shall be construed to state and include any other gender, and words, terms and titles (including terms defined herein) in the singular form shall be construed to include the plural and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires. Schedules referred to herein are attached to and by this reference incorporated herein for all purposes. References to any Law or agreement shall mean such Law or agreement as it may be amended from time to time.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

11


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the date and year first above written.

 

PARENT:
WILDHORSE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Jay C. Graham

Name:   Jay C. Graham
Title:   CEO
COMPANY:
ESQUISTO RESOURCES II, LLC
By:  

/s/ Jay C. Graham

Name:   Jay C. Graham
Title:   CEO

S IGNATURE P AGE

T RANSITION S ERVICES A GREEMENT


SERVICE PROVIDERS:
CH4 ENERGY IV, LLC
By:  

/s/ Richard D. Brannon

Name:   Richard D. Brannon
Title:   President
PETROMAX OPERATING CO., INC.
By:  

/s/ Mike Hoover

Name:   Mike Hoover
Title:   President
CROSSING ROCKS ENERGY, LLC
By:  

/s/ Bruce Selkirk

Name:   Bruce Selkirk
Title:   President and CEO

S IGNATURE P AGE

T RANSITION S ERVICES A GREEMENT


Schedule 2.1

Services

The Services shall include any services necessary or appropriate for the management and operation of the Company and may include, without limitation, employee services related to supporting the following:

 

  1. Administrative and Land Services (as described below)

 

  2. Operator Services (as described below)

 

  3. Financial and Accounting Services, including KPMG and or EY audit support

 

  4. Accounts Payable and Receivables

 

  5. Land and Land Administration

 

  6. Strategic Planning and Budgeting Cooperation with the Company and the Parent

 

  7. Any Other Services as Reasonably Requested by the Parent or the Company from Time to Time

Administrative and Land Services : To fulfill its obligation to manage the day-to-day affairs of the Company, each Service Provider:

(i) may, in the name of such Service Provider or the Company or as agent for the Company, as appropriate, negotiate, enter into or settle contracts and agreements which are necessary to prudently manage the Assets of the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Such contracts and agreements may include, but are not limited to, furnishment of utilities to Assets of the Company, gathering or processing agreements and contract services agreements. Company will, when necessary, appoint such Service Provider as its agent to act on Company’s behalf;

(ii) as directed by the Parent, will cause the Company to retain qualified accountants and legal counsel, as applicable, to assist in developing appropriate accounting procedures, compliance procedures and testing systems with respect to financial reporting obligations and to conduct compliance reviews with respect thereto;

(iii) will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause third-party expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Company to be commercially reasonable or commercially customary and within any budgeted parameters or expense guidelines set by the Company from time to time; provided, however, any expenditures that will exceed the applicable budgeted parameter by more than 10% shall require the Company’s prior approval;


(iv) will correspond with Company’s partners and generally conduct industry standard lease administration duties on Company’s Assets;

(v) will perform such other services as may be required from time to time for management and other activities relating to the Assets of the Company as the Company shall reasonably request or such Service Provider shall deem appropriate under the particular circumstances and approved by the Company; and

(vi) will perform other land functions as such Service Provider and the Company may deem necessary to manage the Company’s Assets.

Operator Services : Each Service Provider shall perform such services as are typically provided by an operator for non-operators for each of the Operator Services with respect to the Assets for which the Company would otherwise serve as an operator, and to perform those Operator Services required for the non-operated Assets owned by the Company. “ Operator Services ” is defined as disbursing actual received revenues to revenue interest owners on such Service Provider’s normal monthly revenue distribution schedule;

Financial and Accounting Services : To fulfill its obligation to manage certain of the operations of the Company, each Service Provider:

(i) will enter and maintain the revenue and expense decks of the Company’s Assets in such Service Provider’s land and accounting systems; and

(ii) will provide access to historical Company data for financial statement audits requested by the Parent and will perform, cause to be performed and cooperate with the Parent with respect to any other accounting, financial or audit related services as the Parent or Company may reasonably request.


Schedule 6.3

Insurance

 

1) Throughout the term of this Agreement, each Service Provider shall adequately secure and maintain, with reliable insurers with an A.M. Best rating of no less than A-VII and with adequate terms, conditions and limits, insurance including:

 

  a) Commercial General Liability insurance;

 

  b) Automobile Liability Insurance for all owned, leased and non-owned vehicles;

 

  c) follow-form Excess/Umbrella Liability insurance (minimum $5 million limit);

 

  d) Workers’ Compensation (statutory limits); and

 

  e) Employers Liability (minimum $1 million limit).

 

2) Commercial General Liability Insurance, Automobile Liability and Excess/Umbrella Liability shall not contain any cross liability exclusion, shall name Parent and Company as an additional insured and shall waive rights of subrogation in favor of Parent and Company. The Workers’ Compensation policy shall waive its rights of subrogation in favor of Parent and Company and include an Alternate Employer endorsement, if applicable. The Commercial General Liability policy shall not contain any provision, definition or endorsement that would serve to eliminate third party action over claims coverage and shall include coverage for contractual liability and products/completed operations.

 

3) All insurance coverage carried by a Service Provider with respect to the risks and liabilities assumed by such Service Provider hereunder shall extend to and protect the Parent and Company to the full extent and amount of such coverage, and shall be primary to, and receive no contribution from, any other insurance or self-insurance programs maintained by or on behalf of or benefiting the Parent or Company.

 

4) Each Service Provider shall provider Company or Parent a Certificates of Insurance, along with applicable Endorsements, evidencing required current insurance as set forth in this Agreement.

 

5) If a Third Party contractor or service provider is utilized to perform any Services under this Agreement, the applicable Service Provider shall require that such Third Party contractor or service provider maintain insurance including limits, coverages, terms, and conditions applicable for the Services performed. As applicable, such Third Party contractor or service provider shall name Parent and Company as an Additional Insured and waive subrogation rights in favor or Parent and Company.

Exhibit 10.5

Execution Version

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHR HOLDINGS, LLC

December 19, 2016


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

       Page   

ARTICLE I FORMATION OF COMPANY

     1   

Section 1.1.

  Formation and Continuation      1   

Section 1.2.

  Name      1   

Section 1.3.

  Business      2   

Section 1.4.

  Places of Business; Registered Agent; Names and Addresses of Members      2   

Section 1.5.

  Term      2   

Section 1.6.

  Filings      2   

Section 1.7.

  Title to Company Property      2   

Section 1.8.

  No Payments of Individual Obligations      2   

ARTICLE II DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES

     3   

Section 2.1.

  Defined Terms      3   

Section 2.2.

  References and Titles      14   

ARTICLE III CAPITALIZATION AND UNITS

     15   

Section 3.1.

  Capital Contributions of Members      15   

Section 3.2.

  Issuances of Additional Securities      15   

Section 3.3.

  Return of Contributions      15   

Section 3.4.

  Incentive Interests      15   

ARTICLE IV ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

     19   

Section 4.1.

  Allocations of Net Profits and Net Losses      19   

Section 4.2.

  Special Allocations      19   

Section 4.3.

  Income Tax Allocations      21   

Section 4.4.

  Distributions      23   

ARTICLE V MANAGEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS

     25   

Section 5.1.

  Power and Authority of Board      25   

Section 5.2.

  Officers      26   

Section 5.3.

  Acknowledged and Permitted Activities      26   

Section 5.4.

  Duties and Services of the Board      27   

Section 5.5.

  Liability and Indemnification      27   

Section 5.6.

  Reimbursement of Members      28   

Section 5.7.

  Insurance      28   

Section 5.8.

  Tax Elections and Status      28   

Section 5.9.

  Tax Returns      29   

Section 5.10.

  Tax Matters Member      29   

Section 5.11.

  Section 83(b) Election      30   

Section 5.12.

  Tax Reimbursement      30   

ARTICLE VI RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

     30   

Section 6.1.

  Rights of Members      30   

 

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Section 6.2.

  Limitations on Members      31   

Section 6.3.

  Liability of Members      31   

Section 6.4.

  Withdrawal and Return of Capital Contributions      31   

Section 6.5.

  Voting Rights      31   

ARTICLE VII BOOKS, REPORTS, MEETINGS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

     31   

Section 7.1.

  Capital Accounts, Books and Records.      31   

Section 7.2.

  Bank Accounts      33   

Section 7.3.

  Reports      33   

Section 7.4.

  Meetings of Members      34   

Section 7.5.

  Confidentiality      34   

ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION

     34   

Section 8.1.

  Dissolution      34   

Section 8.2.

  Winding Down      35   

Section 8.3.

  Liquidation and Termination      35   

ARTICLE IX ASSIGNMENTS OF COMPANY INTERESTS

     36   

Section 9.1.

  Assignments of Company Interests      36   

ARTICLE X REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     37   

Section 10.1.

  Representations and Warranties      37   

ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS

     39   

Section 11.1.

  Notices      39   

Section 11.2.

  Amendment      39   

Section 11.3.

  Partition      41   

Section 11.4.

  Entire Agreement      41   

Section 11.5.

  Severability      41   

Section 11.6.

  No Waiver      41   

Section 11.7.

  Applicable Law      41   

Section 11.8.

  Successors and Assigns      41   

Section 11.9.

  Arbitration      41   

Section 11.10.

  Counterparts      43   

 

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AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

OF

WHR HOLDINGS, LLC

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT (this Agreement ”), dated effective as of December 19, 2016, is made by and among WHR Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the Company ”), and the Persons who have executed a signature page to this Agreement as the Members and the Managers.

WHEREAS, the Company was formed pursuant to the filing of a Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware effective on November 21, 2016, in accordance with the provisions of the Act (as defined below) and by the execution of that certain Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated effective as of November 21, 2016 (the “Original Agreement ); and

WHEREAS, effective as of the date hereof, the parties to this Agreement hereby amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein in order to reflect the admission of the WildHorse Members, and the parties’ agreement regarding the manner in which the Company shall be governed and operated and the other matters set forth herein.

ARTICLE I

FORMATION OF COMPANY

Section 1.1. Formation and Continuation . Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the parties do hereby desire to establish this Agreement to continue and govern the Company as a limited liability company under the provisions of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, D EL . C ODE A NN . T IT . 6 §§ 18-101 (2010) et seq., as amended from time to time, and any successor statute or statutes (the “ Act ”). The Company was formed upon the execution and filing by the organizer with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of a Certificate of Formation of the Company effective on November 21, 2016. This Agreement shall amend and restate in its entirety the Original Agreement in all respects and such Original Agreement shall be of no force or effect after the date hereof. The parties hereby continue the Company pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

Section 1.2. Name . The name of the Company shall be WHR Holdings, LLC. Subject to all applicable laws, the business of the Company shall be conducted in the name of the Company unless under the law of some jurisdiction in which the Company does business such business must be conducted under another name or unless the Board determines that it is advisable to conduct Company business under another name. In such a case, the business of the Company in such jurisdiction or in connection with such determination may be conducted under such other name or names as the Board shall determine to be necessary. The Board shall cause to be filed on behalf of the Company such assumed or fictitious name certificate or certificates or similar instruments as may from time to time be required by law.

 

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Section 1.3. Business . The business of the Company shall be, whether directly or indirectly through subsidiaries, to hold shares of common stock of WRDC and to make distributions to Members as provided herein.

Section 1.4. Places of Business ; Registered Agent ; Names and Addresses of Members .

(a) The address of the principal United States office and place of business of the Company and its street address shall be 9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77024. The Board, at any time and from time to time, may change the location of the Company’s principal place of business upon giving prior written notice of such change to the Members and may establish such additional place or places of business of the Company as the Board shall determine to be necessary or desirable.

(b) The registered office of the Company in the State of Delaware shall be and it hereby is, established and maintained at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, and the registered agent for service of process on the Company shall be The Corporation Trust Company, whose business address is the same as the Company’s registered office in Delaware. The Board, at any time and from time to time, may change the Company’s registered office or registered agent or both by complying with the applicable provisions of the Act, and may establish, appoint and change additional registered offices and registered agents of the Company in such other states as the Board shall determine to be necessary or advisable.

(c) The mailing address and street address of each of the Members shall be the same as for the Company, unless another address for such Member is set forth on Exhibit A to this Agreement.

Section 1.5. Term . The Company shall continue until terminated in accordance with Section 8.1 .

Section 1.6. Filings . Upon the request of the Board, the Members shall promptly execute and deliver all such certificates and other instruments conforming hereto as shall be necessary for the Board to accomplish all filing, recording, publishing and other acts appropriate to comply with all requirements for the formation and operation of a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware and for the qualification and operation of a limited liability company in all other jurisdictions where the Company shall propose to conduct business. Prior to conducting business in any jurisdiction, the Board shall use its reasonable good faith efforts to cause the Company to comply with all requirements for the qualification of the Company to conduct business as a limited liability company in such jurisdiction.

Section 1.7. Title to Company Property . All property owned by the Company, whether real or personal, tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Company as an entity, and no Member, individually, shall have any ownership of such property. The Company may hold its property in its own name or in the name of a nominee which may be the Board or any of its Affiliates or any trustee or agent designated by it.

Section 1.8. No Payments of Individual Obligations . The Members shall use the Company’s credit and assets solely for the benefit of the Company. No asset of the Company shall be Transferred for or in payment of any individual obligation of any Member.

 

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ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES

Section 2.1. Defined Terms . When used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:

Act ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.1 .

Adjusted Capital Accoun t” shall mean the Capital Account maintained for each Member as provided in Section 7.1(b) as of the end of each Fiscal Period, (a) increased by (i) the amount of any unpaid Capital Contributions agreed to be contributed by such Member under Section 3.1 , if any, and (ii) an amount equal to such Member’s allocable share of Minimum Gain as computed on the last day of such Fiscal Period in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, and (b) reduced by the adjustments provided for in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4)-(6).

Adjusted Obligation ” shall mean any Obligation the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) or any Obligation that has a Carrying Value different than its adjusted issue price at the time the Obligation is assumed, or taken subject to, by the Company from a Member in connection with a contribution to the Company subject to Section 721 of the Code.

Adjusted Property ” shall mean any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) or any property that has a Carrying Value different than the adjusted tax basis at the time of a Capital Contribution by a Member.

Affiliate ” (whether or not capitalized) shall mean, with respect to any Person: (a) any other Person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding power to vote 10% or more of the outstanding voting securities of such Person, (b) any other Person 10% or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held with power to vote by such Person, (c) any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person, and (d) any officer, director, member, partner or immediate family member of such Person or any other Person described in subsection (a), (b) or (c) of this paragraph.

Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph.

Amended Code ” means the Code (as amended by the Bipartisan Budget Act).

Benchmark Value Payout ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b)(iv) .

Benchmark Value Re-grant Payout ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c)(i) .

 

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Bipartisan Budget Act ” shall mean Title XI of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 and any related provisions of law, court decisions, regulations, rules, and administrative guidance.

Board ” and “ Board of Managers ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.1(a) .

“Capital Account ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.1(b) .

Capital Contributions ” shall mean for any Member at the particular time in question the aggregate of the dollar amounts of any cash, or the fair market value (as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Board) of any property, contributed to the capital of the Company, or, if the context in which such term is used so indicates, the dollar amounts of cash or the fair market value (as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Board) of any property agreed to be contributed, or requested to be contributed, by such Member to the capital of the Company.

Capital Interest Percentage ” means, at any time of determination and as to any Member, the percentage of the total distributions that would be made to such Member if the assets of the Company were sold for their respective Carrying Values, all liabilities of the Company were paid in accordance with their terms (limited in the case of non-recourse liabilities to the Carrying Value of the property securing such liabilities), all items of Company Net Profit, Net Loss, income, gain, loss and deduction were allocated to the Members in accordance with Section 4.4 , and the resulting net proceeds were distributed to the Members in accordance with Article VIII ; provided, however , that the Board may determine that the Members’ Capital Interest Percentages should be determined based upon a hypothetical sale of the assets of the Company for their respective fair market values (instead of Carrying Values) in order to ensure that such percentages correspond to the Members’ “ proportionate interests in partnership capital ” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.613A-3(e)(2)(ii). The foregoing definition of Capital Interest Percentage is intended to result in a percentage for each Member that corresponds with the Member’s “ proportionate interest in partnership capital ” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.613A-3(e)(2)(ii), and Capital Interest Percentage shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

“Capital Member ” means any Member holding Company Interests with respect to which Capital Contributions have been, or have been deemed to have been, previously made.

Carrying Value ” shall mean with respect to any asset or Obligation of the Company, the asset’s adjusted basis or the Obligation’s adjusted issue price for federal income tax purposes, except as follows:

(a) The initial Carrying Value of any asset contributed by a Member to the Company will be the fair market value of the asset on the date of the contribution, as determined by the Board;

(b) The initial Carrying Value of any Obligation assumed, or taken subject to, by the Company from a Member in connection with a contribution to the Company subject to Section 721 of the Code shall be the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of the date of such assumption or taking subject to;

 

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(c) The Carrying Value of all Company assets shall be adjusted to equal their respective fair market values, as determined by the Board, upon (i) the acquisition of an additional Company Interest by any new or existing Member in exchange for a Capital Contribution that is not de minimis; (ii) the distribution by the Company to a Member of Company property that is not de minimis as consideration for a Company Interest; (iii) the grant of a Company Interest that is not de minimis consideration for the performance of services to or for the benefit of the Company by any new or existing Member; (iv) the liquidation of the Company as provided in Section 8.2 ; (v) the acquisition of a Company Interest by any new or existing Member upon the exercise of a noncompensatory warrant or the making of any Capital Contribution in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s); or (vi) any other event to the extent determined by the Board to be necessary to properly reflect Carrying Values in accordance with the standards set forth in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(q), provided that any adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the Members shall be made as provided in Section 7.1(b)(vi) . If any noncompensatory warrants (or similar interests) are outstanding upon the occurrence of an event described in clauses (i) through (vi) above, the Company shall adjust the Carrying Values of its properties in accordance with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f)(1) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(h)(2);

(d) The Carrying Value of any Company asset distributed to any Member shall be adjusted to equal the fair market value of such asset on the date of distribution, as determined by the Board;

(e) The Carrying Value of an asset shall be adjusted by Depreciation and Simulated Depletion taken into account with respect to such asset for purposes of computing Net Profits, Net Losses and other items allocated pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(iv) ;

(f) (i) The Carrying Value of each Obligation of the Company shall be adjusted to equal the obligation’s Gross Liability Value at such times as an adjustment to the Carrying Value of Company assets is made pursuant to paragraph (c) hereof, and (ii) the Carrying Value of any Obligation of the Company that is assumed, or taken subject to, by a Member in connection with a distribution of property to the Member in a transaction subject to Code Section 731 shall be adjusted immediately prior thereto to equal the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of the date it is assumed or taken subject to by such Member; provided , that any adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the Members shall be made as provided in Section 7.1(b)(vi) ;

(g) If the Carrying Value of an Obligation of the Company has been determined or adjusted pursuant to clauses (b) or (f) hereof, such Carrying Value shall thereafter be adjusted based on the method adopted under subparagraph (c) of the definition of “Net Profit” or “Net Loss” to determine the extent to which the Carrying Value of such Obligation is treated as satisfied or otherwise taken into account; and

(h) The Carrying Value of Company assets and Obligations shall be adjusted at such other times as required in the applicable Treasury Regulations.

Company ” shall have the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

 

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Company Interest ” shall mean any Member’s interest in, or rights in, the Company including and representing, as the context shall require, any membership interest in the Company, Incentive Interests, and/or any other class or series of interests created pursuant to Section 3.2 .

Company Nonrecourse Liabilities ” shall mean nonrecourse liabilities (or portions thereof) of the Company for which no Member bears the economic risk of loss in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Confidential Information ” shall mean, without limitation, all proprietary and confidential information of the Company, including business opportunities of the Company, intellectual property, and any other information heretofore or hereafter acquired, developed or used by the Company relating to its business, including any confidential information contained in any lease files, well files and records, land files, abstracts, title opinions, title or curative matters, contract files, seismic records, electric logs, core data, pressure data, production records, geological and geophysical reports and related data, memoranda, notes, records, drawings, correspondence, financial and accounting information, customer lists, statistical data and compilations, patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade names, inventions, formulae, methods, processes, agreements, contracts, manuals or any other documents relating to the business of the Company, developed by, or originated by any third party and brought to the attention of, the Company; provided that such Confidential Information shall not include such information that is part of common knowledge or understanding in the oil and gas industry or otherwise in the public domain (other than from disclosure by such Member in violation of this Agreement).

Depreciation ” shall mean for each Fiscal Period or other period, an amount equal to the depreciation, amortization, or other cost recovery deduction (other than Simulated Depletion) allowable with respect to an asset for such year or other period, except that if the Carrying Value of an asset differs from its adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes at the beginning of such year or other period, Depreciation shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to such beginning Carrying Value as the federal income tax depreciation, amortization or other cost recovery deduction for such year or other period bears to such beginning adjusted tax basis (unless the adjusted tax basis is equal to zero, in which event Depreciation shall be determined under any reasonable method selected by the Board).

Descendants ” means the legitimate children of the person or persons designated and the legitimate lineal Descendants of such legitimate children, and includes any person adopted before attaining the age of eighteen (18) and the adopted person’s Descendants. A child is “legitimate” as to such child’s father if (a) such child’s father has been determined to be such child’s parent by virtue of genetic testing of a type then reasonably relied upon by experts in the field of genetic testing; and (b) the father is, or has ever been, married to such child’s mother as of the date on which such determination must be made. The presumptions of paternity found in section 160.204 of the Texas Family Code, as amended, shall not apply. A child is always legitimate as to the mother who has given birth to such child.

Dispute ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.9 .

 

6


Distributable Funds ” shall mean the available cash of the Company in excess of the working capital and other requirements of the Company as determined by the Board of Managers.

Employee ” shall mean an individual who is employed by, or serves as an independent contractor for, the Company or any of its subsidiaries, including WRDC, or other Affiliates, or is employed by an entity with which the Company has entered into an agreement to provide personnel, management and administrative service to the Company. In the event any provision of this Agreement refers to the resignation of an Employee, such resignation or termination shall apply to the entity that is the employer of such Employee.

Excluded Affiliate Transfer ” shall mean (a) any Transfer of a Company Interest by WIH (whether voluntarily or by operation of law) to a partner or other Affiliate or a legal successor of WIH; (b) any Transfer of a Company Interest by a Member who is an individual to or among such Member’s Family Group, but only if and for so long as such Member retains the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer unless the Transferee was a Member prior to such Transfer and had voting rights prior to such Transfer; (c) upon the death of a Member who is an individual, any Transfer of such Member’s Company Interest pursuant to the duly executed Last Will or similar document controlling the testamentary disposition of such Member’s property, or pursuant to the applicable laws of descent and distributions; and (d) any Transfer to a corporation, partnership or limited liability company which is wholly owned by the Family Group and controlled (through voting rights) by such Member, but only if and for so long as such Transferring Member retains the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer, it being acknowledged and agreed that any failure by such Transferring Member to retain the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer shall then immediately and automatically be deemed to be a Transfer that is not an Excluded Affiliate Transfer, unless such Transfer would otherwise be an Excluded Affiliate Transfer under clauses (a), (b) or (c) above; provided that, in the case of any Transfer described in clauses (a) – (d) above, such Transferee agrees to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and evidences same by executing a copy of this Agreement and such other documents as the Company may reasonably request promptly upon receiving the assignment of such Company Interest.

Excluded Business Opportunity ” shall mean a business opportunity other than a business opportunity: (a) that (i) has come to the attention of a Person solely in, and as a direct result of, its or his capacity as a director of or an advisor to, principal of or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, or as employee of an entity that has contracted with the Company to provide personnel, management and administrative services to the Company, or (ii) was developed with the use or benefit of the personnel or assets of the Company, or a subsidiary of the Company, and (b) that has not been previously independently brought to the attention of the subject Person from a source that is not affiliated (other than through such subject Person) with the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.

 

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“Family Group ” means, as to any particular Member who is an individual, (a) such Member’s spouse, other than a spouse who is legally separated from such Member under a decree of separate maintenance or with respect to whom there is an action for divorce pending; (b) such Member’s Descendants; (c) such Member’s parents or any Descendants of such Member’s parents; (d) such Member’s spouse’s parents or any Descendants of such Member’s spouse’s parents; and (e) any trust solely for the benefit of such Member, or solely for the benefit of such Member and/or any individual described in clause (a) – (d) above.

Fiscal Period ” shall mean each period (a) beginning, for the first Fiscal Period, on the date of formation of the Company, or for each succeeding Fiscal Period on the day after the last day of the immediately preceding Fiscal Period and (b) ending on the earliest to occur of the last day of the calendar year and the day on which the Carrying Value of all Company assets are adjusted pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of Carrying Value.

Fundamental Change ” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events:

(a) any of the following transactions occurs: (i) the Company or WRDC merges, consolidates or reconstitutes with or into, or enters into any similar transaction with, any Person other than an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party, (ii) the outstanding Company Interests are sold or exchanged by the holders thereof in a single transaction, or a series of related transactions, to any Person other than an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party, or (iii) the Company or WRDC sells, leases, licenses or exchanges or agrees to sell, lease, license or exchange all or substantially all of its assets to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party and in the case of any such transaction described in the immediately preceding clauses (i) – (iii), the Persons who served as members of the Board immediately before consummation of such transaction cease to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board (in the case of a sale of equity interests) or the members of the board or analogous managing body of the surviving or acquiring entity (in the case of an asset Transfer, conversion, merger, consolidation or similar transaction), immediately following completion of such transaction; or

(b) any single Person or group of related Persons (other than the Company, any Member or an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party) purchases or otherwise acquires the right to vote or dispose of the securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the total voting power of all the then outstanding voting securities of the Company, unless such purchase or acquisition has been approved by the Board; provided that no Capital Contribution(s) made by WIH shall cause a Fundamental Change; or

(c) the Company or WRDC is dissolved and liquidated.

Gross Liability Value ” means, with respect to any Company Obligation as of any date, the amount of cash that a willing assignor would pay to a willing assignee to assume such Obligation in an arm’s-length transaction as determined by the Board in good faith.

Hypothetical Liquidation ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a) .

“Incentive Interests ” shall mean the Incentive Units.

 

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“Incentive Unit ” shall mean a Unit issued as a Tier I Unit or Tier II Unit pursuant to Section 3.4(a) and reflected on Exhibit A as, from time to time, may be updated pursuant to this Agreement.

Indemnitee ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.5(a) .

Indirect Transfer ” shall mean (with respect to any Member that is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity) a deemed Transfer of a Company Interest, which shall occur upon any direct or indirect Transfer of the ownership of, or voting rights associated with, the equity or other ownership interests in such Member.

Internal Revenue Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute or statutes.

JAMS ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.9(a) .

Majority Interest ” of the Members, as to any agreement, election, vote or other action of the Members, shall mean those Members whose combined Sharing Ratios exceed 50%.

Manager ” and “ Managers ” shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in Section 5.1(a) .

Members ” shall mean the Persons (including holders of Incentive Units) who from time to time shall execute a signature page to this Agreement (including by counterpart) as the Members, including any Person who becomes a substituted Member of the Company pursuant to the terms hereof.

Member Nonrecourse Deb t” shall mean any nonrecourse debt of the Company for which any Member bears the economic risk of loss in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Member Nonrecourse Deductions ” shall mean the amount of deductions, losses and expenses equal to the net increase during the year in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt, reduced (but not below zero) by proceeds of such Member Nonrecourse Debt distributed during the year to the Members who bear the economic risk of loss for such debt, as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Minimum Gain ” shall mean (a) with respect to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, the amount of gain that would be realized by the Company if the Company Transferred (in a taxable transaction) all Company properties that are subject to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities in full satisfaction of Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, computed in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations, or (b) with respect to each Member Nonrecourse Debt, the amount of gain that would be realized by the Company if the Company Transferred (in a taxable transaction) the Company property that is subject to such Member Nonrecourse Debt in full satisfaction of such Member Nonrecourse Debt, computed in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

 

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Net Profit ” or “ Net Loss ” shall mean, with respect to any Fiscal Period, the net income or net loss of the Company for such period, determined in accordance with federal income tax accounting principles and Section 703(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (including any items that are separately stated for purposes of Section 702(a) of the Internal Revenue Code), with the following adjustments:

(a) any income of the Company that is exempt from federal income tax shall be included as income;

(b) any expenditures of the Company that are described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code or treated as so described pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i) shall be treated as current expenses;

(c) if Company assets are distributed to the Members in kind, such distributions shall be treated as sales of such assets for cash at their respective fair market values in determining Net Profit and Net Loss;

(d) in the event the Carrying Value of any Company asset is adjusted as provided in this Agreement, the amount of such adjustment shall be taken into account as gain or loss from the Transfer of such asset for purposes of computing Net Profit or Net Loss;

(e) in the event the Carrying Value of any Company Obligations is adjusted as provided in this Agreement, the amount of any such adjustment shall be treated for purposes hereof as an item of loss (if the adjustment increases the Carrying Value of such Obligation of the Company) or an item of gain (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of such Obligation of the Company) for purposes of computing Net Profit or Net Loss;

(f) gain or loss resulting from any Transfer of Company property with respect to which gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes shall be computed by reference to the Carrying Value of the property Transferred, notwithstanding that the adjusted tax basis for such property differs from its Carrying Value;

(g) in lieu of the depreciation, amortization and other cost recovery deductions taken into account in computing such taxable income or loss, there shall be taken into account Depreciation for such Fiscal Period;

(h) income, gain, deduction or loss resulting from the satisfaction of, or accrual for federal income tax purposes of items with respect to, a Company Obligation with a Carrying Value that differs from its adjusted issue price (if any) shall be computed by reference to the Carrying Value of such Obligation, with the extent to which the Carrying Value of such Obligation is treated as satisfied or otherwise taken into account being determined under any reasonable method adopted by the Board; and

(i) items specially allocated under Section 4.2 and Section 7.1(b)(iv) shall be excluded (but the amount of such items shall be determined under principles similar to those set forth above).

NGP ” shall mean NGP X US Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and its successors and assigns.

 

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NGP Portfolio Companies ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.3(a) .

NGP Representatives ” shall mean the members, managers and employees of NGP Energy Capital Management, L.L.C., NGP or any Affiliate thereof, together with all other Persons serving as representatives of NGP, including those Persons who are serving as managers of the Company at the request of WIH pursuant to the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement.

Nonrecourse Deduction ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b).

Obligation ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(4)(ii).

Partnership Representative ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 6223 of the Amended Code and any Treasury Regulations or other administrative or judicial pronouncements promulgated thereunder.

Person ” (whether or not capitalized) shall mean any natural person, corporation, company, limited or general partnership, joint stock company, joint venture, association, limited liability company, trust, bank, trust company, business trust or other entity or organization, whether or not a governmental authority.

Pre-existing Incentive Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b)(iv) .

Pre-existing Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b)(iv) .

Pre-grant Incentive Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c)(i) .

Pre-grant Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c)(i) .

Re-grant Incentive Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c) .

Regulatory Allocations ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.2(f) .

Related Party ” shall mean (a) any Person who is a Member of the Company, and any partner, member, shareholder, officer, director, employee or other Affiliate of such Person, (b) an Employee or group of Employees, (c) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (d) an entity owned directly or indirectly by the Members of the Company in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the Company.

Rules ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.9(a) .

 

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Securities Act ” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Service Interests ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a) .

Sharing Ratio ” shall mean for any Member, at a given time, the proportion that such Member’s Capital Contributions bear to the total Capital Contributions of all Members as of the date of such determination.

Simulated Basis ” shall mean the Carrying Value of any oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code).

Simulated Depletion ” shall mean, with respect to each oil and gas property, a depletion allowance computed in accordance with federal income tax principles (as if the Simulated Basis of the property were its adjusted tax basis) and in the manner specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(k)(2). For purposes of computing Simulated Depletion with respect to any property, the Simulated Basis of such property shall be deemed to be the Carrying Value of such property, and in no event shall such allowance, in the aggregate, exceed such Simulated Basis.

Simulated Gain ” shall mean the excess of the amount realized from the sale of an oil or gas property over the Carrying Value of such property.

Simulated Loss ” shall mean the excess of the Carrying Value of an oil or gas property over the amount realized from the sale of such property.

Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b)(iv) .

Tax Matters Member ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.10 .

Tier I Distribution Amount ” shall mean the aggregate amount of distributions after the occurrence of the Tier I Payout and prior to the occurrence of the Tier II Payout.

Tier I Members ” shall mean the Members holding Tier I Units as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time.

Tier I Payout ” shall mean the first date, if any, at which all of the Capital Members shall have received cumulative distributions in respect of their Company Interests (whether as distributions from the Company, as payment for the exchange, purchase or redemption of such Company Interests, or in connection with any merger or other combination of the Company with another Person) equal to their cumulative Capital Contributions to the Company multiplied by (1.05)n, where “n” is equal to the Weighted Average Capital Contribution Factor determined as of the date of such distribution. For the avoidance of doubt, any distribution made prior to the Tier I Payout, if any, that is subtracted from such contributions shall be first increased by the exponent for purposes of the payout calculation by multiplying such distribution by (1.05)m, where “ m ” is equal to the number of years between the distribution and the Tier I Payout (with a partial year being expressed as a decimal determined by dividing the number of days which have passed since the most recent anniversary by 365).

 

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Tier I Percentage ” shall mean 10%, which percentage shall be allocated to the Tier I Members in proportion to the Tier I Units held by the Tier I Members as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time, including any revisions to reflect any Transfer of Tier I Units by the Tier I Members made in accordance with the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and this Agreement.

Tier I Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a)(i) .

Tier I Units ” shall mean Tier I Units representing Company Interests in the Company entitled to receive the Tier I Percentage and with the other rights and obligations specified in this Agreement.

Tier II Distribution Amount ” shall mean the aggregate amount of distributions after the occurrence of the Tier II Payout.

Tier II Members ” shall mean the Members holding Tier II Units as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time.

Tier II Payout ” shall mean the first date, if any, at which all of the Members holding Tier I Units shall have received in aggregate cumulative distributions in respect of Tier I Units (whether as distributions from the Company, as payment for the exchange, purchase or redemption of such Company Interests, or in connection with any merger or other combination of the Company with another Person) equal to $50,000,000.

Tier II Percentage ” shall mean 10%, which percentage shall be allocated to the Tier II Members in proportion to the Tier II Units held by the Tier II Members as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time, including any revisions to reflect any Transfer of Tier II Units by the Tier II Members made in accordance with the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and this Agreement.

Tier II Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a)(ii) .

Tier II Units ” shall mean Tier II Units representing Company Interests in the Company entitled to receive the Tier II Percentage and with the other rights and obligations specified in this Agreement.

Transaction Documents ” shall mean, collectively, this Agreement, the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and all other agreements, documents or instruments executed in conjunction with, or relation to, any of the foregoing.

Transfer ,” or any derivation thereof, shall mean any sale, assignment, conveyance, mortgage, pledge, granting of security interest in, or other disposition of a Company Interest or any asset of the Company, as the context may require.

Treasury Regulations ” shall mean regulations promulgated by the United States Treasury Department under the Internal Revenue Code.

 

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Unit ” shall mean a unit of a membership interest in the Company representing, as the context shall require, any Company Interest and/or an Incentive Unit, as well as any other class or series of Units created pursuant to Section 3.2 . No Units will be issued to the Members for Capital Contributions after the date hereof; provided that the Board of Managers may subsequently amend this Agreement to provide for an issuance of Units for Capital Contributions in its sole discretion.

Unrealized Gain ” attributable to (a) any item of Company property shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the fair market value of such property as of such date over (ii) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) as of such date), and (b) any Company Obligation shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the Carrying Value of such Obligation as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) , as of such date) over (ii) the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of such date.

Unrealized Loss ” attributable to (a) any item of Company property shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) , as of such date) over (ii) the fair market value of such property as of such date, and (b) any Company Obligation shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of such date over (ii) the Carrying Value of such Obligation as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) as of such date).

“Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement ” shall mean that certain Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement dated as of the date hereof among the Company and the Members.

“Weighted Average Capital Contribution Factor ” shall mean as of any date of calculation, a weighted average equal to the sum of the amounts determined for each date on which Capital Contributions have been, or have been deemed, funded (as set forth on Exhibit A ) calculated as the product of (a) the percentage of the total Capital Commitments funded on each date, times (b) the number of years from the date of each Capital Contribution until the date of such calculation (with a partial year being expressed as a decimal determined by dividing the number of days which have passed since the most recent anniversary by 365).

“WIH ” means WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

“WRDC ” means WildHorse Resources Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

Any capitalized term used in this Agreement but not defined in this Section 2.1 shall have the meaning assigned to such term elsewhere in this Agreement.

Section 2.2. References and Titles . All references in this Agreement to articles, sections, subsections and other subdivisions refer to corresponding articles, sections, subsections and other subdivisions of this Agreement unless expressly provided otherwise. Titles appearing at the beginning of any of such subdivisions are for convenience only and shall not constitute

 

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part of such subdivisions and shall be disregarded in construing the language contained in such subdivisions. The words “this Agreement,” “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereunder” and words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular subdivision unless expressly so limited. Pronouns in masculine, feminine and neuter genders shall be construed to include any other gender, and words in the singular form shall be construed to include the plural and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires. The word “including” (in its various forms) means including without limitation.

ARTICLE III

CAPITALIZATION AND UNITS

Section 3.1. Capital Contributions of Members .

(a) As of the date hereof, each Member has contributed, or is deemed to have contributed, Capital Contributions to the Company in the amounts and on the dates set forth on Exhibit A . No Member shall be obligated to make any additional Capital Contributions to the Company.

Section 3.2. Issuances of Additional Securities .

(a) The Company may not issue additional Company Interests, or classes or series thereof, or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating thereto, or any other type of equity security without the prior written consent of the Board of Managers.

Section 3.3. Return of Contributions . No interest shall accrue on any contributions to the capital of the Company, and no Member shall have the right to withdraw or to be repaid any capital contributed by such Member except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement.

Section 3.4. Incentive Interests .

(a) The following Incentive Units are hereby created and are hereby granted to the Persons and in the respective amounts set forth on Exhibit A , subject to the adjustments provided for in this Section 3.4 :

(i) 1,000,000 “ Tier I Units ,” of which a certain number of such Tier I Units may be granted to Employees after the date of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 3.4 (the “ Tier I Subsequent Units ”); and

(ii) 1,000,000 “ Tier II Units ,” of which a certain number of such Tier II Units may be granted to Employees after the date of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 3.4 (the “ Tier II Subsequent Units ”).

To the extent not so granted, the remaining Incentive Units are available for future grants by the Board to Employees in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. The Company and each Member intend to treat any interest attributable to a holder of Incentive Units as a separate “profits interest” within the meaning of Rev. Proc. 93-27, 1993-2 C.B. 343. In accordance with Rev. Proc. 2001-43, 2001-2 C.B. 191, the Company shall treat a holder of such Incentive Units

 

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as the owner of such profits interest from the date it is granted, and shall file its IRS Form 1065, and issue an appropriate Schedule K-1 to such holder of Incentive Units, allocating to such holder of Incentive Units its distributive share of all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit associated with such profits interest as if it were fully vested. Each such holder of Incentive Units agrees to take into account such distributive share in computing its federal income tax liability for the entire period during which it holds such profits interest. The undertakings contained in this Section 3.4(a) shall be construed in accordance with Section 4 of Rev. Proc. 2001-43. The provisions of this Section 3.4(a) shall apply regardless of whether or not the holder of a profits interest files an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Incentive Units are issued in consideration of services rendered and to be rendered by the holders for the benefit of the Company in their capacities as Employees. To the extent provided for in Treasury Regulations, revenue rulings, revenue procedures and/or other Internal Revenue Service guidance issued after the date hereof, the Tax Matters Member acting on behalf of the Company is hereby specifically authorized and directed to elect a safe harbor implementing the concepts articulated in Internal Revenue Service Notice 2005-43, 2005-1 C.B. 1221, under which the fair market value of the Incentive Units received by any Member for services (the “ Service Interests ”) granted after the effective date of such Treasury Regulations (or other guidance) will be treated as equal to the liquidation value of such Service Interests (i.e., a value equal to the total amount that would be distributed under Section 8.3(b) with respect to such Service Interests in a Hypothetical Liquidation occurring immediately after the issuance of such Service Interests and assuming for purposes of such Hypothetical Liquidation that all assets of the Company are sold for their fair market values). If the Company makes a safe harbor election as described in the preceding sentence, the Company and each Member will comply with all safe harbor requirements with respect to Transfers of the Service Interests while the safe harbor election remains effective. For purposes hereof, “ Hypothetical Liquidation ” means, as of any date, a hypothetical liquidation of the Company as of such date, assuming for purposes of any such hypothetical liquidation (i) that a sale of all of the assets of the Company occurs at prices equal to their respective fair market values as of such date and (ii) the net proceeds of such sale are distributed to the Members pursuant to Section 8.3(b) , but only after the payment of all actual Company indebtedness, and any other liabilities related to the Company’s assets, limited, in the case of the hypothetical payment of non-recourse liabilities, to the collateral securing or otherwise available to satisfy such liabilities.

(b) The Incentive Units are non-voting and subject to vesting, forfeiture, and termination as follows:

(i) (A) The Tier I Units held by each Employee (I) shall vest ratably over a three year period following the grant of such Tier I Units to such Employee, with 1/3rd vesting on the first anniversary of such grant, an additional 1/3rd vesting on the second anniversary of such grant and the remaining 1/3rd vesting on the third anniversary of such grant (with vesting between such anniversaries occurring pro rata determined by multiplying the number of Incentive Units that would vest on the next annual vesting date by a fraction with a numerator equal to the number of full months which have then elapsed since the last vesting date and a denominator of 12, and rounding to the closest whole number), and (II) shall vest in full (if not previously vested pursuant to clause (I)) upon Tier I Payout and the occurrence of a Fundamental Change.

 

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(B) The Tier II Units held by each Employee (I) shall vest ratably over a three year period following the grant of such Tier II Units to such Employee, with 1/3rd vesting on the first anniversary of such grant, an additional 1/3rd vesting on the second anniversary of such grant and the remaining 1/3rd vesting on the third anniversary of such grant (with vesting between such anniversaries occurring pro rata determined by multiplying the number of Incentive Units that would vest on the next annual vesting date by a fraction with a numerator equal to the number of full months which have then elapsed since the last vesting date and a denominator of 12, and rounding to the closest whole number), and (II) shall vest in full (if not previously vested pursuant to clause (I)) upon Tier II Payout and the occurrence of a Fundamental Change.

(ii) All Incentive Units that have not yet vested in accordance with the vesting requirements set forth herein and that are held by a Person who is an Employee will automatically, without any action required of any Person, be forfeited and thereby become null and void, if and when such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated for any reason or without reason, except as a result of death or disability, and any vested, unforfeited Incentive Units held by such Person shall, upon such termination, remain non-voting and shall not be counted in the determination of a Majority Interest of the Members. If such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated by reason of death or disability, any Tier I Units or Tier II Units that would have become vested within 12 months of such termination shall automatically vest upon such termination, and the remainder will automatically, without any action required of any Person, be forfeited and thereby become null and void upon such termination.

(iii) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, all Incentive Units held by a Person who is an Employee (regardless of whether vested or unvested) shall automatically be forfeited and thereby become null and void if and when such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated:

(A) for “ cause ,” which shall mean by reason of such holder’s: (I) conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, any felony or to any crime or offense causing substantial harm to the Company or its Affiliates or involving acts of theft, fraud, embezzlement, moral turpitude, or similar conduct, (II) repeated intoxication by alcohol or drugs during the performance of such holder’s duties in a manner that materially and adversely affects the holder’s performance of such duties, (III) malfeasance, in the conduct of such holder’s duties, including, but not limited to, (1) misuse or diversion of funds of the Company or its Affiliates, (2) embezzlement, or (3) material misrepresentations or concealments on any written reports submitted to the Company or its Affiliates, (IV) material violation of any provision of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement or (V) material failure to perform the duties of such holder’s employment or service relationship with the Company or its Affiliates, or material failure to follow or comply with the reasonable and lawful written directives of the Board of Managers or the managers or directors of a Company Affiliate by which such holder is employed or in a service relationship with, in either case after the holder shall have been informed, in writing, of such material failure and given a period of not less than 60 days to remedy the same; or

 

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(B) by such Employee’s resignation or early termination of service relationship by such Employee (other than as a result of death or disability).

(iv) The Company in its sole discretion, taking into account such factors as it determines from time to time, may issue Tier I Subsequent Units or Tier II Subsequent Units (collectively, “ Subsequent Units ”). Upon issuance of any Subsequent Units of a given Tier, such Units may, at the election of the Board, have a benchmark value equal to the fair market value of the assets of the Company, net of debt, on the date of grant, as determined in good faith by the Board, and will be entitled to participate in those distributions allocated to the Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, only after holders of all the Units that were outstanding on the date of grant (the “ Pre-existing Units ” and, when referring solely to Pre-existing Units that are Incentive Units, the “ Pre-existing Incentive Units ”) have received distributions pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, in the aggregate equal to the benchmark value (such limitation on distributions, the “ Benchmark Value Payout ”). Holders of Pre-existing Incentive Units of a given Tier will continue to be entitled to receive all of the profit distributions payable with respect to the Incentive Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, until the applicable Benchmark Value Payout occurs, at which time future distributions will be shared among the holders of the Pre-existing Incentive Units in that Tier and the holders of Subsequent Units in that Tier pro-rata.

(c) If any Incentive Units are forfeited pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(ii) or Section 3.4(b)(iii) , then such forfeited Incentive Units shall be available to be re-granted, as determined by the Board, in the form of newly awarded, newly issued Incentive Units in the same Tier and in the same amount as the forfeited Incentive Units (any such re-granted Incentive Units, “ Re-grant Incentive Units ”), subject to the following terms and conditions:

(i) each Re-grant Incentive Unit in a given Tier may, at the election of the Board, have a benchmark value equal to the fair market value of the assets of the Company, net of debt, on the date of grant, as determined in good faith by the Board, and will be entitled to participate in distributions made to holders of the Incentive Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, only after holders of all the Units that were outstanding on the date of such re-grant (the “ Pre-grant Units ” and, when referring solely to the Pre-grant Units that are Incentive Units, the “ Pre-grant Incentive Units ”) have received distributions in the aggregate equal to the benchmark value (such limitation on distributions, the “ Benchmark Value Re-grant Payout ”); and

(ii) following issuance of such Re-grant Incentive Units in a given Tier, holders of Pre-grant Incentive Units of that Tier will continue to be entitled to receive all of the distributions payable with respect to the Incentive Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, until the applicable Benchmark Value Re-grant Payout occurs, at which time future distributions will be shared among the holders of the Pre-grant Incentive Units and the Re-grant Incentive Units in that Tier pro-rata.

(d) If all of the Incentive Units available hereunder have not been granted to Employees before the earlier of (i) a Fundamental Change, or (ii) a payout event for the corresponding series of Incentive Units (e.g., a Tier I Payout for Tier I Units), then in such case such available Tier I, Tier II or the applicable Subsequent Units, as the case may be, shall automatically, without any action required of any Person, be cancelled. The Board shall reflect all changes contemplated by this Section 3.4(d) in an amended Exhibit A .

 

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(e) Upon any forfeiture or other termination of Incentive Units and upon any issuance of Re-grant Incentive Units resulting therefrom, the Company shall amend Exhibit A to reflect such occurrence. In the case of the issuance of Re-grant Incentive Units in lieu of such forfeited Units, the Tier I or II Percentages will not be reduced as a result of such forfeiture, but appropriate notation shall be made to reflect the issuance of the Re-grant Incentive Units. The Board shall reflect all changes contemplated by this Section 3.4(e) in an amended Exhibit A .

ARTICLE IV

ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 4.1. Allocations of Net Profits and Net Losses .

(a) After giving effect to the allocations under Sections 4.2 and 7.1(b)(iv) , Net Profits and Net Losses and all related items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit for each Fiscal Period shall be allocated among the Members in such manner as shall cause the Capital Accounts of each Member to equal, as nearly as possible, (i) the amount such Member would receive if all assets on hand at the end of such year were sold for cash at the Carrying Values of such assets, all liabilities were satisfied in cash in accordance with their terms (limited in the case of Member Nonrecourse Debt and Company Nonrecourse Liabilities to the Carrying Value of the assets securing such liabilities), and any remaining or resulting cash was distributed to the Members under Section 4.4(a) , minus (ii) an amount equal to such Member’s allocable share of Minimum Gain as computed immediately prior to the deemed sale described in clause (i) above in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, and minus (iii) the amount any such Member is treated as obligated to contribute to the Company, computed immediately after the deemed sale described in clause (i) above.

(b) The Board shall make the foregoing allocations as of the last day of each Fiscal Period; provided , however , that if during any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a change in any Member’s Company Interest, the Board shall make the foregoing allocations as of the date of each such change in a manner which takes into account the varying interests of the Members and in a manner the Board reasonably deems appropriate.

Section 4.2. Special Allocations .

(a) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 4.1 to the contrary:

(i) If during any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net increase in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt that gives rise to Member Nonrecourse Deductions, each Member bearing the economic risk of loss for such Member Nonrecourse Debt shall be allocated items of Company deductions and losses for such period (consisting first of cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property that is

 

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subject to such Member Nonrecourse Debt and then, if necessary, a pro-rata portion of the Company’s other items of deductions and losses, with any remainder being treated as an increase in Minimum Gain attributable to Member Nonrecourse Debt in the subsequent period) equal to such Member’s share of Member Nonrecourse Deductions, as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

(ii) If for any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net decrease in Minimum Gain attributable to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, each Member shall be allocated items of Company income and gain for such period (consisting first of gain recognized from the Transfer of Company property subject to one or more Company Nonrecourse Liabilities and then, if necessary, a pro-rata portion of the Company’s other items of income and gain, and if necessary, for subsequent periods) equal to such Member’s share of such net decrease (except to the extent such Member’s share of such net decrease is caused by a change in debt structure with such Member commencing to bear the economic risk of loss as to all or part of any Company Nonrecourse Liability or by such Member contributing capital to the Company that the Company uses to repay a Company Nonrecourse Liability), as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations. Nonrecourse Deductions shall be allocated to the Members as determined by the Board, to the extent permitted by the Treasury Regulations.

(iii) If for any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net decrease in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt, each Member bearing the economic risk of loss for such Member Nonrecourse Debt shall be allocated items of Company income and gain for such period (consisting first of gain recognized from the Transfer of Company property subject to Member Nonrecourse Debt, and then, if necessary, a pro-rata portion of the Company’s other items of income and gain, and if necessary, for subsequent periods) equal to such Member’s share of such net decrease (except to the extent such Member’s share of such net decrease is caused by a change in debt structure such that the Member Nonrecourse Debt becomes partially or wholly a Company Nonrecourse Liability or by the Company’s use of capital contributed by such Member to repay the Member Nonrecourse Debt) as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

(b) The Net Losses allocated pursuant to this Article IV to a Member shall not exceed the maximum amount of Net Losses that can be allocated to such Member without causing or increasing a deficit balance in the Member’s Adjusted Capital Account. All Net Losses in excess of the limitation set forth in this Section 4.2(b) shall be allocated to Members with positive Adjusted Capital Account balances remaining at such time in proportion to such positive balances.

(c) In the event that a Member unexpectedly receives any adjustment, allocation or distribution described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), (5) or (6) that causes or increases a deficit balance in such Member’s Adjusted Capital Account, items of Company income and gain shall be allocated to that Member in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the deficit balance as quickly as possible.

(d) In the event that any Member has a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of any Allocation Period, such Member shall be allocated items of Company gross income and gain in the amount of such deficit as quickly as possible; provided that an allocation pursuant to this Section 4.2(d) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Member would have a deficit balance in its capital account after all other allocations provided for in this Article IV have been tentatively made as if Section 4.2(c) and this Section 4.2(d) were not in this Agreement.

 

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(e) If any holder of Incentive Units forfeits all or a portion of such Units, such holder shall be allocated items of loss and deduction in the year of such forfeiture in an amount equal to the portion of such holder’s Capital Account attributable to such forfeited Units.

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

(g) The allocations set forth in subsections (a) through (c) of this Section 4.2 (collectively, the “ Regulatory Allocations ”) are intended to comply with certain requirements of the Treasury Regulations. It is the intent of the Members that, to the extent possible, all Regulatory Allocations that are made be offset either with other Regulatory Allocations or with special allocations pursuant to this Section 4.2(g) . Therefore, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article IV (other than the Regulatory Allocations), the Board shall make such offsetting special allocations in whatever manner it determines appropriate so that, after such offsetting allocations are made, the net amount of allocations to each Member is, to the extent possible, equal to the amount such Member would have been allocated if the Regulatory Allocations were not part of the Agreement and all Company items were allocated pursuant to Section 4.1 , the remaining subsections of this Section 4.2 and Section 7.1(b)(iv) .

(h) In the event Units are issued to a Person and the issuance of such Units results in items of income or deduction to the Company, such items of income or deduction shall be allocated to the Members in proportion to the positive balances in their Capital Accounts immediately before the issuance of such Units.

Section 4.3. Income Tax Allocations .

(a) Except as provided in this Section 4.3 , each item of income, gain, loss and deduction of the Company for federal income tax purposes shall be allocated among the Members in the same manner as such items are allocated for Capital Account purposes under Section 4.1 and Section 4.2 .

(b) The deduction for depletion with respect to each separate oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code) shall, in accordance with Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code, be computed for federal income tax purposes separately by the Members rather than the Company. For purposes of such computations, the U.S. federal income tax basis of each oil and gas property shall be allocated to each Member in accordance with such Member’s Capital Interest Percentage as of the time such oil and gas property is acquired by the Company (and any additions to such U.S. federal income tax basis resulting from expenditures required to be capitalized in such basis shall be allocated among the Members in a manner designed to cause the Members’ proportionate shares of such adjusted U.S. federal income tax basis to be in accordance with their Capital Interest Percentages as

 

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determined at the time of any such additions), and shall be reallocated among the Members in accordance with the Members’ Capital Interest Percentages as determined immediately following the occurrence of an event giving rise to an adjustment to the Carrying Values of the Company’s oil and gas properties pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of Carrying Value. Each Member, with the assistance of the Tax Matters Member, shall separately keep records of its share of the adjusted tax basis in each separate oil and gas property, adjust such share of the adjusted tax basis for any cost or percentage depletion allowable with respect to such property and use such adjusted tax basis in the computation of its cost depletion or in the computation of its share of any gain or loss on the Transfer of such property by the Company. Upon the request of the Tax Matters Member, each Member shall advise the Tax Matters Member of its adjusted tax basis in each separate oil and gas property and any depletion computed with respect thereto, both as computed in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The Tax Matters Member may rely on such information and, if it is not provided by the Member, may make such reasonable assumptions as it shall determine with respect thereto

(c) Except as provided in Section 4.3(d) , for the purposes of the separate computation of gain or loss by each Member on the Transfer of each separate oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code), the Company’s allocable share of the “amount realized” (as such term is defined in Section 1001(b) of the Internal Revenue Code) from such Transfer shall be allocated for federal income tax purposes among the Members as follows:

(i) first, to the extent such amount realized constitutes a recovery of the Simulated Basis of the property, to the Members in the same proportion as the depletable basis of such property was allocated to the Members pursuant to Section 4.3(b) (without regard to any special allocation of basis under Section 4.3(d) ); and

(ii) second, the remainder of such amount realized, if any, to the Members so that, to the maximum extent possible, the amount realized that is allocated to each Member under this Section 4.3(c)(ii) will equal such Member’s share of the Simulated Gain recognized by the Company from such Transfer.

(d) The Members recognize that (i) with respect to Adjusted Property, there will be a difference between the Carrying Value of such property at the time of revaluation or contribution and the adjusted tax basis of such property at that time and (ii) with respect to an Adjusted Obligation, there will be a difference between the Carrying Value of such Obligation at the time of revaluation or at the time the Obligations is assumed (or taken subject to) contribution and the adjusted issue price of such Obligation at that time. All items of tax depreciation, cost recovery, amortization, adjusted tax basis of depletable properties, amount realized and gain or loss with respect to any such Adjusted Property or Adjusted Obligation shall be allocated among the Members to take into account the disparities between the Carrying Value and the adjusted tax basis or adjusted issue price, as the case may be, with respect to such property or Obligation in accordance with the provisions of Sections 704(b) and 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury Regulations under those sections; provided , however , that any tax items not required to be allocated under Sections 704(b) or 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code shall be allocated in the same manner as such gain or loss would be allocated for Capital Account purposes under Section 4.1 and Section 4.2 . In making such allocations, the Board shall use such method or methods of allocation as it shall determine, in its absolute discretion, to be reasonable and in accord with the applicable Treasury Regulations.

 

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(e) All recapture of income tax deductions resulting from the Transfer of Company property shall, to the maximum extent possible, be allocated to the Member to whom the deduction that gave rise to such recapture was allocated hereunder to the extent that such Member is allocated any gain from the Transfer of such property. For this purpose, deductions that were allocated as a component of Net Profit or Net Loss shall be treated as if allocated in the same manner as the allocation of the related Net Profit or Net Loss.

Section 4.4. Distributions .

(a) The Board may cause the Company to distribute Distributable Funds or other assets at such times and in such amounts as the Board, in its sole discretion, determines to be appropriate; provided that the aggregate value attributable to any assets other than cash or distributed by the Company shall be valued (i) if a marketable security, based on the 10 day volume weighted average price of such security prior to the date of such distribution or (ii) if an asset others than cash or a marketable security, as determined by the Board. All such distributions made pursuant to this Section 4.4(a) shall be made to the Members as follows and in the following order of priority:

(i) First: to the Members, pro-rata in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios, until Tier I Payout, if any, has occurred;

(ii) Second: following Tier I Payout, if any, and until the earlier of Tier II Payout: an amount equal to the Tier I Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier I Percentage to the Members holding Tier I Units (allocated among the holders of Tier I Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier I Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier I Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios);

(iii) Third: following Tier II Payout, if any: an amount equal to the Tier II Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier II Percentage to the Members holding Tier II Units (allocated among the holders of Tier II Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier II Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier II Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios):

(b) In addition to distributions made to the Members pursuant to Section 4.4(a) , and subject to applicable law, to the extent that the Board determines that the Company has Distributable Funds, the Board shall cause the Company to pay to the Members within 90 days after the end of each year an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the Distributable Funds, or (ii) an amount equal to the highest marginal federal and applicable state income tax rate for individuals (taking into account the character of the taxable income (e.g., long-term capital gain, qualified dividend income, ordinary income, etc.)) multiplied by the taxable income of the Company, if any, for such year, such payment to be made among the Members in the same percentages as the taxable income for such year was allocated. Any such payments to a Member under this Section 4.4(b) shall be deemed to be a draw against such Member’s share of future distributions under Section 4.4(a) and Section 8.3(b) , so that such Member’s share of such future distributions shall be reduced by the amounts previously drawn under this Section 4.4(b) until the aggregate reductions in such distributions equal the aggregate draws made under this Section 4.4(b) .

 

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(c) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries may withhold from distributions, allocations or portions thereof if it is required to do so by any applicable rule, regulation or law, and each Member hereby authorizes the Company and its subsidiaries to withhold or pay on behalf of or with respect to such Member any amount of U.S. federal, state, provincial, local or foreign taxes that the Board determines, in good faith, that the Company or any of its subsidiaries is required to withhold or pay with respect to any amount distributable or allocable to such Member pursuant to this Agreement. To the extent that any tax is paid by (or withheld from amounts payable to) the Company or any of its subsidiaries and the Board determines, in good faith, that such tax relates to one or more specific Members (including any tax payable by the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to Section 6225 of the Amended Code with respect to items of income, gain, loss deduction or credit allocable or attributable to such Member), such tax shall be treated as an amount of taxes withheld or paid with respect to such Member pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) . For all purposes under this Agreement, any amounts withheld or paid with respect to a Member pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) shall be treated as having been distributed to such Member pursuant to Section 4.4(a) at the time such withholding or payment is made. Further, to the extent that the cumulative amount of such withholding or payment for any period exceeds the distributions to which such Member is entitled for such period, the amount of such excess shall be considered a loan from the Company to such Member, with interest accruing at the primary rate of interest then publicly quoted by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. or, at the request of the Board, the amount of such excess shall be promptly paid to the Company by the Member on whose behalf such withholding is required to be made; provided, however, that any such payment shall not be treated as a Capital Contribution and shall not reduce the amount that a Member is otherwise obligated to contribute to the Company. Any income from any deemed loan shall not be allocated to or distributed to the Member requiring such loan. Any such loan shall be satisfied out of distributions to which such Member would otherwise be subsequently entitled until such time as the Board requests that the Member pay such amount to the Company. Each Member hereby unconditionally and irrevocably grants to the Company a security interest in such Member’s Units to secure such Member’s obligation to pay to the Company any amounts required to be paid pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) . Each Member shall take such actions as the Company may request in order to perfect or enforce the security interest created hereunder. Each Member hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the other Members and the Board from and against any liability (including any liability for taxes) with respect to income attributable to or distributions or other payments to such Member. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, (i) any Person who ceases to be a Member shall be treated as a Member for purposes of this Section 4.4(c) and (ii) the obligations of a Member pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) shall survive indefinitely with respect to any taxes withheld or paid by the Company that relate to the period during which such Person was actually a Member, regardless of whether such taxes are assessed, withheld or otherwise paid during such period.

 

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ARTICLE V

MANAGEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS

Section 5.1. Power and Authority of Board .

(a) The Company shall be managed by a Board of Managers (“ Board ” or “ Board of Managers ”). The Company shall initially have five (5) managers (each, a “ Manager ” and, collectively, the “ Managers ”) and the Managers serving on the Board shall be appointed and removed by a Majority Interest of the Members, subject to the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement. The Managers making up the initial Board shall be Anthony Bahr, Jay Graham, Scott Gieselman, David W. Hayes and Tony R. Weber. Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 5.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Company shall be exclusively vested in the Board, and the Members shall have no right of control over the business and affairs of the Company. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted to managers under the Act or which are granted to the Board under any other provision of this Agreement, the Board shall have full power and authority to do all things deemed necessary or desirable by it to conduct the business of the Company in the name of the Company.

(b) The Board may hold such meetings at such place and at such time as it may determine. Notice of a meeting shall be served not less than 24 hours before the date and time fixed for such meeting by confirmed facsimile or other written communication or not less than three days prior to such meeting if notice is provided by overnight delivery service. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Manager who signs a waiver of notice or provides a waiver by electronic transmission or a consent to holding the meeting or an approval of the minutes thereof, whether before or after the meeting, or who attends the meeting without protesting, either prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to such Manager. A special meeting of the Board may be called by any member of the Board. Any member of the Board may participate in a meeting by conference telephone or similar communications equipment. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board may be taken without a meeting if such action is evidenced in writing and signed by all of the members of the Board. At any meeting of the Board, the presence in person or by telephone or similar electronic communication of Managers representing at least a majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

(c) Each Manager serving on the Board of Managers shall have one vote on any Company matter. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the business of the Company presented at any meeting of the Board of Managers shall be decided by a vote of Managers representing a majority of the entire Board of Managers.

(d) In accomplishing all of the foregoing and in fulfilling its obligations pursuant to this Agreement, the Board may, in its sole discretion, retain or use any Company Affiliates’ personnel, properties and equipment or the Board may hire or rent those of third parties and may employ on a temporary or continuing basis outside accountants, attorneys, consultants and others on such terms as the Board deems advisable. No Person, firm or corporation dealing with the Company shall be required to inquire into the authority of the Board to take any action or make any decision.

 

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Section 5.2. Officers .

(a) Designation . The Board may, from time to time, designate individuals (who need not be a Manager) to serve as officers of the Company. The officers may, but need not, include a chief executive officer, a president, a chief operating officer, a chief financial officer, a general counsel and secretary and a chief accounting officer. Any two or more offices may be held by the same Person.

(b) Duties of Officers . Each officer of the Company designated hereunder shall devote such time to the Company’s business as he deems necessary to manage and supervise Company business and affairs in an efficient manner.

(c) Term of Office; Removal; Filling of Vacancies.

(i) Each officer of the Company shall hold office until his successor is chosen and qualified in his stead or until his earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office.

(ii) Any officer may be removed at any time by the Board whenever in their judgment the best interests of the Company will be served thereby. Designation of an officer shall not of itself create any contract rights in favor of such officer.

(iii) If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled by the Board.

Section 5.3. Acknowledged and Permitted Activities .

(a) The Company and the Members recognize that (i) NGP and its Affiliates may own or will own substantial equity interests in other companies (existing and future) that participate in the energy industry (“ NGP Portfolio Companies ”) and enter into advisory service agreements with those NGP Portfolio Companies, (ii) the NGP Representatives who serve as members of the Board may also serve as principals of other NGP Portfolio Companies, and (iii) that at any given time, other NGP Portfolio Companies may be in direct or indirect competition with the Company and/or its subsidiaries. The Company and the Members acknowledge and agree that (A) NGP, its Affiliates and the NGP Representatives: (I) shall not be prohibited or otherwise restricted by their relationship with the Company and its subsidiaries from engaging in the business of investing in NGP Portfolio Companies, entering into agreements to provide services to such companies or acting as directors or advisors to, or other principals of, such NGP Portfolio Companies, regardless of whether such activities are in direct or indirect competition with the business or activities of the Company or its subsidiaries, and (II) shall not have any obligation to offer the Company or its subsidiaries any Excluded Business Opportunity, and (B) the Company and the Members hereby renounce any interest or expectancy in any Excluded Business Opportunity pursued by NGP, its Affiliates, the NGP Representatives or another NGP Portfolio Company and waive any claim that any such business opportunity constitutes a corporate, partnership or other business opportunity of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

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Section 5.4. Duties and Services of the Board . The Board shall comply in all respects with the terms of this Agreement. The Board shall be obligated to perform the duties, responsibilities and obligations of the Board hereunder only to the extent that funds of the Company are available therefor. During the existence of the Company, each Manager serving on the Board shall devote such time and effort to the Company’s business as he deems necessary to manage and supervise Company business and affairs in an efficient manner. No Member, in its capacity as a Member, shall have any fiduciary or other duty to the Company, any other Member or any other Person that is a party to or is otherwise bound by this Agreement other than (i) to the extent required by law, the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing and (ii) such other contractual obligations as are expressly set forth in this Agreement. Each Manager serving on the Board, in its capacity as Manager, shall not have any fiduciary or other duty to the Company, any other Member or any other Person that is a party to or is otherwise bound by this Agreement other than (i) to the extent required by law, the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing and (ii) such other contractual obligations as are expressly set forth in this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they modify or eliminate the duties and liabilities of any Member or Manager otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Members and Managers to modify or eliminate to that extent such other duties and liabilities of such Member or Manager to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Section 5.5. Liability and Indemnification .

(a) The Company’s officers, the Managers, the Members and their Affiliates, and their partners, officers, directors, employees and agents, shall not be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Company or the other Members for any acts or omissions that do not constitute gross negligence, willful misconduct, or a breach of the express terms of this Agreement, and the Company shall indemnify to the maximum extent permitted under the Act and save harmless the Company’s officers, the Managers and the Members and their Affiliates, and their partners, officers, directors, employees and agents (individually, an “ Indemnitee ”) from all liabilities for which indemnification is permitted under the Act. Any act or omission performed or omitted by an Indemnitee on advice of legal counsel or an independent consultant who has been employed or retained by the Company shall be presumed to have been performed or omitted in good faith without gross negligence or willful misconduct . THE PARTIES RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PROVISION SHALL RELIEVE ANY SUCH INDEMNITEE FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITIES, OBLIGATIONS, DUTIES, CLAIMS, ACCOUNTS AND CAUSES OF ACTION WHATSOEVER ARISING OR TO ARISE OUT OF ANY ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE BY ANY SUCH INDEMNITEE, AND SUCH INDEMNITEE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO INDEMNIFICATION FROM ACTS OR OMISSIONS THAT MAY CONSTITUTE ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE .

(b) The Company shall, to the maximum extent permitted under the Act, pay or reimburse expenses incurred by an Indemnitee in connection with the Indemnitee’s appearance as a witness or other participation in a proceeding involving or affecting the Company at a time when the Indemnitee is not a named defendant or respondent in the proceeding.

(c) The Board shall have the right to require that any contract entered into by the Company provide that the Board shall have no personal liability for the obligations of the Company thereunder.

 

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(d) The indemnification provided by this Section 5.5 shall be in addition to any other rights to which each Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement or vote of the Members, as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to action in the Indemnitee’s capacity as a Member or an officer, director, employee or agent of a Member or as a Person serving at the request of the Company as set forth above and to action in another capacity, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns, administrators and personal representatives of the Indemnitees; provided that the indemnification provided by this Section 5.5 shall be the primary source of indemnification with respect to the matters addressed herein, without regard to other potential sources of indemnification, reimbursement or contribution (subject to applicable express provisions of any insurance policy to which the Company is a party) and the Company irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases all right to contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind from NGP or its Affiliates and insurance provided by NGP or its Affiliates to any Indemnitee; and provided , further , no advancement or payment by NGP, its Affiliates or insurance provided by any of them to an Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which an Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and NGP and its Affiliates shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of such Indemnitee against the Company. The Company and each Member agree that NGP, its Affiliates and the insurers they engage to provide insurance to Indemnitees are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 5.5(d) .

(e) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Members to personal liability by reason of this indemnification provision.

(f) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 5.5 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

Section 5.6. Reimbursement of Members . The Company or its subsidiaries shall pay or reimburse to WIH and NGP all reasonable direct and indirect costs and expenses incurred by such Members in organizing the Company, including legal fees and accounting fees.

Section 5.7. Insurance . The Company shall acquire and maintain insurance covering such risks and in such amounts as the officers of the Company shall from time to time determine to be necessary or appropriate.

Section 5.8. Tax Elections and Status .

(a) The Board shall make such tax elections on behalf of the Company as it shall deem appropriate in its sole discretion. Upon request of the Board, each Member shall cooperate in good faith with the Company in connection with the Company’s efforts to elect out of the application of the company-level audit and adjustment rules of the Bipartisan Budget Act, if applicable.

 

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(b) The Members agree to classify the Company as a partnership for income tax purposes. Therefore, any provision hereof to the contrary notwithstanding, solely for income tax purposes, each of the Members hereby recognizes that the Company, so long as it has at least two Members, shall be subject to all provisions of subchapter K of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code and, to the extent permitted by law, any comparable state or local income tax provisions. Neither the Company, any Member, nor any Manager shall file an election to classify the Company as an association taxable as a corporation for income tax purposes.

Section 5.9. Tax Returns . The Company shall deliver necessary tax information to each Member after the end of each fiscal year of the Company. Not less than 60 days prior to the date (as extended) on which the Company intends to file its federal income tax return or any state income tax return but in any event no earlier than March 1 of each year, the return proposed by the Board to be filed by the Company shall be furnished to the Members for review; provided, however, that an IRS Schedule K-1 or a good faith estimate of the amounts to be included on such IRS Schedule K-1 for each Member shall be sent to each Member on or before March 1 of each year. In addition, not more than 10 days after the date on which the Company files its federal income tax return or any state income tax return, a copy of the return so filed shall be furnished to the Members.

Section 5.10. Tax Matters Member. Partnership Representative .

(a) Anthony Bahr shall be designated the tax matters member under Section 6231 of the Internal Revenue Code (in such capacity, the Tax Matters Member ”) . The Tax Matters Member may be removed and replaced by action of a Majority Interest of the Members. The Tax Matters Member is authorized to take such actions and to execute and file all statements and forms on behalf of the Company which may be permitted or required by the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or Treasury Regulations issued thereunder. The Tax Matters Member shall have full and exclusive power and authority on behalf of the Company to represent the Company (at the Company’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Company’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Company funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. The Tax Matters Member shall keep the Members informed as to the status of any audit of the Company’s tax affairs, and shall take such action as may be necessary to cause any Member so requesting to become a “notice partner” within the meaning of Section 6223 of the Internal Revenue Code. Without first obtaining the approval of a Majority Interest of the Members, the Tax Matters Member shall not, with respect to Company tax matters: (i) enter into a settlement agreement with respect to any tax matter which purports to bind Members, (ii) intervene in any action pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 6226(b)(5), (iii) enter into an agreement extending the statute of limitations, or (iv) file a petition pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 6226(a) or 6228. If an audit of any of the Company’s tax returns shall occur, the Tax Matters Member shall not settle or otherwise compromise assertions of the auditing agent which may be adverse to any Member as compared to the position taken on the Company’s tax returns without the prior written consent of each such affected Member.

(b) The Board may appoint and replace a Partnership Representative and authorize the Partnership Representative to take any and all actions determined by the Board and permissible under Section 6223 of the Amended Code and Treasury Regulations thereunder. Pursuant to Section 11.2(d) , the Board shall have the authority to amend this Section 5.10 to give effect to the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act and any Treasury Regulations or other administrative pronouncements promulgated thereunder and each Member agrees to be bound by the provisions of any such amendment.

 

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Section 5.11. Section 83(b) Election . Each Member who acquires Incentive Units and who is a United States person within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 7701(a)(30) may file a timely election under Internal Revenue Code Section 83(b) with respect to such Incentive Units and consult with such Member’s tax advisor to determine the tax consequences of such acquisition and of filing an election under Internal Revenue Code Section 83(b). Each such Member acknowledges that it is the sole responsibility of such Member, and not the Company, to file the election under Internal Revenue Code Section 83(b) even if such Member requests the Company or its representative to assist in making such filing. In accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, each Member who makes an election shall promptly provide a copy of such election to the Company.

Section 5.12. Subsidiaries of the Company . The Board may determine to conduct any Company operations indirectly through one or more subsidiaries.

Section 5.13. Tax Reimbursement . If Texas law requires the Company and NGP both to participate in the filing of a Texas franchise tax combined group report, and if NGP or its Affiliates pay the franchise tax liability due in connection with such combined report, the parties agree that the Company shall promptly reimburse NGP or its Affiliates for the franchise tax paid on behalf of the Company as a combined group member. The franchise tax paid on behalf of the Company shall be equal to the franchise tax that the Company would have paid if it had computed its franchise tax liability for the report period on a separate entity basis rather than as a member of the combined group. In such event, the parties agree that NGP and its Affiliates shall be considered as paying such amount on behalf of the Company and the Company shall deduct for federal income tax purposes one hundred percent (100%) of the Texas franchise tax attributable to the Company; provided that in the event that such deduction may not be properly taken by the Company, the Company shall reimburse NGP and its Affiliates for the after-tax cost of such payment of Texas franchise tax paid on the Company’s behalf.

ARTICLE VI

RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

Section 6.1. Rights of Members . Each of the Members shall have the right to: (a) have the Company books and records (including those required under the Act) kept at the principal United States office of the Company and at all reasonable times to inspect and copy any of them at the sole expense of such Member; (b) have on demand true and full information of all things affecting the Company and a formal account of Company affairs whenever circumstances render it just and reasonable; (c) have dissolution and winding up of the Company by decree of court as provided for in the Act; and (d) exercise all rights of a Member under the Act (except to the extent otherwise specifically provided herein). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Members shall not have the right to receive data pertaining to the properties of the Company if the Company is subject to a valid agreement prohibiting the distribution of such data or if the Board shall otherwise determine that such data is Confidential Information.

 

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Section 6.2. Limitations on Members . The Members, (in his or its capacity as a Member) shall not: (a) be permitted to take part in the business or control of the business or affairs of the Company; (b) have any voice in the management or operation of any Company property; or (c) have the authority or power to act as agent for or on behalf of the Company or any other Member, to do any act which would be binding on the Company or any other Member, or to incur any expenditures on behalf of or with respect to the Company. No Member (in his or its capacity as a Member) shall hold out or represent to any third party that the Members have any such power or right or that the Members are anything other than “members” of the Company. The foregoing provision shall not be applicable to a Member acting in his or its capacity as a member of the Board or an officer of the Company.

Section 6.3. Liability of Members . No Member shall be liable for the debts, liabilities, contracts or other obligations of the Company except (a) as otherwise provided in the Act and (b) as expressly provided in this Agreement.

Section 6.4. Withdrawal and Return of Capital Contributions . No Member shall be entitled to (a) withdraw from the Company except upon the assignment by such Member of all of its Company Interest in accordance with Article IX , or (b) the return of its Capital Contributions except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to the express terms of this Agreement may be considered as such by law or upon dissolution and liquidation of the Company, and then only to the extent expressly provided for in this Agreement and as permitted by law.

Section 6.5. Voting Rights . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to the extent that the vote of the Members may be required hereunder, the act of a Majority Interest of the Members shall be an act of the Members. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, with respect to any Company Interests held by any Member who is an Employee, such Company Interests shall be non-voting if and when such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated for any reason or without reason, including by termination, resignation, death or disability.

ARTICLE VII

BOOKS, REPORTS, MEETINGS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Section 7.1. Capital Accounts, Books and Records .

(a) The Company shall keep books of account for the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Such books shall be maintained at the principal office of the Company.

(b) An individual capital account (the “Capital Account”) shall be maintained by the Company for each Member as provided below:

(i) The Capital Account of each Member shall, except as otherwise provided herein, be increased by (A) the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property contributed to the Company by such Member (net of the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations secured by such contributed property that the Company is considered to assume or

 

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take subject to under Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code), (B) such Member’s share of the Net Profits of the Company and special allocations of income or gain under Section 4.2 , and (C) the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations assumed (or deemed assumed) by a Member from the Company that would not otherwise be taken into account under Section 7.1(b)(i)(D) , and shall be decreased by (D) such Member’s share of the Net Losses of the Company and special allocations of deduction or loss under Section 4.2 and by the amount of cash or the fair market value of any property distributed to such Member (net of the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations secured by such distributed property that such Member is considered to assume or take subject to under Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code or would be considered to have assumed or taken subject to for purposes of Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code if such Obligation were a liability for purposes of Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code) and (E) the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations assumed (or deemed assumed) by the Company from a Member that would not otherwise be taken into account under Section 7.1(b)(i)(A) ). The Capital Accounts shall also be increased or decreased (I) to reflect a revaluation of Company property and Obligations pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (f) of the definition of Carrying Value and (II) upon the exercise of any noncompensatory warrant pursuant to the requirements of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(d)(4) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s).

(ii) Any adjustments of basis of Company property provided for under Sections 734 and 743 of the Internal Revenue Code and comparable provisions of state law (resulting from an election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code or comparable provisions of state law) shall not affect the Capital Accounts of the Members (unless otherwise required by applicable Treasury Regulations), and the Members’ Capital Accounts shall be debited or credited pursuant to the terms of this Section 7.1 as if no such election had been made.

(iii) Capital Accounts shall be adjusted, in a manner consistent with this Section 7.1 , to reflect any adjustments in items of Company income, gain, loss or deduction (including Simulated Depletion, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss) that result from amended returns filed by the Company or pursuant to an agreement by the Company with the Internal Revenue Service or a final court decision.

(iv) The allocation of basis prescribed by Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code and provided for in Section 4.3(b) and each Member’s separately computed depletion deductions shall not reduce such Member’s Capital Account, but such Member’s Capital Account shall be decreased by its allocable share of Simulated Depletion. The Simulated Basis of each oil and gas property shall be allocated to each Member in accordance with such Member’s Capital Interest Percentage as of the time such oil and gas property is acquired by the Company (and any additions to such Simulated Basis resulting from expenditures required to be capitalized in such Simulated Basis shall be allocated among the Members in a manner designed to cause the Members’ proportionate shares of such Simulated Basis to be in accordance with their Capital Interest Percentages as determined at the time of any such additions), and shall be reallocated among the Members in accordance with the Members’ Capital Interest Percentages as determined immediately following the occurrence of an event giving rise to an adjustment to the Carrying Values of the Company’s oil and gas properties pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of Carrying Value. Simulated Depletion with respect to each separate oil and gas property shall be allocated to the Members in proportion to their respective shares of the Simulated Basis in the related property. No Member’s Capital Account

 

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shall be decreased, however, by Simulated Depletion deductions attributable to any oil and gas property to the extent such deductions exceed such Member’s allocable share of the Company’s remaining Simulated Basis in such property. Any Simulated Gain shall be allocated to the Members and shall increase their respective Capital Accounts in the same manner as an equal amount of gain would have been allocated pursuant to Section 4.1 . Any Simulated Loss shall be allocated to the Members and shall reduce their respective Capital Accounts in the same percentages as the basis of the property sold was allocated up to an amount equal to each Member’s share of the Company’s Simulated Basis in such property at the time of such sale.

(v) It is the intention of the Members that the Capital Accounts of each Member be kept in the manner required under Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). To the extent any additional adjustment to the Capital Accounts is required by such regulation, the Board is hereby authorized to make such adjustment after notice to the Members.

(vi) In accordance with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), upon a Member’s contribution to the Company of cash or properties in exchange for a Company Interest, the Capital Accounts of all Members and the Carrying Values of all Company properties and Obligations shall, immediately prior to such issuance, be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to the Company properties and Obligations, as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss had been recognized immediately prior to such contribution and had been allocated to the Members at such time pursuant to Section 4.1 and Section 4.2 .

(vii) Any Person who acquires a Company Interest directly from a Member, or whose Company Interest shall be increased by means of a Transfer to it of all or part of the Company Interest of another Member, shall have a Capital Account (including a credit for all Capital Contributions made by such Member Transferring such Company Interest) which includes the Capital Account balance of the Company Interest or portion thereof so acquired or Transferred.

Section 7.2. Bank Accounts . The Board shall cause one or more Company accounts to be maintained in a bank (or banks) which is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or some other financial institution, which accounts shall be used for the payment of the expenditures incurred by the Company in connection with the business of the Company, and in which shall be deposited any and all receipts of the Company. The Board shall determine the number of and the Persons who will be authorized as signatories on each such bank account. The Company may invest the Company funds in such money market accounts or other investments as the Board shall determine to be of high quality.

Section 7.3. Reports . The Company shall provide each Capital Member with copies of such financial reports as shall be reasonably requested from time to time by such Members and any such other reports and financial information as the Board shall determine from time to time, including periodic consolidated financial statements for the Company and its subsidiaries (including income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements) and copies of all engineering reserve reports and other financial reports that the Company or its subsidiaries provides to any financial institution that provides debt or equity financing to the Company or its subsidiaries; provided that any information provided to Members pursuant to this Section 7.3 shall be deemed Confidential Information.

 

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Section 7.4. Meetings of Members . The Board may hold meetings of the Members from time to time to inform and consult with the Members concerning the Company’s assets and such other matters as the Board deems appropriate, provided that nothing in this Section 7.4 shall require the Board to hold any such meetings. Such meetings shall be held at such times and places, as often and in such manner as shall be determined by the Board. The Board at its election may separately inform and consult with the Members for the above purposes without the necessity of calling and/or holding a meeting of the Members. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.4 , the Members shall not be permitted to take part in the business or control of the business of the Company; it being the intention of the parties that the involvement of the Members as contemplated in this Section 7.4 is for the purpose of informing the Members with respect to various Company matters, explaining any information furnished to the Members in connection therewith, answering any questions the Members may have with respect thereto and receiving any ideas or suggestions the Members may have with respect thereto; it being the further intention of the parties that the Board shall have full and exclusive power and authority on behalf of the Company to acquire, manage, control and administer the assets, business and affairs of the Company in accordance with Section 5.1 and the other applicable provisions of this Agreement.

Section 7.5. Confidentiality . No Member shall use, publish, disseminate or otherwise disclose, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information that should come into the possession of such Member for other than a proper Company purpose. No Member shall disclose any such Confidential Information except as expressly authorized by this Agreement or by the Board, or as required by law or governmental or regulatory authority. Each Member shall instruct all Affiliates (including their representatives, agents and counsel) to comply with this Section 7.5 . If a Member is required by law or court order to disclose information that would otherwise be Confidential Information under this Agreement, such Member shall immediately notify the Company of such notice and provide the Company the opportunity to resist such disclosure by appropriate proceedings. The terms of this Section 7.5 shall survive with respect to each Member until the earlier to occur of (a) the date following one year from the date of the liquidation of the Company and (b) the date following two years from the date of termination or Transfer of such Member’s Company Interest.

ARTICLE VIII

DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION

Section 8.1. Dissolution . The Company shall be dissolved upon the occurrence of any of the following:

(a) The seventh anniversary of the date of this Agreement;

(b) The sale, disposition or termination of all or substantially all of the property then owned by the Company; or

 

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(c) The consent in writing of the Board of Managers.

Section 8.2. Winding Down . From and after the sixth anniversary of the Company’s formation, unless the Capital Members otherwise mutually agree or unless the Company has previously been dissolved, the Members shall cooperate in the marketing and sale of all or substantially all of the assets or outstanding Company Interests, or any other similar transaction to potentially interested third parties, such that the Company can be formally liquidated prior to the end of its stated term.

Section 8.3. Liquidation and Termination . Upon dissolution of the Company, the Board or, if the Board so desires, a Person selected by the Board, shall act as liquidator or shall appoint one or more liquidators who shall have full authority to wind up the affairs of the Company and make final distribution as provided herein. The liquidator shall continue to operate the Company properties with all of the power and authority of the Board. The steps to be accomplished by the liquidator are as follows:

(a) As promptly as possible after dissolution and again after final liquidation, the liquidator, if requested by any Member, shall cause a proper accounting to be made by the Company’s independent accountants of the Company’s assets, liabilities and operations through the last day of the month in which the dissolution occurs or the final liquidation is completed, as appropriate.

(b) The liquidator shall pay all of the debts and liabilities of the Company (including all expenses incurred in liquidation) or otherwise make adequate provision therefor (including the establishment of a cash escrow fund for contingent liabilities in such amount and for such term as the liquidator may reasonably determine). After making payment or provision for all debts and liabilities of the Company, the liquidator shall sell all properties and assets of the Company for cash as promptly as is consistent with obtaining the best price therefor; provided , however , that upon the consent of a Majority Interest of the Members, the liquidator may distribute such properties in kind. All Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss (or other items of income, gain loss or deduction allocable under Section 4.2 ) realized on such sales shall be allocated to the Members as provided in this Agreement, and the Capital Accounts of the Members shall be adjusted accordingly. In the event of a distribution of properties in kind, the liquidator shall first adjust the Capital Accounts of the Members by the amount of any Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss (or other items of income, gain loss or deduction allocable under Section 4.2 ) that would have been recognized by the Members if such properties had been sold at then fair market values. The liquidator shall then distribute the proceeds of such sales or such properties to the Members in the manner provided in Section 4.4(a) . If the foregoing distributions to the Members do not equal the Member’s respective positive Capital Account balances as determined after giving effect to the foregoing adjustments and to all adjustments attributable to allocations of Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss realized by the Company during the taxable year in question and all adjustments attributable to contributions and distributions of money and property effected prior to such distribution, then, the allocations of Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss provided for in this Agreement shall be adjusted, to the least extent necessary, to produce a Capital Account balance for each Member which corresponds to the amount of the distribution to such Member. Each Member shall have the right to designate another Person to receive any property which otherwise would be distributed in kind to that Member pursuant to this Section 8.3 .

 

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(c) Except as expressly provided herein, the liquidator shall comply with any applicable requirements of the Act and all other applicable laws pertaining to the winding up of the affairs of the Company and the final distribution of its assets.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, no Member shall be obligated to restore a deficit balance in its Capital Account at any time.

The distribution of cash and/or property to the Members in accordance with the provisions of this Section 8.3 shall constitute a complete return to the Members of their Capital Contributions and a complete distribution to the Members of their Company Interest and all Company property.

 

ARTICLE IX

ASSIGNMENTS OF COMPANY INTERESTS

Section 9.1. Assignments of Company Interests .

(a) No Member’s Company Interest or rights therein shall be Transferred, or made subject to an Indirect Transfer, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the Board; provided , however , that any Member may assign its Company Interest without obtaining such consent pursuant to (i) an Excluded Affiliate Transfer or (ii) a Transfer that is otherwise permitted pursuant to the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement. Any attempt by a Member to assign its Company Interest in violation of the immediately preceding sentence shall be void ab initio. If an interest in a Unit or other Company Interest is required by law to be Transferred to a spouse of a holder thereof pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction in a divorce proceeding (notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.1(a) ), then such holder shall nevertheless retain all rights with respect to such interest and any interest of such spouse shall be subject to such rights of such holder. In addition, if it is determined that the holder will be required to pay any taxes attributable to such interest of the spouse in the Company, then any tax liability of such holder that is attributable to such spouse’s interest shall be taken into account, and shall reduce such spouse’s interest in the Company; in no event shall the Company be required to provide any financial, valuation or other information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of their respective assets to the spouse or former spouse of such holder.

(b) Unless an assignee of a Company Interest becomes a substituted Member in accordance with the provisions set forth below, such assignee shall not be entitled to any of the rights granted to a Member hereunder, other than the right to receive allocations of income, gains, losses, deductions, credits and similar items and distributions to which the assignor would otherwise be entitled, to the extent such items are assigned.

(c) An assignee of a Company Interest shall become a substituted Member entitled to all of the rights of a Member if, and only if, (i) the assignor gives the assignee such right, (ii) the Board consents in writing to such substitution, the granting or denying of which shall be in the

 

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Board’s sole discretion, (iii) the assignee executes and delivers such instruments, in form and substance satisfactory to the Board, as the Board may deem necessary or desirable to effect such substitution and to confirm the agreement of the assignee to be bound by all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement, and (iv) if the Board so requires, the assignee reimburses the Company for any costs incurred by the Company in connection with such assignment and substitution. Upon the satisfaction of such requirements, such assignee shall be admitted as of such date as shall be provided for in any document evidencing such assignment as a substituted Member of the Company.

(d) The Company and the Board shall be entitled to treat the record Member of any Company Interest as the absolute Member thereof in all respects and shall incur no liability for distributions of cash or other property made in good faith to such Member until such time as a written assignment of such Company Interest that complies with the terms of this Agreement has been received by the Board.

ARTICLE X

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Section 10.1. Representations and Warranties . Each Member acknowledges and agrees that its Company Interest is being purchased for such Member’s own account as part of a private offering, exempt from registration under the Securities Act and all applicable state securities or blue sky laws, for investment only and not with a view to the distribution nor other sale thereof and that an exemption from registration under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws may not be available if the Company Interest is acquired by such Member with a view to resale or distribution thereof under any conditions or circumstances as would constitute a distribution of such Company Interest within the meaning and purview of the Securities Act or the applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, each Member represents and warrants to the Company and all other interested parties that:

(a) Such Member has sufficient financial resources to continue such Member’s investment in the Company for an indefinite period and understands that (i) such Member is acquiring an interest in the Company without being furnished any offering literature or prospectus, and (ii) the acquisition of such Member’s Company Interest by such Member has not been reviewed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or by any administrative agency charged with the administration of the securities or “blue sky” laws of any state.

(b) Such Member acknowledges that the Company Interest being acquired by such Member was not offered to such Member by means of publicly disseminated advertisements or sales literature, nor is such Member aware of any offers made to other Persons by such means.

(c) Such Member is familiar with Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act, and such Member is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) of such Regulation D.

 

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(d) Such Member has adequate means of providing for its current needs and contingencies and can afford a complete loss of its investment in the Company.

(e) It is such Member’s intention to acquire and hold its Company Interest solely for its private investment and for its own account and with no view or intention to Transfer such Company Interest (or any portion thereof) in violation of applicable law or this Agreement.

(f) Such Member has no contract, undertaking, agreement, or arrangement with any Person to sell or otherwise Transfer to any Person, or to have any Person sell on behalf of such Member, its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), and such Member is not engaged in and does not plan to engage within the foreseeable future in any discussion with any Person relative to the sale or any Transfer of its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), except pursuant to an Excluded Affiliate Transfer.

(g) Such Member is not aware of any occurrence, event, or circumstance upon the happening of which such Member intends to attempt to Transfer its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), and such Member does not have any present intention of Transferring its Company Interest (or any portion thereof) after the lapse of any particular period of time, except pursuant to an Excluded Affiliate Transfer.

(h) Such Member, by making other investments of a similar nature and/or by reason of his/its business and financial experience or the business and financial experience of those Persons it has retained to advise such Member with respect to its investment in the Company, is a sophisticated investor who has the capacity to protect its own interest in investments of this nature, so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Company Interest.

(i) Such Member has had all documents, records, books and due diligence materials pertaining to this investment made available to such Member and such Member’s accountants and advisors; such Member has also had an opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from the Company concerning this investment; and such Member has all of the information deemed by such Member to be necessary or appropriate to evaluate the investment and the risks and merits thereof and to make an informed decision concerning such Member’s investment in the Company Interest.

(j) Such Member has a close business association with the Company or certain of its Affiliates, thereby making the Member a well-informed investor for purposes of this investment.

(k) Such Member is aware of the following:

(i) The Company is newly organized and has no financial or operating history and, further, such Member’s investment in the Company is speculative and involves a high degree of risk of loss by the Member of its entire investment, with no assurance of any income from such investment;

(ii) No federal or state agency has made any finding or determination as to the fairness of the investment, or any recommendation or endorsement, of such investment;

 

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(iii) There are substantial restrictions on the Transferability of the Company Interest of such Member, there will be no public market for the Company Interest and, accordingly, it may not be possible for such Member readily to liquidate its investment in the Company in case of emergency; and

(iv) Any federal or state income tax benefits which may be available to such Member may be lost through changes to existing laws and regulations or in the interpretation of existing laws and regulations; such Member in making this investment is relying, if at all, solely upon the advice of its own tax advisors with respect to the tax aspects of an investments in the Company.

(l) Such Member further covenants and agrees that (i) its Company Interest will not be resold unless the provisions set forth in Article IX above are complied with, and (ii) such Member shall have no right to require registration of its Company Interest under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and, in view of the nature of the Company and its business, such registration is neither contemplated nor likely.

(m) Such Member understands that a legend indicating that the Company Interest has not been registered under applicable federal and state securities laws and referring to the restrictions on transferability and sale of the Company Interest may be placed on any certificate(s) or other document delivered to such Member or any substitute therefore and any transfer agent of the Company or its affiliates may be instructed to require compliance therewith.

(n) Such Member confirms that such Member has been advised to consult with such Member’s own attorney regarding legal matters concerning the Company and to consult with independent tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of investing in the Company.

(o) Such Member acknowledges that such Member understands the meaning and the legal consequences of the representations, warranties, covenants and certifications set forth in this Article X and that the Company has relied and will rely upon such representations, warranties, covenants and certifications.

ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.1. Notices . All notices, elections, demands or other communications required or permitted to be made or given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be considered as properly given or made on the date of actual delivery if given by (a) personal delivery, (b) United States mail, (c) expedited overnight delivery service with proof of delivery, or (d) via facsimile with confirmation of delivery, addressed to the respective addressee(s). Any Member may change its address by giving notice in writing to the other Members of its new address.

Section 11.2. Amendment .

(a) In addition to the right of the Board to amend this Agreement as provided below, and except as otherwise provided below, any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective if made by an instrument in writing that has been duly approved by the Board and a Majority Interest of the Members.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding Section 11.2(a) :

(i) with respect to any change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment to this Agreement that would (A) increase the liability or duties of any of the Members, (B) change the contributions required of any of the Members, (C) cause the Company to be taxed as a corporation, or (D) otherwise result in any disproportionate and material adverse consequences for any Member, such change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment shall not be binding on such Member unless contained in a written instrument duly executed by such Member;

(ii) with respect to any change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment that would alter or change the rights, obligations, powers or preferences of one or more Capital Members in a disproportionate and adverse manner, other than in a de minimis respect, compared to other Capital Members, such change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment shall also require the prior written consent of Capital Members holding a majority of the Company Interests so disproportionately and adversely affected; and

(iii) with respect to any change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment to this Agreement that would alter or change the rights, obligations, powers or preferences of one or more Members in their capacity as a holder of Incentive Units in a disproportionate and adverse manner, other than in a de minimis respect, compared to any other class or series of Company Interests (including Company Interests held by Capital Members), such change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment shall also require the prior written consent of Members holding at least a majority of the outstanding Incentive Units;

provided , however , that any amendment which is made to facilitate a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, to convert the Company into another entity, or to cause the Company to participate in an exchange of interests or some type of business combination with any other entity, shall require the approval only of the Board and a Majority Interest of the Capital Members, if each of the material terms and provisions of such merger, consolidation, conversion, exchange or combination provides for equal and/or proportionate treatment of each of the Members.

(c) With respect to any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement that would change the name of the Company, admit new or substituted Members in accordance with the terms of Article IX , or any other change, modification or amendment that does not adversely affect the Members in any disproportionate and material respect, and any change, modification or amendment which the Board determines is necessary or advisable to ensure that the Company is not and will not be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or to conform with changes in applicable tax law ( provided such changes do not have a material adverse effect on the Members), such change, modification, or amendment may be contained in a written instrument executed solely by the Board; provided that the Board notifies the Members of such change, modification, or amendment.

 

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(d) With respect to any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement which the Board determines is necessary or advisable to comply with or administer in an equitable manner the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act and any Treasury Regulations or other administrative pronouncements promulgated thereunder in any manner determined by the Board, such change, modification, or amendment may be contained in a written instrument executed solely by the Board; provided that the Board notifies the Members of such change, modification, or amendment.

Section 11.3. Partition . Each of the Members hereby irrevocably waives for the term of the Company any right that such Member may have to maintain any action for partition with respect to the Company property.

Section 11.4. Entire Agreement . This Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby constitute the full and complete agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

Section 11.5. Severability . Every provision in this Agreement is intended to be severable. If any term or provision hereof is illegal or invalid for any reason whatsoever, such illegality or invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Agreement.

Section 11.6. No Waiver . The failure of any Member to insist upon strict performance of a covenant hereunder or of any obligation hereunder, irrespective of the length of time for which such failure continues, shall not constitute a waiver of such Member’s right to demand strict compliance in the future. No consent or waiver, express or implied, to or of any breach or default in the performance of any obligation hereunder shall constitute a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance of the same or any other obligation hereunder.

Section 11.7. Applicable Law . This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall be governed by and interpreted, construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to rules or principles of conflicts of law requiring the application of the law of another State.

Section 11.8. Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns; provided, however, that no Member may Transfer all or any part of its rights or Company Interest or any interest under this Agreement except in accordance with Article IX .

Section 11.9. Arbitration . Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Transaction Documents, or the Company, including claims sounding in contract, tort, statutory or otherwise (a “ Dispute ”), shall be settled exclusively and finally by arbitration in accordance with this Section 11.9 .

(a) Rules and Procedures . Such arbitration shall be administered by JAMS/Endispute, Inc., a Delaware corporation and national dispute resolution company (“ JAMS ”), pursuant to (i) the JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures, if the amount in controversy is $250,000 or less, or (ii) the JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures, if the amount in controversy exceeds $250,000 (each, as applicable, the “ Rules ”). The making, validity, construction, and interpretation of this Section 11.9 , and all procedural aspects of the

 

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arbitration conducted pursuant hereto, shall be decided by the arbitrator(s). For purposes of this Section 11.9 , “amount in controversy” means the stated amount of the claim, not including interest or attorneys’ fees, plus the stated amount of any counterclaim, not including interest or attorneys’ fees. If the claim or counterclaim seeks a form of relief other than damages, such as injunctive or declaratory relief, it shall be treated as if the amount in controversy exceeds $250,000, unless all parties to the Dispute otherwise agree.

(b) Discovery . Discovery shall be allowed only to the extent permitted by the Rules.

(c) Time and Place . All arbitration proceedings hereunder shall be conducted in Dallas, Texas or such other location as all parties to the Dispute may agree. Unless good cause is shown or all parties to the Dispute otherwise agree, the hearing on the merits shall be conducted within 180 days of the initiation of the arbitration, if the arbitration is being conducted under the Streamlined Arbitration Rules, or within 270 days of the initiation of the arbitration, if the arbitration is being conducted under the Comprehensive Arbitration Rules. However, it shall not be a basis to challenge the outcome or result of the arbitration proceeding that it was not conducted within the specified timeframe, nor shall the failure to conduct the hearing within the specified timeframe in any way waive the right to arbitration as provided for herein.

(d) Arbitrators .

(i) If the amount in controversy is $250,000 or less, the arbitration shall be before a single arbitrator selected by JAMS in accordance with the Rules.

(ii) If the amount in controversy is more than $250,000, the arbitration shall be before a panel of three arbitrators, selected in accordance with this paragraph. The party initiating the arbitration shall designate, with its initial filing, its choice of arbitrator. Within 30 days of the notice of initiation of the arbitration procedure, the opposing party to the Dispute shall select one arbitrator. If any party to the Dispute shall fail to select an arbitrator within the required time, JAMS shall appoint an arbitrator for that party. In the event that the Dispute involves three or more parties, JAMS shall determine the parties’ alignment pursuant to Rule 15 and each “side” shall have the right to appoint one arbitrator as provided above. The two arbitrators so selected shall select a third arbitrator, failing agreement on which, the third arbitrator shall be selected in accordance with JAMS Rule 15. Notwithstanding that each party may select an arbitrator, all arbitrators (whether selected by the parties, JAMS or otherwise) shall be independent and shall disclose any relationship that he or she may have with any party to the Dispute at the time of their respective appointment. All arbitrators shall be subject to challenge for cause under JAMS Rule 15. In the event that any party-selected arbitrator is struck for cause, JAMS shall appoint the replacement arbitrator.

(e) Waiver of Certain Damages . Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company and the Members expressly agree that the arbitrators shall have absolutely no authority to award consequential, incidental, special, treble, exemplary or punitive damages of any type under any circumstances regardless of whether such damages may be available under Delaware law, or any other laws, or under the Federal Arbitration Act or the Rules, unless such damages are a part of a third party claim for which a Member is entitled to indemnification hereunder.

 

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(f) Limitations on Arbitrators . The arbitrators shall have authority to interpret and apply the terms and conditions of this Agreement and to order any remedy allowed by this Agreement, including specific performance of the Agreement, but may not change any term or condition of this Agreement, deprive any Member of a remedy expressly provided hereunder, or provide any right or remedy that has been excluded hereunder.

(g) Form of Award . The arbitration award shall conform with the Rules, but also contain a certification by the arbitrators that, except as permitted by Section 11.9(e) , the award does not include any consequential, incidental, special, treble, exemplary or punitive damages.

(h) Fees and Awards . The fees and expenses of the arbitrator(s) shall be borne equally by each side to the Dispute, but the decision of the arbitrator(s) may include such award of the arbitrators’ expenses and of other costs to the prevailing side as the arbitrators may determine. In addition, the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award of its attorneys’ fees and interest.

(i) Binding Nature . The decision and award shall be binding upon all of the parties to the Dispute and final and nonappealable to the maximum extent permitted by law, and judgment thereon may be entered in a court of competent jurisdiction and enforced by any party to the Dispute as a final judgment of such court.

Section 11.10. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same document.

*     *     *     *

[Signature Pages of Company, Members and Managers Attached]

 

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

 

COMPANY:

WHR HOLDINGS, LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:  

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Name:   Anthony Bahr
Title:   Authorized Person
MEMBERS:

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:  

/s/ Anthony Bahr

  Anthony Bahr, Authorized Person
MANAGERS:

/s/ Scott Gieselman

Scott Gieselman

/s/ David W. Hayes

David W. Hayes

/s/ Tony R. Weber

Tony R. Weber


 

/s/ Anthony Bahr

  Anthony Bahr
 

/s/ Jay C. Graham

  Jay Graham

INCENTIVE MEMBERS:

[ Signature pages appended .]


JAY GRAHAM

 

/s/ Jay Graham


ANTHONY BAHR

 

/s/ Anthony Bahr


ANDREW COZBY

 

/s/ Andrew Cozby


STEVE HABACHY

 

/s/ Steve Habachy


KYLE ROANE

 

/s/ Kyle Roane


KENNETH BRADEN

 

/s/ Kenneth Braden


RANDAL GARRETT

 

/s/ Randal Garrett


TERENCE W. LYNCH

 

/s/ Terence W. Lynch


JASON PEARCE

 

/s/ Jason Pearce


MIKE SHERWOOD

 

/s/ Mike Sherwood

Exhibit 10.6

Execution Version

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS , LLC

December  19 , 2016


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I FORMATION OF COMPANY

     1   

Section 1.1.

  Formation and Continuation      1   

Section 1.2.

  Name      1   

Section 1.3.

  Business      2   

Section 1.4.

  Places of Business; Registered Agent; Names and Addresses of Members.      2   

Section 1.5.

  Term      2   

Section 1.6.

  Filings      2   

Section 1.7.

  Title to Company Property      2   

Section 1.8.

  No Payments of Individual Obligations      2   

ARTICLE II DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES

     3   

Section 2.1.

  Defined Terms      3   

Section 2.2.

  References and Titles      17   

ARTICLE III

  CAPITALIZATION AND UNITS      17   

Section 3.1.

  Capital Contributions of Members.      17   

Section 3.2.

  Issuances of Additional Securities.      17   

Section 3.3.

  Return of Contributions      17   

Section 3.4.

  Incentive Interests.      17   

ARTICLE IV

  ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS      21   

Section 4.1.

  Allocations of Net Profits and Net Losses.      21   

Section 4.2.

  Special Allocations.      22   

Section 4.3.

  Income Tax Allocations.      24   

Section 4.4.

  Distributions.      25   

ARTICLE V MANAGEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS

     29   

Section 5.1.

  Power and Authority of Board.      29   

Section 5.2.

  Officers.      30   

Section 5.3.

  Acknowledged and Permitted Activities.      31   

Section 5.4.

  Duties and Services of the Board      31   

Section 5.5.

  Liability and Indemnification.      31   

Section 5.6.

  Reimbursement of Members      33   

Section 5.7.

  Insurance      33   

Section 5.8.

  Tax Elections and Status.      33   

Section 5.9.

  Tax Returns      33   

Section 5.10.

  Tax Matters Member      33   

Section 5.11.

  Section 83(b) Election      34   

Section 5.12.

  Tax Reimbursement      34   

ARTICLE VI RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

     35   

Section 6.1.

  Rights of Members      35   

 

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Section 6.2.

  Limitations on Members      35   

Section 6.3.

  Liability of Members      35   

Section 6.4.

  Withdrawal and Return of Capital Contributions      35   

Section 6.5.

  Voting Rights      36   

ARTICLE VII BOOKS, REPORTS, MEETINGS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

     36   

Section 7.1.

  Capital Accounts, Books and Records.      36   

Section 7.2.

  Bank Accounts      38   

Section 7.3.

  Reports      38   

Section 7.4.

  Meetings of Members      38   

Section 7.5.

  Confidentiality      39   

ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION

     39   

Section 8.1.

  Dissolution      39   

Section 8.2.

  Winding Down      39   

Section 8.3.

  Liquidation and Termination      39   

ARTICLE IX ASSIGNMENTS OF COMPANY INTERESTS

     40   

Section 9.1.

  Assignments of Company Interests.      40   

ARTICLE X REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     41   

Section 10.1.

  Representations and Warranties      41   

ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS

     44   

Section 11.1.

  Notices      44   

Section 11.2.

  Amendment.      44   

Section 11.3.

  Partition      45   

Section 11.4.

  Entire Agreement      45   

Section 11.5.

  Severability      45   

Section 11.6.

  No Waiver      46   

Section 11.7.

  Applicable Law      46   

Section 11.8.

  Successors and Assigns      46   

Section 11.9.

  Arbitration      46   

Section 11.10.

  Counterparts      48   

 

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AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

OF

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS , LLC

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), dated effective as of December 19, 2016, is made by and among WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”), and the Persons who have executed a signature page to this Agreement as the Members and the Managers.

WHEREAS, the Company was formed pursuant to the filing of a Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware effective on November 21, 2016, in accordance with the provisions of the Act (as defined below) and by the execution of that certain Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated effective as of November 21, 2016 (the “ Original Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, effective as of the date hereof, the parties to this Agreement hereby amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein in order to reflect the admission of the WildHorse Members, and the parties’ agreement regarding the manner in which the Company shall be governed and operated and the other matters set forth herein.

ARTICLE I

FORMATION OF COMPANY

Section 1.1. Formation and Continuation . Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the parties do hereby desire to establish this Agreement to continue and govern the Company as a limited liability company under the provisions of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, D EL . C ODE A NN . T IT . 6 §§ 18-101 (2010) et seq., as amended from time to time, and any successor statute or statutes (the “ Act ”). The Company was formed upon the execution and filing by the organizer with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of a Certificate of Formation of the Company effective on November 21, 2016. This Agreement shall amend and restate in its entirety the Original Agreement in all respects and such Original Agreement shall be of no force or effect after the date hereof. The parties hereby continue the Company pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

Section 1.2. Name . The name of the Company shall be WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC. Subject to all applicable laws, the business of the Company shall be conducted in the name of the Company unless under the law of some jurisdiction in which the Company does business such business must be conducted under another name or unless the Board determines that it is advisable to conduct Company business under another name. In such a case, the business of the Company in such jurisdiction or in connection with such determination may be conducted under such other name or names as the Board shall determine to be necessary. The Board shall cause to be filed on behalf of the Company such assumed or fictitious name certificate or certificates or similar instruments as may from time to time be required by law.

 

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Section 1.3. Business . The business of the Company shall be, whether directly or indirectly through subsidiaries, to hold shares of common stock of WRDC and to make distributions to Members as provided herein.

Section 1.4. Places of Business ; Registered Agent ; Names and Addresses of Members .

(a) The address of the principal United States office and place of business of the Company and its street address shall be 9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77024. The Board, at any time and from time to time, may change the location of the Company’s principal place of business upon giving prior written notice of such change to the Members and may establish such additional place or places of business of the Company as the Board shall determine to be necessary or desirable.

(b) The registered office of the Company in the State of Delaware shall be and it hereby is, established and maintained at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, and the registered agent for service of process on the Company shall be The Corporation Trust Company, whose business address is the same as the Company’s registered office in Delaware. The Board, at any time and from time to time, may change the Company’s registered office or registered agent or both by complying with the applicable provisions of the Act, and may establish, appoint and change additional registered offices and registered agents of the Company in such other states as the Board shall determine to be necessary or advisable.

(c) The mailing address and street address of each of the Members shall be the same as for the Company, unless another address for such Member is set forth on Exhibit A to this Agreement.

Section 1.5. Term . The Company shall continue until terminated in accordance with Section  8.1 .

Section 1.6. Filings . Upon the request of the Board, the Members shall promptly execute and deliver all such certificates and other instruments conforming hereto as shall be necessary for the Board to accomplish all filing, recording, publishing and other acts appropriate to comply with all requirements for the formation and operation of a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware and for the qualification and operation of a limited liability company in all other jurisdictions where the Company shall propose to conduct business. Prior to conducting business in any jurisdiction, the Board shall use its reasonable good faith efforts to cause the Company to comply with all requirements for the qualification of the Company to conduct business as a limited liability company in such jurisdiction.

Section 1.7. Title to Company Property . All property owned by the Company, whether real or personal, tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Company as an entity, and no Member, individually, shall have any ownership of such property. The Company may hold its property in its own name or in the name of a nominee which may be the Board or any of its Affiliates or any trustee or agent designated by it.

Section 1.8. No Payments of Individual Obligations . The Members shall use the Company’s credit and assets solely for the benefit of the Company. No asset of the Company shall be Transferred for or in payment of any individual obligation of any Member.

 

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ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES

Section 2.1. Defined Terms . When used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:

Act ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  1.1 .

Adjusted Capital Account ” shall mean the Capital Account maintained for each Member as provided in Section 7.1(b) as of the end of each Fiscal Period, (a) increased by (i) the amount of any unpaid Capital Contributions agreed to be contributed by such Member under Section  3.1 , if any, and (ii) an amount equal to such Member’s allocable share of Minimum Gain as computed on the last day of such Fiscal Period in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, and (b) reduced by the adjustments provided for in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4)-(6).

Adjusted Obligation ” shall mean any Obligation the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) or any Obligation that has a Carrying Value different than its adjusted issue price at the time the Obligation is assumed, or taken subject to, by the Company from a Member in connection with a contribution to the Company subject to Section 721 of the Code.

Adjusted Property ” shall mean any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) or any property that has a Carrying Value different than the adjusted tax basis at the time of a Capital Contribution by a Member.

Affiliate ” (whether or not capitalized) shall mean, with respect to any Person: (a) any other Person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding power to vote 10% or more of the outstanding voting securities of such Person, (b) any other Person 10% or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held with power to vote by such Person, (c) any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person, and (d) any officer, director, member, partner or immediate family member of such Person or any other Person described in subsection (a), (b) or (c) of this paragraph.

Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph.

Amended Code ” means the Code (as amended by the Bipartisan Budget Act).

Benchmark Value Payout ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b)(iv) .

Benchmark Value Re-grant Payout ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c)(i) .

 

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Bipartisan Budget Act ” shall mean Title XI of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 and any related provisions of law, court decisions, regulations, rules, and administrative guidance.

Board ” and “ Board of Managers ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.1(a) .

Capital Account ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.1(b) .

Capital Contributions ” shall mean for any Member at the particular time in question the aggregate of the dollar amounts of any cash, or the fair market value (as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Board) of any property, contributed to the capital of the Company, or, if the context in which such term is used so indicates, the dollar amounts of cash or the fair market value (as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Board) of any property agreed to be contributed, or requested to be contributed, by such Member to the capital of the Company.

Capital Interest Percentage ” means, at any time of determination and as to any Member, the percentage of the total distributions that would be made to such Member if the assets of the Company were sold for their respective Carrying Values, all liabilities of the Company were paid in accordance with their terms (limited in the case of non-recourse liabilities to the Carrying Value of the property securing such liabilities), all items of Company Net Profit, Net Loss, income, gain, loss and deduction were allocated to the Members in accordance with Section  4.4 , and the resulting net proceeds were distributed to the Members in accordance with Article VIII ; provided, however , that the Board may determine that the Members’ Capital Interest Percentages should be determined based upon a hypothetical sale of the assets of the Company for their respective fair market values (instead of Carrying Values) in order to ensure that such percentages correspond to the Members’ “ proportionate interests in partnership capital ” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.613A-3(e)(2)(ii). The foregoing definition of Capital Interest Percentage is intended to result in a percentage for each Member that corresponds with the Member’s “ proportionate interest in partnership capital ” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.613A-3(e)(2)(ii), and Capital Interest Percentage shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

Capital Member ” means any Member holding Company Interests with respect to which Capital Contributions have been, or have been deemed to have been, previously made.

Carrying Value ” shall mean with respect to any asset or Obligation of the Company, the asset’s adjusted basis or the Obligation’s adjusted issue price for federal income tax purposes, except as follows:

(a) The initial Carrying Value of any asset contributed by a Member to the Company will be the fair market value of the asset on the date of the contribution, as determined by the Board;

(b) The initial Carrying Value of any Obligation assumed, or taken subject to, by the Company from a Member in connection with a contribution to the Company subject to Section 721 of the Code shall be the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of the date of such assumption or taking subject to;

 

4


(c) The Carrying Value of all Company assets shall be adjusted to equal their respective fair market values, as determined by the Board, upon (i) the acquisition of an additional Company Interest by any new or existing Member in exchange for a Capital Contribution that is not de minimis; (ii) the distribution by the Company to a Member of Company property that is not de minimis as consideration for a Company Interest; (iii) the grant of a Company Interest that is not de minimis consideration for the performance of services to or for the benefit of the Company by any new or existing Member; (iv) the liquidation of the Company as provided in Section  8.2 ; (v) the acquisition of a Company Interest by any new or existing Member upon the exercise of a noncompensatory warrant or the making of any Capital Contribution in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s); or (vi) any other event to the extent determined by the Board to be necessary to properly reflect Carrying Values in accordance with the standards set forth in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(q), provided that any adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the Members shall be made as provided in Section 7.1(b)(vi) . If any noncompensatory warrants (or similar interests) are outstanding upon the occurrence of an event described in clauses (i) through (vi) above, the Company shall adjust the Carrying Values of its properties in accordance with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f)(1) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(h)(2);

(d) The Carrying Value of any Company asset distributed to any Member shall be adjusted to equal the fair market value of such asset on the date of distribution, as determined by the Board;

(e) The Carrying Value of an asset shall be adjusted by Depreciation and Simulated Depletion taken into account with respect to such asset for purposes of computing Net Profits, Net Losses and other items allocated pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(iv) ;

(f) (i) The Carrying Value of each Obligation of the Company shall be adjusted to equal the obligation’s Gross Liability Value at such times as an adjustment to the Carrying Value of Company assets is made pursuant to paragraph (c) hereof, and (ii) the Carrying Value of any Obligation of the Company that is assumed, or taken subject to, by a Member in connection with a distribution of property to the Member in a transaction subject to Code Section 731 shall be adjusted immediately prior thereto to equal the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of the date it is assumed or taken subject to by such Member; provided , that any adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the Members shall be made as provided in Section 7.1(b)(vi) ;

(g) If the Carrying Value of an Obligation of the Company has been determined or adjusted pursuant to clauses (b) or (f) hereof, such Carrying Value shall thereafter be adjusted based on the method adopted under subparagraph (c) of the definition of “Net Profit” or “Net Loss” to determine the extent to which the Carrying Value of such Obligation is treated as satisfied or otherwise taken into account; and

(h) The Carrying Value of Company assets and Obligations shall be adjusted at such other times as required in the applicable Treasury Regulations.

Company ” shall have the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

 

5


Company Interest ” shall mean any Member’s interest in, or rights in, the Company including and representing, as the context shall require, any membership interest in the Company, Incentive Interests, and/or any other class or series of interests created pursuant to Section  3.2 .

Company Nonrecourse Liabilities ” shall mean nonrecourse liabilities (or portions thereof) of the Company for which no Member bears the economic risk of loss in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Confidential Information ” shall mean, without limitation, all proprietary and confidential information of the Company, including business opportunities of the Company, intellectual property, and any other information heretofore or hereafter acquired, developed or used by the Company relating to its business, including any confidential information contained in any lease files, well files and records, land files, abstracts, title opinions, title or curative matters, contract files, seismic records, electric logs, core data, pressure data, production records, geological and geophysical reports and related data, memoranda, notes, records, drawings, correspondence, financial and accounting information, customer lists, statistical data and compilations, patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade names, inventions, formulae, methods, processes, agreements, contracts, manuals or any other documents relating to the business of the Company, developed by, or originated by any third party and brought to the attention of, the Company; provided that such Confidential Information shall not include such information that is part of common knowledge or understanding in the oil and gas industry or otherwise in the public domain (other than from disclosure by such Member in violation of this Agreement).

Depreciation ” shall mean for each Fiscal Period or other period, an amount equal to the depreciation, amortization, or other cost recovery deduction (other than Simulated Depletion) allowable with respect to an asset for such year or other period, except that if the Carrying Value of an asset differs from its adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes at the beginning of such year or other period, Depreciation shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to such beginning Carrying Value as the federal income tax depreciation, amortization or other cost recovery deduction for such year or other period bears to such beginning adjusted tax basis (unless the adjusted tax basis is equal to zero, in which event Depreciation shall be determined under any reasonable method selected by the Board).

Descendants ” means the legitimate children of the person or persons designated and the legitimate lineal Descendants of such legitimate children, and includes any person adopted before attaining the age of eighteen (18) and the adopted person’s Descendants. A child is “legitimate” as to such child’s father if (a) such child’s father has been determined to be such child’s parent by virtue of genetic testing of a type then reasonably relied upon by experts in the field of genetic testing; and (b) the father is, or has ever been, married to such child’s mother as of the date on which such determination must be made. The presumptions of paternity found in section 160.204 of the Texas Family Code, as amended, shall not apply. A child is always legitimate as to the mother who has given birth to such child.

Dispute ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  11.9 .

 

6


Distributable Funds ” shall mean the available cash of the Company in excess of the working capital and other requirements of the Company as determined by the Board of Managers.

Employee ” shall mean an individual who is employed by, or serves as an independent contractor for, the Company or any of its subsidiaries, including WRDC, or other Affiliates, or is employed by an entity with which the Company has entered into an agreement to provide personnel, management and administrative service to the Company. In the event any provision of this Agreement refers to the resignation of an Employee, such resignation or termination shall apply to the entity that is the employer of such Employee.

Excluded Affiliate Transfer ” shall mean (a) any Transfer of a Company Interest by NGP (whether voluntarily or by operation of law) to a partner or other Affiliate or a legal successor of NGP; (b) any Transfer of a Company Interest by a Member who is an individual to or among such Member’s Family Group, but only if and for so long as such Member retains the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer unless the Transferee was a Member prior to such Transfer and had voting rights prior to such Transfer; (c) upon the death of a Member who is an individual, any Transfer of such Member’s Company Interest pursuant to the duly executed Last Will or similar document controlling the testamentary disposition of such Member’s property, or pursuant to the applicable laws of descent and distributions; and (d) any Transfer to a corporation, partnership or limited liability company which is wholly owned by the Family Group and controlled (through voting rights) by such Member, but only if and for so long as such Transferring Member retains the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer, it being acknowledged and agreed that any failure by such Transferring Member to retain the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer shall then immediately and automatically be deemed to be a Transfer that is not an Excluded Affiliate Transfer, unless such Transfer would otherwise be an Excluded Affiliate Transfer under clauses (a), (b) or (c) above; provided that, in the case of any Transfer described in clauses (a) – (d) above, such Transferee agrees to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and evidences same by executing a copy of this Agreement and such other documents as the Company may reasonably request promptly upon receiving the assignment of such Company Interest.

Excluded Business Opportunity ” shall mean a business opportunity other than a business opportunity: (a) that (i) has come to the attention of a Person solely in, and as a direct result of, its or his capacity as a director of or an advisor to, principal of or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, or as employee of an entity that has contracted with the Company to provide personnel, management and administrative services to the Company, or (ii) was developed with the use or benefit of the personnel or assets of the Company, or a subsidiary of the Company, and (b) that has not been previously independently brought to the attention of the subject Person from a source that is not affiliated (other than through such subject Person) with the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.

 

7


Family Group ” means, as to any particular Member who is an individual, (a) such Member’s spouse, other than a spouse who is legally separated from such Member under a decree of separate maintenance or with respect to whom there is an action for divorce pending; (b) such Member’s Descendants; (c) such Member’s parents or any Descendants of such Member’s parents; (d) such Member’s spouse’s parents or any Descendants of such Member’s spouse’s parents; and (e) any trust solely for the benefit of such Member, or solely for the benefit of such Member and/or any individual described in clause (a) – (d) above.

Fiscal Period ” shall mean each period (a) beginning, for the first Fiscal Period, on the date of formation of the Company, or for each succeeding Fiscal Period on the day after the last day of the immediately preceding Fiscal Period and (b) ending on the earliest to occur of the last day of the calendar year and the day on which the Carrying Value of all Company assets are adjusted pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of Carrying Value.

Fundamental Change ” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events:

(a) any of the following transactions occurs: (i) the Company or WRDC merges, consolidates or reconstitutes with or into, or enters into any similar transaction with, any Person other than an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party, (ii) the outstanding Company Interests are sold or exchanged by the holders thereof in a single transaction, or a series of related transactions, to any Person other than an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party, or (iii) the Company or WRDC sells, leases, licenses or exchanges or agrees to sell, lease, license or exchange all or substantially all of its assets to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party and in the case of any such transaction described in the immediately preceding clauses (i) – (iii), the Persons who served as members of the Board immediately before consummation of such transaction cease to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board (in the case of a sale of equity interests) or the members of the board or analogous managing body of the surviving or acquiring entity (in the case of an asset Transfer, conversion, merger, consolidation or similar transaction), immediately following completion of such transaction; or

(b) any single Person or group of related Persons (other than the Company, any Member or an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party) purchases or otherwise acquires the right to vote or dispose of the securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the total voting power of all the then outstanding voting securities of the Company, unless such purchase or acquisition has been approved by the Board; provided that no Capital Contribution(s) made by NGP shall cause a Fundamental Change; or

(c) the Company or WRDC is dissolved and liquidated.

Gross Liability Value ” means, with respect to any Company Obligation as of any date, the amount of cash that a willing assignor would pay to a willing assignee to assume such Obligation in an arm’s-length transaction as determined by the Board in good faith.

Hypothetical Liquidation ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a) .

 

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Incentive Interest Percentage ” shall mean, as of any date, the aggregate of the Tier I Percentage, Tier II Percentage, Tier III Percentage, Tier IV Percentage and Tier V Percentage (which aggregate amount is equal to 40% as of the date hereof), which percentage shall be allocated and reflected on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time.

Incentive Interests ” shall mean the Incentive Units.

Incentive Unit ” shall mean a Unit issued as a Tier I Unit, Tier II Unit, Tier III Unit, Tier IV Unit or Tier V Unit pursuant to Section 3.4(a) and reflected on Exhibit A as, from time to time, may be updated pursuant to this Agreement.

Indemnitee ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.5(a) .

Indirect Transfer ” shall mean (with respect to any Member that is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity) a deemed Transfer of a Company Interest, which shall occur upon any direct or indirect Transfer of the ownership of, or voting rights associated with, the equity or other ownership interests in such Member.

Internal Revenue Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute or statutes.

JAMS ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.9(a) .

Majority Interest ” of the Members, as to any agreement, election, vote or other action of the Members, shall mean those Members whose combined Sharing Ratios exceed 50%.

Manager ” and “ Managers ” shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in Section 5.1(a) .

Members ” shall mean the Persons (including holders of Incentive Units) who from time to time shall execute a signature page to this Agreement (including by counterpart) as the Members, including any Person who becomes a substituted Member of the Company pursuant to the terms hereof.

Member Nonrecourse Debt ” shall mean any nonrecourse debt of the Company for which any Member bears the economic risk of loss in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Member Nonrecourse Deductions ” shall mean the amount of deductions, losses and expenses equal to the net increase during the year in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt, reduced (but not below zero) by proceeds of such Member Nonrecourse Debt distributed during the year to the Members who bear the economic risk of loss for such debt, as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Minimum Gain ” shall mean (a) with respect to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, the amount of gain that would be realized by the Company if the Company Transferred (in a taxable transaction) all Company properties that are subject to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities in full satisfaction of Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, computed in accordance with applicable

 

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Treasury Regulations, or (b) with respect to each Member Nonrecourse Debt, the amount of gain that would be realized by the Company if the Company Transferred (in a taxable transaction) the Company property that is subject to such Member Nonrecourse Debt in full satisfaction of such Member Nonrecourse Debt, computed in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Net Profit ” or “ Net Loss ” shall mean, with respect to any Fiscal Period, the net income or net loss of the Company for such period, determined in accordance with federal income tax accounting principles and Section 703(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (including any items that are separately stated for purposes of Section 702(a) of the Internal Revenue Code), with the following adjustments:

(a) any income of the Company that is exempt from federal income tax shall be included as income;

(b) any expenditures of the Company that are described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code or treated as so described pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i) shall be treated as current expenses;

(c) if Company assets are distributed to the Members in kind, such distributions shall be treated as sales of such assets for cash at their respective fair market values in determining Net Profit and Net Loss;

(d) in the event the Carrying Value of any Company asset is adjusted as provided in this Agreement, the amount of such adjustment shall be taken into account as gain or loss from the Transfer of such asset for purposes of computing Net Profit or Net Loss;

(e) in the event the Carrying Value of any Company Obligations is adjusted as provided in this Agreement, the amount of any such adjustment shall be treated for purposes hereof as an item of loss (if the adjustment increases the Carrying Value of such Obligation of the Company) or an item of gain (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of such Obligation of the Company) for purposes of computing Net Profit or Net Loss;

(f) gain or loss resulting from any Transfer of Company property with respect to which gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes shall be computed by reference to the Carrying Value of the property Transferred, notwithstanding that the adjusted tax basis for such property differs from its Carrying Value;

(g) in lieu of the depreciation, amortization and other cost recovery deductions taken into account in computing such taxable income or loss, there shall be taken into account Depreciation for such Fiscal Period;

(h) income, gain, deduction or loss resulting from the satisfaction of, or accrual for federal income tax purposes of items with respect to, a Company Obligation with a Carrying Value that differs from its adjusted issue price (if any) shall be computed by reference to the Carrying Value of such Obligation, with the extent to which the Carrying Value of such Obligation is treated as satisfied or otherwise taken into account being determined under any reasonable method adopted by the Board; and

 

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(i) items specially allocated under Section  4.2 and Section 7.1(b)(iv) shall be excluded (but the amount of such items shall be determined under principles similar to those set forth above).

NGP ” shall mean NGP X US Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and its successors and assigns.

NGP Portfolio Companies ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.3(a) .

NGP Representatives ” shall mean the members, managers and employees of NGP Energy Capital Management, L.L.C., NGP or any Affiliate thereof, together with all other Persons serving as representatives of NGP, including those Persons who are serving as managers of the Company at the request of NGP pursuant to the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement.

Nonrecourse Deduction ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b).

Obligation ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(4)(ii).

Partnership Representative ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 6223 of the Amended Code and any Treasury Regulations or other administrative or judicial pronouncements promulgated thereunder.

Person ” (whether or not capitalized) shall mean any natural person, corporation, company, limited or general partnership, joint stock company, joint venture, association, limited liability company, trust, bank, trust company, business trust or other entity or organization, whether or not a governmental authority.

Pre-existing Incentive Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b)(iv) .

Pre-existing Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b)(iv) .

Pre-grant Incentive Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c)(i) .

Pre-grant Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c)(i) .

Re-grant Incentive Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c) .

Regulatory Allocations ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.2(f) .

 

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Related Party ” shall mean (a) any Person who is a Member of the Company, and any partner, member, shareholder, officer, director, employee or other Affiliate of such Person, (b) an Employee or group of Employees, (c) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (d) an entity owned directly or indirectly by the Members of the Company in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the Company.

Rules ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.9(a) .

Securities Act ” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Service Interests ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a) .

Sharing Ratio ” shall mean for any Member, at a given time, the proportion that such Member’s Capital Contributions bear to the total Capital Contributions of all Members as of the date of such determination.

Simulated Basis ” shall mean the Carrying Value of any oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code).

Simulated Depletion ” shall mean, with respect to each oil and gas property, a depletion allowance computed in accordance with federal income tax principles (as if the Simulated Basis of the property were its adjusted tax basis) and in the manner specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(k)(2). For purposes of computing Simulated Depletion with respect to any property, the Simulated Basis of such property shall be deemed to be the Carrying Value of such property, and in no event shall such allowance, in the aggregate, exceed such Simulated Basis.

Simulated Gain ” shall mean the excess of the amount realized from the sale of an oil or gas property over the Carrying Value of such property.

Simulated Loss ” shall mean the excess of the Carrying Value of an oil or gas property over the amount realized from the sale of such property.

Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b)(iv) .

Tax Matters Member ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.10 .

Tier I Distribution Amount ” shall mean the aggregate amount of distributions after the occurrence of Tier I Payout and prior to the occurrence of the earlier of Tier II Payout or Tier III Payout.

Tier I Members ” shall mean the Members holding Tier I Units as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time.

Tier I Payout ” shall mean the first date, if any, at which all of the Capital Members shall have received cumulative distributions in respect of their Company Interests (whether as distributions from the Company, as payment for the exchange, purchase or redemption of such

 

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Company Interests, or in connection with any merger or other combination of the Company with another Person) equal to their cumulative Capital Contributions to the Company multiplied by (1.08)n, where “n” is equal to the Weighted Average Capital Contribution Factor determined as of the date of such distribution. For the avoidance of doubt, any distribution made prior to the Tier I Payout, if any, that is subtracted from such contributions shall be first increased by the exponent for purposes of the payout calculation by multiplying such distribution by (1.08)m, where “ m ” is equal to the number of years between the distribution and the Tier I Payout (with a partial year being expressed as a decimal determined by dividing the number of days which have passed since the most recent anniversary by 365).

Tier I Percentage ” shall mean 20%, which percentage shall be allocated to the Tier I Members in proportion to the Tier I Units held by the Tier I Members as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time, including any revisions to reflect any Transfer of Tier I Units by the Tier I Members made in accordance with the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and this Agreement.

Tier I Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a)(i) .

Tier I Units ” shall mean Tier I Units representing Company Interests in the Company entitled to receive the Tier I Percentage and with the other rights and obligations specified in this Agreement.

Tier II Distribution Amount ” shall mean the aggregate amount of distributions after the occurrence of Tier II Payout or, if Tier II Payout does not occur, Tier I Payout and prior to the occurrence of Tier III Payout.

Tier II Members ” shall mean the Members holding Tier II Units as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time.

Tier II Payout ” shall mean the first date, if any, at which all of the Capital Members shall have received cumulative distributions in respect of their Company Interests (whether as distributions from the Company, as payment for the exchange, purchase or redemption of such Company Interests, or in connection with any merger or other combination of the Company with another Person) equal to their cumulative Capital Contributions to the Company multiplied by (1.20)n, where “n” is equal to the Weighted Average Capital Contribution Factor determined as of the date of such distribution. For the avoidance of doubt, any distribution made prior to the Tier II Payout, if any, that is subtracted from such contributions shall be first increased by the exponent for purposes of the payout calculation by multiplying such distribution by (1.20)m, where “ m ” is equal to the number of years between the distribution and the Tier II Payout (with a partial year being expressed as a decimal determined by dividing the number of days which have passed since the most recent anniversary by 365).

Tier II Percentage ” shall mean 5%, which percentage shall be allocated to the Tier II Members in proportion to the Tier II Units held by the Tier II Members as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time, including any revisions to reflect any Transfer of Tier II Units by the Tier II Members made in accordance with the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and this Agreement.

 

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Tier II Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a)(ii) .

Tier II Units ” shall mean Tier II Units representing Company Interests in the Company entitled to receive the Tier II Percentage and with the other rights and obligations specified in this Agreement.

Tier III Distribution Amount ” shall mean the aggregate amount of distributions after the occurrence of Tier III Payout and prior to the occurrence of Tier IV Payout.

Tier III Members ” shall mean the Members holding Tier III Units as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time.

Tier III Payout ” shall mean the first date, if any, at which all of the Capital Members shall have received cumulative distributions in respect of their Company Interests (whether as distributions from the Company, as payment for the exchange, purchase or redemption of such Company Interests, or in connection with any merger or other combination of the Company with another Person) equal to two times (2.0x) their cumulative Capital Contributions to the Company.

Tier III Percentage ” shall mean 5%, which percentage shall be allocated to the Tier III Members in proportion to the Tier III Units held by the Tier III Members as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time, including any revisions to reflect any Transfer of Tier III Units by the Tier III Members made in accordance with the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and this Agreement.

Tier III Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a)(iii) .

Tier III Units ” shall mean Tier III Units representing Company Interests in the Company entitled to receive the Tier III Percentage and with the other rights and obligations specified in this Agreement.

Tier IV Distribution Amount ” shall mean the aggregate amount of distributions after the occurrence of Tier IV Payout and prior to the occurrence of Tier V Payout.

Tier IV Members ” shall mean the Members holding Tier IV Units as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time.

Tier IV Payout ” shall mean the first date, if any, at which all of the Capital Members shall have received cumulative distributions in respect of their Company Interests (whether as distributions from the Company, as payment for the exchange, purchase or redemption of such Company Interests, or in connection with any merger or other combination of the Company with another Person) equal to two and one half times (2.5x) their cumulative Capital Contributions to the Company.

 

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Tier IV Percentage ” shall mean 5%, which percentage shall be allocated to the Tier IV Members in proportion to the Tier IV Units held by the Tier IV Members as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time, including any revisions to reflect any Transfer of Tier IV Units by the Tier IV Members made in accordance with the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and this Agreement.

Tier IV Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a)(iv) .

Tier IV Units ” shall mean Tier IV Units representing Company Interests in the Company entitled to receive the Tier IV Percentage and with the other rights and obligations specified in this Agreement.

Tier V Distribution Amount ” shall mean the aggregate amount of distributions after the occurrence of Tier V Payout.

Tier V Members ” shall mean the Members holding Tier V Units as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time.

Tier V Payout ” shall mean the first date, if any, at which all of the Capital Members shall have received cumulative distributions in respect of their Company Interests (whether as distributions from the Company, as payment for the exchange, purchase or redemption of such Company Interests, or in connection with any merger or other combination of the Company with another Person) equal to three times (3.0x) their cumulative Capital Contributions to the Company.

Tier V Percentage ” shall mean 5%, which percentage shall be allocated to the Tier V Members in proportion to the Tier V Units held by the Tier V Members as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time, including any revisions to reflect any Transfer of Tier V Units by the Tier V Members made in accordance with the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and this Agreement.

Tier V Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a)(i) .

Tier V Units ” shall mean Tier V Units representing Company Interests in the Company entitled to receive the Tier V Percentage and with the other rights and obligations specified in this Agreement.

Transaction Documents ” shall mean, collectively, this Agreement, the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and all other agreements, documents or instruments executed in conjunction with, or relation to, any of the foregoing.

Transfer ,” or any derivation thereof, shall mean any sale, assignment, conveyance, mortgage, pledge, granting of security interest in, or other disposition of a Company Interest or any asset of the Company, as the context may require.

 

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Treasury Regulations ” shall mean regulations promulgated by the United States Treasury Department under the Internal Revenue Code.

Unit ” shall mean a unit of a membership interest in the Company representing, as the context shall require, any Company Interest and/or an Incentive Unit, as well as any other class or series of Units created pursuant to Section  3.2 . No Units will be issued to the Members for Capital Contributions after the date hereof; provided that the Board of Managers may subsequently amend this Agreement to provide for an issuance of Units for Capital Contributions in its sole discretion.

Unrealized Gain ” attributable to (a) any item of Company property shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the fair market value of such property as of such date over (ii) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) as of such date), and (b) any Company Obligation shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the Carrying Value of such Obligation as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) , as of such date) over (ii) the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of such date.

Unrealized Loss ” attributable to (a) any item of Company property shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) , as of such date) over (ii) the fair market value of such property as of such date, and (b) any Company Obligation shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of such date over (ii) the Carrying Value of such Obligation as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) as of such date).

Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement ” shall mean that certain Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement dated as of the date hereof among the Company and the Members.

Weighted Average Capital Contribution Factor ” shall mean as of any date of calculation, a weighted average equal to the sum of the amounts determined for each date on which Capital Contributions have been, or have been deemed, funded (as set forth on Exhibit A ) calculated as the product of (a) the percentage of the total Capital Commitments funded on each date, times (b) the number of years from the date of each Capital Contribution until the date of such calculation (with a partial year being expressed as a decimal determined by dividing the number of days which have passed since the most recent anniversary by 365).

WildHorse Member ” shall mean any of Anthony Bahr, Jay Graham, Paul Eschete, Michael Sherwood, Steve Eckerman, Gary Smith, Steve Habachy and Terence Lynch, each of whom is a Member of the Company, and any successor(s) thereto or assignee(s) thereof that shall become a substituted Member of the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and “ WildHorse Members ” shall collectively mean all of such Persons and any additional Members that are or may become Employees and are admitted after the date hereof pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

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WRDC ” means WildHorse Resources Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

Any capitalized term used in this Agreement but not defined in this Section  2.1 shall have the meaning assigned to such term elsewhere in this Agreement.

Section 2.2. References and Titles . All references in this Agreement to articles, sections, subsections and other subdivisions refer to corresponding articles, sections, subsections and other subdivisions of this Agreement unless expressly provided otherwise. Titles appearing at the beginning of any of such subdivisions are for convenience only and shall not constitute part of such subdivisions and shall be disregarded in construing the language contained in such subdivisions. The words “this Agreement,” “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereunder” and words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular subdivision unless expressly so limited. Pronouns in masculine, feminine and neuter genders shall be construed to include any other gender, and words in the singular form shall be construed to include the plural and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires. The word “including” (in its various forms) means including without limitation.

ARTICLE III

CAPITALIZATION AND UNITS

Section 3.1. Capital Contributions of Members .

(a) As of the date hereof, each Member has contributed, or is deemed to have contributed, Capital Contributions to the Company in the amounts and on the dates set forth on Exhibit A . No Member shall be obligated to make any additional Capital Contributions to the Company.

Section 3.2. Issuances of Additional Securities .

(a) The Company may not issue additional Company Interests, or classes or series thereof, or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating thereto, or any other type of equity security without the prior written consent of the Board of Managers.

Section 3.3. Return of Contributions . No interest shall accrue on any contributions to the capital of the Company, and no Member shall have the right to withdraw or to be repaid any capital contributed by such Member except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement.

Section 3.4. Incentive Interests .

(a) The following Incentive Units are hereby created and are hereby granted to the Persons and in the respective amounts set forth on Exhibit A , subject to the adjustments provided for in this Section  3.4 :

(i) 1,000,000 “ Tier I Units ,” of which a certain number of such Tier I Units may be granted to Employees after the date of this Agreement pursuant to this Section  3.4 (the “ Tier I Subsequent Units ”);

 

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(ii) 1,000,000 “ Tier II Units ,” of which a certain number of such Tier II Units may be granted to Employees after the date of this Agreement pursuant to this Section  3.4 (the “ Tier II Subsequent Units ”);

(iii) 1,000,000 “ Tier III Units ,” of which a certain number of Tier III Units may be granted to Employees after the date of this Agreement pursuant to this Section  3.4 (the “ Tier III Subsequent Units ”);

(iv) 1,000,000 “ Tier IV Units ,” of which a certain number of Tier IV Units may be granted to Employees after the date of this Agreement pursuant to this Section  3.4 (the “ Tier IV Subsequent Units ”); and

(v) 1,000,000 “ Tier V Units ,” of which a certain number of such Tier V Units may be granted to Employees after the date of this Agreement pursuant to this Section  3.4 (the “ Tier V Subsequent Units ”).

To the extent not so granted, the remaining Incentive Units are available for future grants by the Board to Employees in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. The Company and each Member intend to treat any interest attributable to a holder of Incentive Units as a separate “profits interest” within the meaning of Rev. Proc. 93-27, 1993-2 C.B. 343. In accordance with Rev. Proc. 2001-43, 2001-2 C.B. 191, the Company shall treat a holder of such Incentive Units as the owner of such profits interest from the date it is granted, and shall file its IRS Form 1065, and issue an appropriate Schedule K-1 to such holder of Incentive Units, allocating to such holder of Incentive Units its distributive share of all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit associated with such profits interest as if it were fully vested. Each such holder of Incentive Units agrees to take into account such distributive share in computing its federal income tax liability for the entire period during which it holds such profits interest. The undertakings contained in this Section 3.4(a) shall be construed in accordance with Section 4 of Rev. Proc. 2001-43. The provisions of this Section 3.4(a) shall apply regardless of whether or not the holder of a profits interest files an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Incentive Units are issued in consideration of services rendered and to be rendered by the holders for the benefit of the Company in their capacities as Employees. To the extent provided for in Treasury Regulations, revenue rulings, revenue procedures and/or other Internal Revenue Service guidance issued after the date hereof, the Tax Matters Member acting on behalf of the Company is hereby specifically authorized and directed to elect a safe harbor implementing the concepts articulated in Internal Revenue Service Notice 2005-43, 2005-1 C.B. 1221, under which the fair market value of the Incentive Units received by any Member for services (the “ Service Interests ”) granted after the effective date of such Treasury Regulations (or other guidance) will be treated as equal to the liquidation value of such Service Interests (i.e., a value equal to the total amount that would be distributed under Section 8.3(b) with respect to such Service Interests in a Hypothetical Liquidation occurring immediately after the issuance of such Service Interests and assuming for purposes of such Hypothetical Liquidation that all assets of the Company are sold for their fair market values). If the Company makes a safe harbor election as described in the preceding sentence, the Company and each Member will comply with all safe harbor requirements with respect to Transfers of the Service Interests while the safe

 

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harbor election remains effective. For purposes hereof, “ Hypothetical Liquidation ” means, as of any date, a hypothetical liquidation of the Company as of such date, assuming for purposes of any such hypothetical liquidation (i) that a sale of all of the assets of the Company occurs at prices equal to their respective fair market values as of such date and (ii) the net proceeds of such sale are distributed to the Members pursuant to Section 8.3(b) , but only after the payment of all actual Company indebtedness, and any other liabilities related to the Company’s assets, limited, in the case of the hypothetical payment of non-recourse liabilities, to the collateral securing or otherwise available to satisfy such liabilities.

(b) The Incentive Units are non-voting and subject to vesting as set forth herein and on Exhibit B hereto and are subject to forfeiture, and termination as follows:

(i) (A) The Tier I Units held by each Employee shall vest in accordance with Exhibit B hereto.

(B) The Tier II Units held by each Employee shall vest in accordance with Exhibit B hereto.

(C) The Tier III Units held by each Employee shall vest only upon and concurrently with the occurrence of Tier III Payout.

(D) The Tier IV Units held by each Employee shall vest only upon and concurrently with the occurrence of Tier IV Payout.

(E) The Tier V Units held by each Employee shall vest only upon and concurrently with the occurrence of Tier V Payout.

(ii) All Incentive Units that have not yet vested in accordance with the vesting requirements set forth herein and on Exhibit B and that are held by a Person who is an Employee will automatically, without any action required of any Person, be forfeited and thereby become null and void, if and when such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated for any reason or without reason, except as a result of death or disability, and any vested, unforfeited Incentive Units held by such Person shall, upon such termination, remain non-voting and shall not be counted in the determination of a Majority Interest of the Members. If such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated by reason of death or disability, any Tier I Units or Tier II Units that would have become vested within 12 months of such termination shall automatically vest upon such termination, and any unvested Tier III Units, Tier IV Units or Tier V Units held by such Person will automatically, without any action required of any Person, be forfeited and thereby become null and void upon such termination.

(iii) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, all Incentive Units held by a Person who is an Employee (regardless of whether vested or unvested) shall automatically be forfeited and thereby become null and void if and when such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated:

 

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(A) for “ cause ,” which shall mean by reason of such holder’s: (I) conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, any felony or to any crime or offense causing substantial harm to the Company or its Affiliates or involving acts of theft, fraud, embezzlement, moral turpitude, or similar conduct, (II) repeated intoxication by alcohol or drugs during the performance of such holder’s duties in a manner that materially and adversely affects the holder’s performance of such duties, (III) malfeasance, in the conduct of such holder’s duties, including, but not limited to, (1) misuse or diversion of funds of the Company or its Affiliates, (2) embezzlement, or (3) material misrepresentations or concealments on any written reports submitted to the Company or its Affiliates, (IV) material violation of any provision of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement or (V) material failure to perform the duties of such holder’s employment or service relationship with the Company or its Affiliates, or material failure to follow or comply with the reasonable and lawful written directives of the Board of Managers or the managers or directors of a Company Affiliate by which such holder is employed or in a service relationship with, in either case after the holder shall have been informed, in writing, of such material failure and given a period of not less than 60 days to remedy the same; or

(B) by such Employee’s resignation or early termination of service relationship by such Employee (other than as a result of death or disability).

(iv) The Company in its sole discretion, taking into account such factors as it determines from time to time, may issue Tier I Subsequent Units, Tier II Subsequent Units, Tier III Subsequent Units, Tier IV Subsequent Units and Tier V Subsequent Units (collectively, “ Subsequent Units ”). Upon issuance of any Subsequent Units of a given Tier, such Units may, at the election of the Board, have a benchmark value equal to the fair market value of the assets of the Company, net of debt, on the date of grant, as determined in good faith by the Board, and will be entitled to participate in those distributions allocated to the Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, only after holders of all the Units that were outstanding on the date of grant (the “ Pre-existing Units ” and, when referring solely to Pre-existing Units that are Incentive Units, the “ Pre-existing Incentive Units ”) have received distributions pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, in the aggregate equal to the benchmark value (such limitation on distributions, the “ Benchmark Value Payout ”). Holders of Pre-existing Incentive Units of a given Tier will continue to be entitled to receive all of the profit distributions payable with respect to the Incentive Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, until the applicable Benchmark Value Payout occurs, at which time future distributions will be shared among the holders of the Pre-existing Incentive Units in that Tier and the holders of Subsequent Units in that Tier pro-rata.

(c) If any Incentive Units are forfeited pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(ii) or Section 3.4(b)(iii) , then such forfeited Incentive Units shall be available to be re-granted, as determined by the Board, in the form of newly awarded, newly issued Incentive Units in the same Tier and in the same amount as the forfeited Incentive Units (any such re-granted Incentive Units, “ Re-grant Incentive Units ”), subject to the following terms and conditions:

(i) each Re-grant Incentive Unit in a given Tier may, at the election of the Board, have a benchmark value equal to the fair market value of the assets of the Company, net of debt, on the date of grant, as determined in good faith by the Board, and will be entitled to participate in distributions made to holders of the Incentive Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, only after holders of all the Units that were outstanding on the date of such re-grant (the “ Pre-grant Units ” and, when referring solely to the Pre-grant Units that are Incentive Units, the “ Pre-grant Incentive Units ”) have received distributions in the aggregate equal to the benchmark value (such limitation on distributions, the “ Benchmark Value Re-grant Payout ”); and

 

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(ii) following issuance of such Re-grant Incentive Units in a given Tier, holders of Pre-grant Incentive Units of that Tier will continue to be entitled to receive all of the distributions payable with respect to the Incentive Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, until the applicable Benchmark Value Re-grant Payout occurs, at which time future distributions will be shared among the holders of the Pre-grant Incentive Units and the Re-grant Incentive Units in that Tier pro-rata.

(d) If all of the Incentive Units available hereunder have not been granted to Employees before the earlier of (i) a Fundamental Change, or (ii) a payout event for the corresponding series of Incentive Units (e.g., a Tier I Payout for Tier I Units), then in such case such available Tier I, Tier II, Tier III, Tier IV, Tier V or the applicable Subsequent Units, as the case may be, shall automatically, without any action required of any Person, be cancelled. The Board shall reflect all changes contemplated by this Section 3.4(d) in an amended Exhibit A .

(e) Upon any forfeiture or other termination of Incentive Units and upon any issuance of Re-grant Incentive Units resulting therefrom, the Company shall amend Exhibit A to reflect such occurrence. In the case of the issuance of Re-grant Incentive Units in lieu of such forfeited Units, the Tier I, II, III, IV or V Percentages will not be reduced as a result of such forfeiture, but appropriate notation shall be made to reflect the issuance of the Re-grant Incentive Units. The Board shall reflect all changes contemplated by this Section 3.4(e) in an amended Exhibit A .

ARTICLE IV

ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 4.1. Allocations of Net Profits and Net Losses .

(a) After giving effect to the allocations under Sections 4.2 and 7.1(b)(iv) , Net Profits and Net Losses and all related items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit for each Fiscal Period shall be allocated among the Members in such manner as shall cause the Capital Accounts of each Member to equal, as nearly as possible, (i) the amount such Member would receive if all assets on hand at the end of such year were sold for cash at the Carrying Values of such assets, all liabilities were satisfied in cash in accordance with their terms (limited in the case of Member Nonrecourse Debt and Company Nonrecourse Liabilities to the Carrying Value of the assets securing such liabilities), and any remaining or resulting cash was distributed to the Members under Section 4.4(a) , minus (ii) an amount equal to such Member’s allocable share of Minimum Gain as computed immediately prior to the deemed sale described in clause (i) above in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, and minus (iii) the amount any such Member is treated as obligated to contribute to the Company, computed immediately after the deemed sale described in clause (i) above.

 

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(b) The Board shall make the foregoing allocations as of the last day of each Fiscal Period; provided , however , that if during any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a change in any Member’s Company Interest, the Board shall make the foregoing allocations as of the date of each such change in a manner which takes into account the varying interests of the Members and in a manner the Board reasonably deems appropriate.

Section 4.2. Special Allocations .

(a) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section  4.1 to the contrary:

(i) If during any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net increase in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt that gives rise to Member Nonrecourse Deductions, each Member bearing the economic risk of loss for such Member Nonrecourse Debt shall be allocated items of Company deductions and losses for such period (consisting first of cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property that is subject to such Member Nonrecourse Debt and then, if necessary, a pro-rata portion of the Company’s other items of deductions and losses, with any remainder being treated as an increase in Minimum Gain attributable to Member Nonrecourse Debt in the subsequent period) equal to such Member’s share of Member Nonrecourse Deductions, as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

(ii) If for any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net decrease in Minimum Gain attributable to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, each Member shall be allocated items of Company income and gain for such period (consisting first of gain recognized from the Transfer of Company property subject to one or more Company Nonrecourse Liabilities and then, if necessary, a pro-rata portion of the Company’s other items of income and gain, and if necessary, for subsequent periods) equal to such Member’s share of such net decrease (except to the extent such Member’s share of such net decrease is caused by a change in debt structure with such Member commencing to bear the economic risk of loss as to all or part of any Company Nonrecourse Liability or by such Member contributing capital to the Company that the Company uses to repay a Company Nonrecourse Liability), as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations. Nonrecourse Deductions shall be allocated to the Members as determined by the Board, to the extent permitted by the Treasury Regulations.

(iii) If for any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net decrease in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt, each Member bearing the economic risk of loss for such Member Nonrecourse Debt shall be allocated items of Company income and gain for such period (consisting first of gain recognized from the Transfer of Company property subject to Member Nonrecourse Debt, and then, if necessary, a pro-rata portion of the Company’s other items of income and gain, and if necessary, for subsequent periods) equal to such Member’s share of such net decrease (except to the extent such Member’s share of such net decrease is caused by a change in debt structure such that the Member Nonrecourse Debt becomes partially or wholly a Company Nonrecourse Liability or by the Company’s use of capital contributed by such Member to repay the Member Nonrecourse Debt) as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

 

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(b) The Net Losses allocated pursuant to this Article IV to a Member shall not exceed the maximum amount of Net Losses that can be allocated to such Member without causing or increasing a deficit balance in the Member’s Adjusted Capital Account. All Net Losses in excess of the limitation set forth in this Section 4.2(b) shall be allocated to Members with positive Adjusted Capital Account balances remaining at such time in proportion to such positive balances.

(c) In the event that a Member unexpectedly receives any adjustment, allocation or distribution described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), (5) or (6) that causes or increases a deficit balance in such Member’s Adjusted Capital Account, items of Company income and gain shall be allocated to that Member in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the deficit balance as quickly as possible.

(d) In the event that any Member has a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of any Allocation Period, such Member shall be allocated items of Company gross income and gain in the amount of such deficit as quickly as possible; provided that an allocation pursuant to this Section 4.2(d) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Member would have a deficit balance in its capital account after all other allocations provided for in this Article IV have been tentatively made as if Section 4.2(c) and this Section 4.2(d) were not in this Agreement.

(e) If any holder of Incentive Units forfeits all or a portion of such Units, such holder shall be allocated items of loss and deduction in the year of such forfeiture in an amount equal to the portion of such holder’s Capital Account attributable to such forfeited Units.

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

(g) The allocations set forth in subsections (a) through (c) of this Section  4.2 (collectively, the “ Regulatory Allocations ”) are intended to comply with certain requirements of the Treasury Regulations. It is the intent of the Members that, to the extent possible, all Regulatory Allocations that are made be offset either with other Regulatory Allocations or with special allocations pursuant to this Section 4.2(g) . Therefore, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article IV (other than the Regulatory Allocations), the Board shall make such offsetting special allocations in whatever manner it determines appropriate so that, after such offsetting allocations are made, the net amount of allocations to each Member is, to the extent possible, equal to the amount such Member would have been allocated if the Regulatory Allocations were not part of the Agreement and all Company items were allocated pursuant to Section  4.1 , the remaining subsections of this Section  4.2 and Section 7.1(b)(iv) .

(h) In the event Units are issued to a Person and the issuance of such Units results in items of income or deduction to the Company, such items of income or deduction shall be allocated to the Members in proportion to the positive balances in their Capital Accounts immediately before the issuance of such Units.

 

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Section 4.3. Income Tax Allocations .

(a) Except as provided in this Section  4.3 , each item of income, gain, loss and deduction of the Company for federal income tax purposes shall be allocated among the Members in the same manner as such items are allocated for Capital Account purposes under Section  4.1 and Section  4.2 .

(b) The deduction for depletion with respect to each separate oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code) shall, in accordance with Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code, be computed for federal income tax purposes separately by the Members rather than the Company. For purposes of such computations, the U.S. federal income tax basis of each oil and gas property shall be allocated to each Member in accordance with such Member’s Capital Interest Percentage as of the time such oil and gas property is acquired by the Company (and any additions to such U.S. federal income tax basis resulting from expenditures required to be capitalized in such basis shall be allocated among the Members in a manner designed to cause the Members’ proportionate shares of such adjusted U.S. federal income tax basis to be in accordance with their Capital Interest Percentages as determined at the time of any such additions), and shall be reallocated among the Members in accordance with the Members’ Capital Interest Percentages as determined immediately following the occurrence of an event giving rise to an adjustment to the Carrying Values of the Company’s oil and gas properties pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of Carrying Value. Each Member, with the assistance of the Tax Matters Member, shall separately keep records of its share of the adjusted tax basis in each separate oil and gas property, adjust such share of the adjusted tax basis for any cost or percentage depletion allowable with respect to such property and use such adjusted tax basis in the computation of its cost depletion or in the computation of its share of any gain or loss on the Transfer of such property by the Company. Upon the request of the Tax Matters Member, each Member shall advise the Tax Matters Member of its adjusted tax basis in each separate oil and gas property and any depletion computed with respect thereto, both as computed in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The Tax Matters Member may rely on such information and, if it is not provided by the Member, may make such reasonable assumptions as it shall determine with respect thereto

(c) Except as provided in Section 4.3(d) , for the purposes of the separate computation of gain or loss by each Member on the Transfer of each separate oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code), the Company’s allocable share of the “amount realized” (as such term is defined in Section 1001(b) of the Internal Revenue Code) from such Transfer shall be allocated for federal income tax purposes among the Members as follows:

(i) first, to the extent such amount realized constitutes a recovery of the Simulated Basis of the property, to the Members in the same proportion as the depletable basis of such property was allocated to the Members pursuant to Section 4.3(b) (without regard to any special allocation of basis under Section 4.3(d) ); and

(ii) second, the remainder of such amount realized, if any, to the Members so that, to the maximum extent possible, the amount realized that is allocated to each Member under this Section 4.3(c)(ii) will equal such Member’s share of the Simulated Gain recognized by the Company from such Transfer.

 

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(d) The Members recognize that (i) with respect to Adjusted Property, there will be a difference between the Carrying Value of such property at the time of revaluation or contribution and the adjusted tax basis of such property at that time and (ii) with respect to an Adjusted Obligation, there will be a difference between the Carrying Value of such Obligation at the time of revaluation or at the time the Obligations is assumed (or taken subject to) contribution and the adjusted issue price of such Obligation at that time. All items of tax depreciation, cost recovery, amortization, adjusted tax basis of depletable properties, amount realized and gain or loss with respect to any such Adjusted Property or Adjusted Obligation shall be allocated among the Members to take into account the disparities between the Carrying Value and the adjusted tax basis or adjusted issue price, as the case may be, with respect to such property or Obligation in accordance with the provisions of Sections 704(b) and 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury Regulations under those sections; provided , however , that any tax items not required to be allocated under Sections 704(b) or 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code shall be allocated in the same manner as such gain or loss would be allocated for Capital Account purposes under Section  4.1 and Section  4.2 . In making such allocations, the Board shall use such method or methods of allocation as it shall determine, in its absolute discretion, to be reasonable and in accord with the applicable Treasury Regulations.

(e) All recapture of income tax deductions resulting from the Transfer of Company property shall, to the maximum extent possible, be allocated to the Member to whom the deduction that gave rise to such recapture was allocated hereunder to the extent that such Member is allocated any gain from the Transfer of such property. For this purpose, deductions that were allocated as a component of Net Profit or Net Loss shall be treated as if allocated in the same manner as the allocation of the related Net Profit or Net Loss.

Section 4.4. Distributions .

(a) The Board may cause the Company to distribute Distributable Funds or other assets at such times and in such amounts as the Board, in its sole discretion, determines to be appropriate; provided that the aggregate value attributable to any assets other than cash or distributed by the Company shall be valued (i) if a marketable security, based on the 10 day volume weighted average price of such security prior to the date of such distribution or (ii) if an asset others than cash or a marketable security, as determined by the Board. All such distributions made pursuant to this Section 4.4(a) shall be made to the Members as follows and in the following order of priority:

(i) First: to the Members, pro-rata in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios, until Tier I Payout, if any, has occurred;

(ii) Second: following Tier I Payout, if any, and until the earlier of Tier II Payout or Tier III Payout: an amount equal to the Tier I Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier I Percentage to the Members holding Tier I Units (allocated among the holders of Tier I Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier I Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier I Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios);

 

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(iii) Then, if Tier II Payout has occurred:

(A) following Tier II Payout, if any, and until Tier III Payout: an amount equal to the Tier II Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier I Percentage to the Members holding Tier I Units (allocated among the holders of Tier I Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier I Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier II Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier II Percentage to the Members holding Tier II Units (allocated among the holders of Tier II Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier II Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier II Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios);

(B) then, following Tier III Payout, if any, and until Tier IV Payout: an amount equal to the Tier III Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier I Percentage to the Members holding Tier I Units (allocated among the holders of Tier I Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier I Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier III Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier II Percentage to the Members holding Tier II Units (allocated among the holders of Tier II Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier II Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and an amount equal to the Tier III Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier III Percentage to the Members holding Tier III Units (allocated among the holders of Tier III Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier III Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier III Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios);

(C) then, following Tier IV Payout, if any, and until Tier V Payout: an amount equal to the Tier IV Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier I Percentage to the Members holding Tier I Units (allocated among the holders of Tier I Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier I Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier IV Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier II Percentage to the Members holding Tier II Units (allocated among the holders of Tier II Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier II Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier IV Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier III Percentage to the Members holding Tier III Units (allocated among the holders of Tier III Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier III Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c)) , an amount equal to the Tier IV Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier IV Percentage to the Members holding Tier IV Units (allocated among the holders of Tier IV Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier IV Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier IV Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios); and

 

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(D) then, following Tier V Payout, if any: an amount equal to the Tier V Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier I Percentage to the Members holding Tier I Units (allocated among the holders of Tier I Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier I Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier V Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier II Percentage to the Members holding Tier II Units (allocated among the holders of Tier II Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier II Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier V Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier III Percentage to the Members holding Tier III Units (allocated among the holders of Tier III Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier III Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier V Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier IV Percentage to the Members holding Tier IV Units (allocated among the holders of Tier IV Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier IV Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier V Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier V Percentage to the Members holding Tier V Units (allocated among the holders of Tier V Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier V Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier V Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios).

(iv) and, if Tier II Payout has not occurred:

(A) following Tier III Payout, if any, and until Tier IV Payout: an amount equal to the Tier III Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier I Percentage to the Members holding Tier I Units (allocated among the holders of Tier I Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier I Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and an amount equal to the Tier III Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier III Percentage to the Members holding Tier III Units (allocated among the holders of Tier III Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier III Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier III Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios);

(B) then, following Tier IV Payout, if any, and until Tier V Payout: an amount equal to the Tier IV Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier I Percentage to the Members holding Tier I Units (allocated among the holders of Tier I Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier I Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier IV Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier III Percentage to the Members holding Tier III Units (allocated among the holders of Tier III Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier III Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier IV Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier IV Percentage to the Members holding Tier IV Units (allocated among the holders of Tier IV Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier IV Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier IV Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios).

 

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(C) then, following Tier V Payout, if any: an amount equal to the Tier V Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier I Percentage to the Members holding Tier I Units (allocated among the holders of Tier I Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier I Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier V Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier III Percentage to the Members holding Tier III Units (allocated among the holders of Tier III Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier III Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier V Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier IV Percentage to the Members holding Tier IV Units (allocated among the holders of Tier IV Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier IV Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), an amount equal to the Tier V Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier V Percentage to the Members holding Tier V Units (allocated among the holders of Tier V Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier V Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier V Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios).

(b) In addition to distributions made to the Members pursuant to Section 4.4(a) , and subject to applicable law, to the extent that the Board determines that the Company has Distributable Funds, the Board shall cause the Company to pay to the Members within 90 days after the end of each year an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the Distributable Funds, or (ii) an amount equal to the highest marginal federal and applicable state income tax rate for individuals (taking into account the character of the taxable income (e.g., long-term capital gain, qualified dividend income, ordinary income, etc.)) multiplied by the taxable income of the Company, if any, for such year, such payment to be made among the Members in the same percentages as the taxable income for such year was allocated. Any such payments to a Member under this Section 4.4(b) shall be deemed to be a draw against such Member’s share of future distributions under Section 4.4(a) and Section 8.3(b) , so that such Member’s share of such future distributions shall be reduced by the amounts previously drawn under this Section 4.4(b) until the aggregate reductions in such distributions equal the aggregate draws made under this Section 4.4(b) .

(c) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries may withhold from distributions, allocations or portions thereof if it is required to do so by any applicable rule, regulation or law, and each Member hereby authorizes the Company and its subsidiaries to withhold or pay on behalf of or with respect to such Member any amount of U.S. federal, state, provincial, local or foreign taxes that the Board determines, in good faith, that the Company or any of its subsidiaries is required to withhold or pay with respect to any amount distributable or allocable to such Member pursuant to this Agreement. To the extent that any tax is paid by (or withheld from amounts payable to) the Company or any of its subsidiaries and the Board determines, in good faith, that such tax relates to one or more specific Members (including any tax payable by the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to Section 6225 of the Amended Code with respect to items of income, gain, loss deduction or credit allocable or attributable to such Member), such tax shall be treated as an amount of taxes withheld or paid with respect to such Member pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) . For all purposes under this Agreement, any amounts withheld or paid with respect to a Member pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) shall be treated as having been distributed to such Member pursuant to Section 4.4(a) at the time such withholding or payment is made. Further, to the extent that the cumulative amount of such withholding or payment for any period

 

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exceeds the distributions to which such Member is entitled for such period, the amount of such excess shall be considered a loan from the Company to such Member, with interest accruing at the primary rate of interest then publicly quoted by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. or, at the request of the Board, the amount of such excess shall be promptly paid to the Company by the Member on whose behalf such withholding is required to be made; provided, however, that any such payment shall not be treated as a Capital Contribution and shall not reduce the amount that a Member is otherwise obligated to contribute to the Company. Any income from any deemed loan shall not be allocated to or distributed to the Member requiring such loan. Any such loan shall be satisfied out of distributions to which such Member would otherwise be subsequently entitled until such time as the Board requests that the Member pay such amount to the Company. Each Member hereby unconditionally and irrevocably grants to the Company a security interest in such Member’s Units to secure such Member’s obligation to pay to the Company any amounts required to be paid pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) . Each Member shall take such actions as the Company may request in order to perfect or enforce the security interest created hereunder. Each Member hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the other Members and the Board from and against any liability (including any liability for taxes) with respect to income attributable to or distributions or other payments to such Member. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, (i) any Person who ceases to be a Member shall be treated as a Member for purposes of this Section 4.4(c) and (ii) the obligations of a Member pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) shall survive indefinitely with respect to any taxes withheld or paid by the Company that relate to the period during which such Person was actually a Member, regardless of whether such taxes are assessed, withheld or otherwise paid during such period.

ARTICLE V

MANAGEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS

Section 5.1. Power and Authority of Board .

(a) The Company shall be managed by a Board of Managers (“ Board ” or “ Board of Managers ”). The Company shall initially have five (5) managers (each, a “ Manager ” and, collectively, the “ Managers ”) and the Managers serving on the Board shall be appointed and removed by a Majority Interest of the Members, subject to the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement. The Managers making up the initial Board shall be Anthony Bahr, Jay Graham, Scott Gieselman, David W. Hayes and Tony R. Weber. Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section  5.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Company shall be exclusively vested in the Board, and the Members shall have no right of control over the business and affairs of the Company. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted to managers under the Act or which are granted to the Board under any other provision of this Agreement, the Board shall have full power and authority to do all things deemed necessary or desirable by it to conduct the business of the Company in the name of the Company.

(b) The Board may hold such meetings at such place and at such time as it may determine. Notice of a meeting shall be served not less than 24 hours before the date and time fixed for such meeting by confirmed facsimile or other written communication or not less than three days prior to such meeting if notice is provided by overnight delivery service. Notice of a

 

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meeting need not be given to any Manager who signs a waiver of notice or provides a waiver by electronic transmission or a consent to holding the meeting or an approval of the minutes thereof, whether before or after the meeting, or who attends the meeting without protesting, either prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to such Manager. A special meeting of the Board may be called by any member of the Board. Any member of the Board may participate in a meeting by conference telephone or similar communications equipment. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board may be taken without a meeting if such action is evidenced in writing and signed by all of the members of the Board. At any meeting of the Board, the presence in person or by telephone or similar electronic communication of Managers representing at least a majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

(c) Each Manager serving on the Board of Managers shall have one vote on any Company matter. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the business of the Company presented at any meeting of the Board of Managers shall be decided by a vote of Managers representing a majority of the entire Board of Managers.

(d) In accomplishing all of the foregoing and in fulfilling its obligations pursuant to this Agreement, the Board may, in its sole discretion, retain or use any Company Affiliates’ personnel, properties and equipment or the Board may hire or rent those of third parties and may employ on a temporary or continuing basis outside accountants, attorneys, consultants and others on such terms as the Board deems advisable. No Person, firm or corporation dealing with the Company shall be required to inquire into the authority of the Board to take any action or make any decision.

Section 5.2. Officers .

(a) Designation . The Board may, from time to time, designate individuals (who need not be a Manager) to serve as officers of the Company. The officers may, but need not, include a chief executive officer, a president, a chief operating officer, a chief financial officer, a general counsel and secretary and a chief accounting officer. Any two or more offices may be held by the same Person.

(b) Duties of Officers . Each officer of the Company designated hereunder shall devote such time to the Company’s business as he deems necessary to manage and supervise Company business and affairs in an efficient manner.

(c) Term of Office; Removal; Filling of Vacancies.

(i) Each officer of the Company shall hold office until his successor is chosen and qualified in his stead or until his earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office.

(ii) Any officer may be removed at any time by the Board whenever in their judgment the best interests of the Company will be served thereby. Designation of an officer shall not of itself create any contract rights in favor of such officer.

(iii) If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled by the Board.

 

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Section 5.3. Acknowledged and Permitted Activities .

(a) The Company and the Members recognize that (i) NGP and its Affiliates may own or will own substantial equity interests in other companies (existing and future) that participate in the energy industry (“ NGP Portfolio Companies ”) and enter into advisory service agreements with those NGP Portfolio Companies, (ii) the NGP Representatives who serve as members of the Board may also serve as principals of other NGP Portfolio Companies, and (iii) that at any given time, other NGP Portfolio Companies may be in direct or indirect competition with the Company and/or its subsidiaries. The Company and the Members acknowledge and agree that (A) NGP, its Affiliates and the NGP Representatives: (I) shall not be prohibited or otherwise restricted by their relationship with the Company and its subsidiaries from engaging in the business of investing in NGP Portfolio Companies, entering into agreements to provide services to such companies or acting as directors or advisors to, or other principals of, such NGP Portfolio Companies, regardless of whether such activities are in direct or indirect competition with the business or activities of the Company or its subsidiaries, and (II) shall not have any obligation to offer the Company or its subsidiaries any Excluded Business Opportunity, and (B) the Company and the Members hereby renounce any interest or expectancy in any Excluded Business Opportunity pursued by NGP, its Affiliates, the NGP Representatives or another NGP Portfolio Company and waive any claim that any such business opportunity constitutes a corporate, partnership or other business opportunity of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

Section 5.4. Duties and Services of the Board . The Board shall comply in all respects with the terms of this Agreement. The Board shall be obligated to perform the duties, responsibilities and obligations of the Board hereunder only to the extent that funds of the Company are available therefor. During the existence of the Company, each Manager serving on the Board shall devote such time and effort to the Company’s business as he deems necessary to manage and supervise Company business and affairs in an efficient manner. No Member, in its capacity as a Member, shall have any fiduciary or other duty to the Company, any other Member or any other Person that is a party to or is otherwise bound by this Agreement other than (i) to the extent required by law, the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing and (ii) such other contractual obligations as are expressly set forth in this Agreement. Each Manager serving on the Board, in its capacity as Manager, shall not have any fiduciary or other duty to the Company, any other Member or any other Person that is a party to or is otherwise bound by this Agreement other than (i) to the extent required by law, the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing and (ii) such other contractual obligations as are expressly set forth in this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they modify or eliminate the duties and liabilities of any Member or Manager otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Members and Managers to modify or eliminate to that extent such other duties and liabilities of such Member or Manager to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Section 5.5. Liability and Indemnification .

(a) The Company’s officers, the Managers, the Members and their Affiliates, and their partners, officers, directors, employees and agents, shall not be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Company or the other Members for any acts or omissions that do not constitute gross negligence, willful misconduct, or a breach of the express terms of this Agreement, and the Company shall indemnify to the maximum extent permitted

 

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under the Act and save harmless the Company’s officers, the Managers and the Members and their Affiliates, and their partners, officers, directors, employees and agents (individually, an “ Indemnitee ”) from all liabilities for which indemnification is permitted under the Act. Any act or omission performed or omitted by an Indemnitee on advice of legal counsel or an independent consultant who has been employed or retained by the Company shall be presumed to have been performed or omitted in good faith without gross negligence or willful misconduct. THE PARTIES RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PROVISION SHALL RELIEVE ANY SUCH INDEMNITEE FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITIES, OBLIGATIONS, DUTIES, CLAIMS, ACCOUNTS AND CAUSES OF ACTION WHATSOEVER ARISING OR TO ARISE OUT OF ANY ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE BY ANY SUCH INDEMNITEE, AND SUCH INDEMNITEE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO INDEMNIFICATION FROM ACTS OR OMISSIONS THAT MAY CONSTITUTE ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE.

(b) The Company shall, to the maximum extent permitted under the Act, pay or reimburse expenses incurred by an Indemnitee in connection with the Indemnitee’s appearance as a witness or other participation in a proceeding involving or affecting the Company at a time when the Indemnitee is not a named defendant or respondent in the proceeding.

(c) The Board shall have the right to require that any contract entered into by the Company provide that the Board shall have no personal liability for the obligations of the Company thereunder.

(d) The indemnification provided by this Section  5.5 shall be in addition to any other rights to which each Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement or vote of the Members, as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to action in the Indemnitee’s capacity as a Member or an officer, director, employee or agent of a Member or as a Person serving at the request of the Company as set forth above and to action in another capacity, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns, administrators and personal representatives of the Indemnitees; provided that the indemnification provided by this Section  5.5 shall be the primary source of indemnification with respect to the matters addressed herein, without regard to other potential sources of indemnification, reimbursement or contribution (subject to applicable express provisions of any insurance policy to which the Company is a party) and the Company irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases all right to contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind from NGP or its Affiliates and insurance provided by NGP or its Affiliates to any Indemnitee; and provided , further , no advancement or payment by NGP, its Affiliates or insurance provided by any of them to an Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which an Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and NGP and its Affiliates shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of such Indemnitee against the Company. The Company and each Member agree that NGP, its Affiliates and the insurers they engage to provide insurance to Indemnitees are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 5.5(d) .

(e) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Members to personal liability by reason of this indemnification provision.

 

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(f) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section  5.5 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

Section 5.6. Reimbursement of Members . The Company or its subsidiaries shall pay or reimburse to the WildHorse Members and NGP all reasonable direct and indirect costs and expenses incurred by such Members in organizing the Company, including legal fees and accounting fees.

Section 5.7. Insurance . The Company shall acquire and maintain insurance covering such risks and in such amounts as the officers of the Company shall from time to time determine to be necessary or appropriate.

Section 5.8. Tax Elections and Status .

(a) The Board shall make such tax elections on behalf of the Company as it shall deem appropriate in its sole discretion. Upon request of the Board, each Member shall cooperate in good faith with the Company in connection with the Company’s efforts to elect out of the application of the company-level audit and adjustment rules of the Bipartisan Budget Act, if applicable.

(b) The Members agree to classify the Company as a partnership for income tax purposes. Therefore, any provision hereof to the contrary notwithstanding, solely for income tax purposes, each of the Members hereby recognizes that the Company, so long as it has at least two Members, shall be subject to all provisions of subchapter K of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code and, to the extent permitted by law, any comparable state or local income tax provisions. Neither the Company, any Member, nor any Manager shall file an election to classify the Company as an association taxable as a corporation for income tax purposes.

Section 5.9. Tax Returns . The Company shall deliver necessary tax information to each Member after the end of each fiscal year of the Company. Not less than 60 days prior to the date (as extended) on which the Company intends to file its federal income tax return or any state income tax return but in any event no earlier than March 1 of each year, the return proposed by the Board to be filed by the Company shall be furnished to the Members for review; provided , however , that an IRS Schedule K-1 or a good faith estimate of the amounts to be included on such IRS Schedule K-1 for each Member shall be sent to each Member on or before March 1 of each year. In addition, not more than 10 days after the date on which the Company files its federal income tax return or any state income tax return, a copy of the return so filed shall be furnished to the Members.

Section 5.10. Tax Matters Member. Partnership Representative .

(a) Anthony Bahr shall be designated the tax matters member under Section 6231 of the Internal Revenue Code (in such capacity, the “ Tax Matters Member ”). The Tax Matters Member may be removed and replaced by action of a Majority Interest of the Members. The Tax Matters Member is authorized to take such actions and to execute and file all statements and forms on behalf of the Company which may be permitted or required by the applicable

 

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provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or Treasury Regulations issued thereunder. The Tax Matters Member shall have full and exclusive power and authority on behalf of the Company to represent the Company (at the Company’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Company’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Company funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. The Tax Matters Member shall keep the Members informed as to the status of any audit of the Company’s tax affairs, and shall take such action as may be necessary to cause any Member so requesting to become a “notice partner” within the meaning of Section 6223 of the Internal Revenue Code. Without first obtaining the approval of a Majority Interest of the Members, the Tax Matters Member shall not, with respect to Company tax matters: (i) enter into a settlement agreement with respect to any tax matter which purports to bind Members, (ii) intervene in any action pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 6226(b)(5), (iii) enter into an agreement extending the statute of limitations, or (iv) file a petition pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 6226(a) or 6228. If an audit of any of the Company’s tax returns shall occur, the Tax Matters Member shall not settle or otherwise compromise assertions of the auditing agent which may be adverse to any Member as compared to the position taken on the Company’s tax returns without the prior written consent of each such affected Member.

(b) The Board may appoint and replace a Partnership Representative and authorize the Partnership Representative to take any and all actions determined by the Board and permissible under Section 6223 of the Amended Code and Treasury Regulations thereunder. Pursuant to Section 11.2(d) , the Board shall have the authority to amend this Section  5.10 to give effect to the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act and any Treasury Regulations or other administrative pronouncements promulgated thereunder and each Member agrees to be bound by the provisions of any such amendment.

Section 5.11. Section 83(b) Election . Each Member who acquires Incentive Units and who is a United States person within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 7701(a)(30) may file a timely election under Internal Revenue Code Section 83(b) with respect to such Incentive Units and consult with such Member’s tax advisor to determine the tax consequences of such acquisition and of filing an election under Internal Revenue Code Section 83(b). Each such Member acknowledges that it is the sole responsibility of such Member, and not the Company, to file the election under Internal Revenue Code Section 83(b) even if such Member requests the Company or its representative to assist in making such filing. In accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, each Member who makes an election shall promptly provide a copy of such election to the Company.

Section 5.12. Subsidiaries of the Company . The Board may determine to conduct any Company operations indirectly through one or more subsidiaries.

Section 5.13. Tax Reimbursement . If Texas law requires the Company and NGP both to participate in the filing of a Texas franchise tax combined group report, and if NGP or its Affiliates pay the franchise tax liability due in connection with such combined report, the parties agree that the Company shall promptly reimburse NGP or its Affiliates for the franchise tax paid on behalf of the Company as a combined group member. The franchise tax paid on behalf of the Company shall be equal to the franchise tax that the Company would have paid if it had computed its franchise tax liability for the report period on a separate entity basis rather than as a

 

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member of the combined group. In such event, the parties agree that NGP and its Affiliates shall be considered as paying such amount on behalf of the Company and the Company shall deduct for federal income tax purposes one hundred percent (100%) of the Texas franchise tax attributable to the Company; provided that in the event that such deduction may not be properly taken by the Company, the Company shall reimburse NGP and its Affiliates for the after-tax cost of such payment of Texas franchise tax paid on the Company’s behalf.

ARTICLE VI

RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

Section 6.1. Rights of Members . Each of the Members shall have the right to: (a) have the Company books and records (including those required under the Act) kept at the principal United States office of the Company and at all reasonable times to inspect and copy any of them at the sole expense of such Member; (b) have on demand true and full information of all things affecting the Company and a formal account of Company affairs whenever circumstances render it just and reasonable; (c) have dissolution and winding up of the Company by decree of court as provided for in the Act; and (d) exercise all rights of a Member under the Act (except to the extent otherwise specifically provided herein). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Members shall not have the right to receive data pertaining to the properties of the Company if the Company is subject to a valid agreement prohibiting the distribution of such data or if the Board shall otherwise determine that such data is Confidential Information.

Section 6.2. Limitations on Members . The Members, (in his or its capacity as a Member) shall not: (a) be permitted to take part in the business or control of the business or affairs of the Company; (b) have any voice in the management or operation of any Company property; or (c) have the authority or power to act as agent for or on behalf of the Company or any other Member, to do any act which would be binding on the Company or any other Member, or to incur any expenditures on behalf of or with respect to the Company. No Member (in his or its capacity as a Member) shall hold out or represent to any third party that the Members have any such power or right or that the Members are anything other than “members” of the Company. The foregoing provision shall not be applicable to a Member acting in his or its capacity as a member of the Board or an officer of the Company.

Section 6.3. Liability of Members . No Member shall be liable for the debts, liabilities, contracts or other obligations of the Company except (a) as otherwise provided in the Act and (b) as expressly provided in this Agreement.

Section 6.4. Withdrawal and Return of Capital Contributions . No Member shall be entitled to (a) withdraw from the Company except upon the assignment by such Member of all of its Company Interest in accordance with Article IX , or (b) the return of its Capital Contributions except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to the express terms of this Agreement may be considered as such by law or upon dissolution and liquidation of the Company, and then only to the extent expressly provided for in this Agreement and as permitted by law.

 

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Section 6.5. Voting Rights . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to the extent that the vote of the Members may be required hereunder, the act of a Majority Interest of the Members shall be an act of the Members. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, with respect to any Company Interests held by any Member who is an Employee, such Company Interests shall be non-voting if and when such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated for any reason or without reason, including by termination, resignation, death or disability.

ARTICLE VII

BOOKS, REPORTS, MEETINGS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Section 7.1. Capital Accounts, Books and Records .

(a) The Company shall keep books of account for the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Such books shall be maintained at the principal office of the Company.

(b) An individual capital account (the “ Capital Account ”) shall be maintained by the Company for each Member as provided below:

(i) The Capital Account of each Member shall, except as otherwise provided herein, be increased by (A) the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property contributed to the Company by such Member (net of the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations secured by such contributed property that the Company is considered to assume or take subject to under Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code), (B) such Member’s share of the Net Profits of the Company and special allocations of income or gain under Section  4.2 , and (C) the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations assumed (or deemed assumed) by a Member from the Company that would not otherwise be taken into account under Section 7.1(b)(i)(D) , and shall be decreased by (D) such Member’s share of the Net Losses of the Company and special allocations of deduction or loss under Section  4.2 and by the amount of cash or the fair market value of any property distributed to such Member (net of the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations secured by such distributed property that such Member is considered to assume or take subject to under Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code or would be considered to have assumed or taken subject to for purposes of Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code if such Obligation were a liability for purposes of Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code) and (E) the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations assumed (or deemed assumed) by the Company from a Member that would not otherwise be taken into account under Section 7.1(b)(i)(A) ). The Capital Accounts shall also be increased or decreased (I) to reflect a revaluation of Company property and Obligations pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (f) of the definition of Carrying Value and (II) upon the exercise of any noncompensatory warrant pursuant to the requirements of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(d)(4) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s).

(ii) Any adjustments of basis of Company property provided for under Sections 734 and 743 of the Internal Revenue Code and comparable provisions of state law (resulting from an election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code or comparable provisions of state law) shall not affect the Capital Accounts of the Members (unless otherwise required by applicable Treasury Regulations), and the Members’ Capital Accounts shall be debited or credited pursuant to the terms of this Section  7.1 as if no such election had been made.

 

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(iii) Capital Accounts shall be adjusted, in a manner consistent with this Section  7.1 , to reflect any adjustments in items of Company income, gain, loss or deduction (including Simulated Depletion, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss) that result from amended returns filed by the Company or pursuant to an agreement by the Company with the Internal Revenue Service or a final court decision.

(iv) The allocation of basis prescribed by Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code and provided for in Section 4.3(b) and each Member’s separately computed depletion deductions shall not reduce such Member’s Capital Account, but such Member’s Capital Account shall be decreased by its allocable share of Simulated Depletion. The Simulated Basis of each oil and gas property shall be allocated to each Member in accordance with such Member’s Capital Interest Percentage as of the time such oil and gas property is acquired by the Company (and any additions to such Simulated Basis resulting from expenditures required to be capitalized in such Simulated Basis shall be allocated among the Members in a manner designed to cause the Members’ proportionate shares of such Simulated Basis to be in accordance with their Capital Interest Percentages as determined at the time of any such additions), and shall be reallocated among the Members in accordance with the Members’ Capital Interest Percentages as determined immediately following the occurrence of an event giving rise to an adjustment to the Carrying Values of the Company’s oil and gas properties pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of Carrying Value. Simulated Depletion with respect to each separate oil and gas property shall be allocated to the Members in proportion to their respective shares of the Simulated Basis in the related property. No Member’s Capital Account shall be decreased, however, by Simulated Depletion deductions attributable to any oil and gas property to the extent such deductions exceed such Member’s allocable share of the Company’s remaining Simulated Basis in such property. Any Simulated Gain shall be allocated to the Members and shall increase their respective Capital Accounts in the same manner as an equal amount of gain would have been allocated pursuant to Section  4.1 . Any Simulated Loss shall be allocated to the Members and shall reduce their respective Capital Accounts in the same percentages as the basis of the property sold was allocated up to an amount equal to each Member’s share of the Company’s Simulated Basis in such property at the time of such sale.

(v) It is the intention of the Members that the Capital Accounts of each Member be kept in the manner required under Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). To the extent any additional adjustment to the Capital Accounts is required by such regulation, the Board is hereby authorized to make such adjustment after notice to the Members.

(vi) In accordance with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), upon a Member’s contribution to the Company of cash or properties in exchange for a Company Interest, the Capital Accounts of all Members and the Carrying Values of all Company properties and Obligations shall, immediately prior to such issuance, be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to the Company properties and Obligations, as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss had been recognized immediately prior to such contribution and had been allocated to the Members at such time pursuant to Section  4.1 and Section  4.2 .

 

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(vii) Any Person who acquires a Company Interest directly from a Member, or whose Company Interest shall be increased by means of a Transfer to it of all or part of the Company Interest of another Member, shall have a Capital Account (including a credit for all Capital Contributions made by such Member Transferring such Company Interest) which includes the Capital Account balance of the Company Interest or portion thereof so acquired or Transferred.

Section 7.2. Bank Accounts . The Board shall cause one or more Company accounts to be maintained in a bank (or banks) which is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or some other financial institution, which accounts shall be used for the payment of the expenditures incurred by the Company in connection with the business of the Company, and in which shall be deposited any and all receipts of the Company. The Board shall determine the number of and the Persons who will be authorized as signatories on each such bank account. The Company may invest the Company funds in such money market accounts or other investments as the Board shall determine to be of high quality.

Section 7.3. Reports . The Company shall provide each Capital Member with copies of such financial reports as shall be reasonably requested from time to time by such Members and any such other reports and financial information as the Board shall determine from time to time, including periodic consolidated financial statements for the Company and its subsidiaries (including income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements) and copies of all engineering reserve reports and other financial reports that the Company or its subsidiaries provides to any financial institution that provides debt or equity financing to the Company or its subsidiaries; provided that any information provided to Members pursuant to this Section  7.3 shall be deemed Confidential Information.

Section 7.4. Meetings of Members . The Board may hold meetings of the Members from time to time to inform and consult with the Members concerning the Company’s assets and such other matters as the Board deems appropriate, provided that nothing in this Section  7.4 shall require the Board to hold any such meetings. Such meetings shall be held at such times and places, as often and in such manner as shall be determined by the Board. The Board at its election may separately inform and consult with the Members for the above purposes without the necessity of calling and/or holding a meeting of the Members. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section  7.4 , the Members shall not be permitted to take part in the business or control of the business of the Company; it being the intention of the parties that the involvement of the Members as contemplated in this Section  7.4 is for the purpose of informing the Members with respect to various Company matters, explaining any information furnished to the Members in connection therewith, answering any questions the Members may have with respect thereto and receiving any ideas or suggestions the Members may have with respect thereto; it being the further intention of the parties that the Board shall have full and exclusive power and authority on behalf of the Company to acquire, manage, control and administer the assets, business and affairs of the Company in accordance with Section  5.1 and the other applicable provisions of this Agreement.

 

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Section 7.5. Confidentiality . No Member shall use, publish, disseminate or otherwise disclose, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information that should come into the possession of such Member for other than a proper Company purpose. No Member shall disclose any such Confidential Information except as expressly authorized by this Agreement or by the Board, or as required by law or governmental or regulatory authority. Each Member shall instruct all Affiliates (including their representatives, agents and counsel) to comply with this Section  7.5 . If a Member is required by law or court order to disclose information that would otherwise be Confidential Information under this Agreement, such Member shall immediately notify the Company of such notice and provide the Company the opportunity to resist such disclosure by appropriate proceedings. The terms of this Section  7.5 shall survive with respect to each Member until the earlier to occur of (a) the date following one year from the date of the liquidation of the Company and (b) the date following two years from the date of termination or Transfer of such Member’s Company Interest.

ARTICLE VIII

DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION

Section 8.1. Dissolution . The Company shall be dissolved upon the occurrence of any of the following:

(a) The seventh anniversary of the date of this Agreement;

(b) The sale, disposition or termination of all or substantially all of the property then owned by the Company; or

(c) The consent in writing of the Board of Managers.

Section 8.2. Winding Down . From and after the sixth anniversary of the Company’s formation, unless the Capital Members otherwise mutually agree or unless the Company has previously been dissolved, the Members shall cooperate in the marketing and sale of all or substantially all of the assets or outstanding Company Interests, or any other similar transaction to potentially interested third parties, such that the Company can be formally liquidated prior to the end of its stated term.

Section 8.3. Liquidation and Termination . Upon dissolution of the Company, the Board or, if the Board so desires, a Person selected by the Board, shall act as liquidator or shall appoint one or more liquidators who shall have full authority to wind up the affairs of the Company and make final distribution as provided herein. The liquidator shall continue to operate the Company properties with all of the power and authority of the Board. The steps to be accomplished by the liquidator are as follows:

(a) As promptly as possible after dissolution and again after final liquidation, the liquidator, if requested by any Member, shall cause a proper accounting to be made by the Company’s independent accountants of the Company’s assets, liabilities and operations through the last day of the month in which the dissolution occurs or the final liquidation is completed, as appropriate.

 

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(b) The liquidator shall pay all of the debts and liabilities of the Company (including all expenses incurred in liquidation) or otherwise make adequate provision therefor (including the establishment of a cash escrow fund for contingent liabilities in such amount and for such term as the liquidator may reasonably determine). After making payment or provision for all debts and liabilities of the Company, the liquidator shall sell all properties and assets of the Company for cash as promptly as is consistent with obtaining the best price therefor; provided , however , that upon the consent of a Majority Interest of the Members, the liquidator may distribute such properties in kind. All Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss (or other items of income, gain loss or deduction allocable under Section  4.2 ) realized on such sales shall be allocated to the Members as provided in this Agreement, and the Capital Accounts of the Members shall be adjusted accordingly. In the event of a distribution of properties in kind, the liquidator shall first adjust the Capital Accounts of the Members by the amount of any Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss (or other items of income, gain loss or deduction allocable under Section  4.2 ) that would have been recognized by the Members if such properties had been sold at then fair market values. The liquidator shall then distribute the proceeds of such sales or such properties to the Members in the manner provided in Section 4.4(a) . If the foregoing distributions to the Members do not equal the Member’s respective positive Capital Account balances as determined after giving effect to the foregoing adjustments and to all adjustments attributable to allocations of Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss realized by the Company during the taxable year in question and all adjustments attributable to contributions and distributions of money and property effected prior to such distribution, then, the allocations of Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss provided for in this Agreement shall be adjusted, to the least extent necessary, to produce a Capital Account balance for each Member which corresponds to the amount of the distribution to such Member. Each Member shall have the right to designate another Person to receive any property which otherwise would be distributed in kind to that Member pursuant to this Section  8.3 .

(c) Except as expressly provided herein, the liquidator shall comply with any applicable requirements of the Act and all other applicable laws pertaining to the winding up of the affairs of the Company and the final distribution of its assets.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, no Member shall be obligated to restore a deficit balance in its Capital Account at any time.

The distribution of cash and/or property to the Members in accordance with the provisions of this Section  8.3 shall constitute a complete return to the Members of their Capital Contributions and a complete distribution to the Members of their Company Interest and all Company property.

ARTICLE IX

ASSIGNMENTS OF COMPANY INTERESTS

Section 9.1. Assignments of Company Interests .

(a) No Member’s Company Interest or rights therein shall be Transferred, or made subject to an Indirect Transfer, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the Board; provided , however , that any Member may assign its Company Interest without obtaining such consent pursuant to (i) an Excluded Affiliate Transfer or (ii) a Transfer that is otherwise

 

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permitted pursuant to the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement. Any attempt by a Member to assign its Company Interest in violation of the immediately preceding sentence shall be void ab initio. If an interest in a Unit or other Company Interest is required by law to be Transferred to a spouse of a holder thereof pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction in a divorce proceeding (notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.1(a) ), then such holder shall nevertheless retain all rights with respect to such interest and any interest of such spouse shall be subject to such rights of such holder. In addition, if it is determined that the holder will be required to pay any taxes attributable to such interest of the spouse in the Company, then any tax liability of such holder that is attributable to such spouse’s interest shall be taken into account, and shall reduce such spouse’s interest in the Company; in no event shall the Company be required to provide any financial, valuation or other information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of their respective assets to the spouse or former spouse of such holder.

(b) Unless an assignee of a Company Interest becomes a substituted Member in accordance with the provisions set forth below, such assignee shall not be entitled to any of the rights granted to a Member hereunder, other than the right to receive allocations of income, gains, losses, deductions, credits and similar items and distributions to which the assignor would otherwise be entitled, to the extent such items are assigned.

(c) An assignee of a Company Interest shall become a substituted Member entitled to all of the rights of a Member if, and only if, (i) the assignor gives the assignee such right, (ii) the Board consents in writing to such substitution, the granting or denying of which shall be in the Board’s sole discretion, (iii) the assignee executes and delivers such instruments, in form and substance satisfactory to the Board, as the Board may deem necessary or desirable to effect such substitution and to confirm the agreement of the assignee to be bound by all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement, and (iv) if the Board so requires, the assignee reimburses the Company for any costs incurred by the Company in connection with such assignment and substitution. Upon the satisfaction of such requirements, such assignee shall be admitted as of such date as shall be provided for in any document evidencing such assignment as a substituted Member of the Company.

(d) The Company and the Board shall be entitled to treat the record Member of any Company Interest as the absolute Member thereof in all respects and shall incur no liability for distributions of cash or other property made in good faith to such Member until such time as a written assignment of such Company Interest that complies with the terms of this Agreement has been received by the Board.

ARTICLE X

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Section 10.1. Representations and Warranties . Each Member acknowledges and agrees that its Company Interest is being purchased for such Member’s own account as part of a private offering, exempt from registration under the Securities Act and all applicable state securities or blue sky laws, for investment only and not with a view to the distribution nor other sale thereof and that an exemption from registration under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities

 

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laws under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws may not be available if the Company Interest is acquired by such Member with a view to resale or distribution thereof under any conditions or circumstances as would constitute a distribution of such Company Interest within the meaning and purview of the Securities Act or the applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, each Member represents and warrants to the Company and all other interested parties that:

(a) Such Member has sufficient financial resources to continue such Member’s investment in the Company for an indefinite period and understands that (i) such Member is acquiring an interest in the Company without being furnished any offering literature or prospectus, and (ii) the acquisition of such Member’s Company Interest by such Member has not been reviewed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or by any administrative agency charged with the administration of the securities or “blue sky” laws of any state.

(b) Such Member acknowledges that the Company Interest being acquired by such Member was not offered to such Member by means of publicly disseminated advertisements or sales literature, nor is such Member aware of any offers made to other Persons by such means.

(c) Such Member is familiar with Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act, and such Member is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) of such Regulation D.

(d) Such Member has adequate means of providing for its current needs and contingencies and can afford a complete loss of its investment in the Company.

(e) It is such Member’s intention to acquire and hold its Company Interest solely for its private investment and for its own account and with no view or intention to Transfer such Company Interest (or any portion thereof) in violation of applicable law or this Agreement.

(f) Such Member has no contract, undertaking, agreement, or arrangement with any Person to sell or otherwise Transfer to any Person, or to have any Person sell on behalf of such Member, its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), and such Member is not engaged in and does not plan to engage within the foreseeable future in any discussion with any Person relative to the sale or any Transfer of its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), except pursuant to an Excluded Affiliate Transfer.

(g) Such Member is not aware of any occurrence, event, or circumstance upon the happening of which such Member intends to attempt to Transfer its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), and such Member does not have any present intention of Transferring its Company Interest (or any portion thereof) after the lapse of any particular period of time, except pursuant to an Excluded Affiliate Transfer.

(h) Such Member, by making other investments of a similar nature and/or by reason of his/its business and financial experience or the business and financial experience of those Persons it has retained to advise such Member with respect to its investment in the Company, is a sophisticated investor who has the capacity to protect its own interest in investments of this nature, so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Company Interest.

 

42


(i) Such Member has had all documents, records, books and due diligence materials pertaining to this investment made available to such Member and such Member’s accountants and advisors; such Member has also had an opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from the Company concerning this investment; and such Member has all of the information deemed by such Member to be necessary or appropriate to evaluate the investment and the risks and merits thereof and to make an informed decision concerning such Member’s investment in the Company Interest.

(j) Such Member has a close business association with the Company or certain of its Affiliates, thereby making the Member a well-informed investor for purposes of this investment.

(k) Such Member is aware of the following:

(i) The Company is newly organized and has no financial or operating history and, further, such Member’s investment in the Company is speculative and involves a high degree of risk of loss by the Member of its entire investment, with no assurance of any income from such investment;

(ii) No federal or state agency has made any finding or determination as to the fairness of the investment, or any recommendation or endorsement, of such investment;

(iii) There are substantial restrictions on the Transferability of the Company Interest of such Member, there will be no public market for the Company Interest and, accordingly, it may not be possible for such Member readily to liquidate its investment in the Company in case of emergency; and

(iv) Any federal or state income tax benefits which may be available to such Member may be lost through changes to existing laws and regulations or in the interpretation of existing laws and regulations; such Member in making this investment is relying, if at all, solely upon the advice of its own tax advisors with respect to the tax aspects of an investments in the Company.

(l) Such Member further covenants and agrees that (i) its Company Interest will not be resold unless the provisions set forth in Article IX above are complied with, and (ii) such Member shall have no right to require registration of its Company Interest under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and, in view of the nature of the Company and its business, such registration is neither contemplated nor likely.

(m) Such Member understands that a legend indicating that the Company Interest has not been registered under applicable federal and state securities laws and referring to the restrictions on transferability and sale of the Company Interest may be placed on any certificate(s) or other document delivered to such Member or any substitute therefore and any transfer agent of the Company or its affiliates may be instructed to require compliance therewith.

 

43


(n) Such Member confirms that such Member has been advised to consult with such Member’s own attorney regarding legal matters concerning the Company and to consult with independent tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of investing in the Company.

(o) Such Member acknowledges that such Member understands the meaning and the legal consequences of the representations, warranties, covenants and certifications set forth in this Article X and that the Company has relied and will rely upon such representations, warranties, covenants and certifications.

ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.1. Notices . All notices, elections, demands or other communications required or permitted to be made or given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be considered as properly given or made on the date of actual delivery if given by (a) personal delivery, (b) United States mail, (c) expedited overnight delivery service with proof of delivery, or (d) via facsimile with confirmation of delivery, addressed to the respective addressee(s). Any Member may change its address by giving notice in writing to the other Members of its new address.

Section 11.2. Amendment .

(a) In addition to the right of the Board to amend this Agreement as provided below, and except as otherwise provided below, any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective if made by an instrument in writing that has been duly approved by the Board and a Majority Interest of the Members.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 11.2(a) :

(i) with respect to any change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment to this Agreement that would (A) increase the liability or duties of any of the Members, (B) change the contributions required of any of the Members, (C) cause the Company to be taxed as a corporation, or (D) otherwise result in any disproportionate and material adverse consequences for any Member, such change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment shall not be binding on such Member unless contained in a written instrument duly executed by such Member;

(ii) with respect to any change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment that would alter or change the rights, obligations, powers or preferences of one or more Capital Members in a disproportionate and adverse manner, other than in a de minimis respect, compared to other Capital Members, such change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment shall also require the prior written consent of Capital Members holding a majority of the Company Interests so disproportionately and adversely affected; and

 

44


(iii) with respect to any change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment to this Agreement that would alter or change the rights, obligations, powers or preferences of one or more Members in their capacity as a holder of Incentive Units in a disproportionate and adverse manner, other than in a de minimis respect, compared to any other class or series of Company Interests (including Company Interests held by Capital Members), such change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment shall also require the prior written consent of Members holding at least a majority of the outstanding Incentive Units;

provided, however , that any amendment which is made to facilitate a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, to convert the Company into another entity, or to cause the Company to participate in an exchange of interests or some type of business combination with any other entity, shall require the approval only of the Board and a Majority Interest of the Capital Members, if each of the material terms and provisions of such merger, consolidation, conversion, exchange or combination provides for equal and/or proportionate treatment of each of the Members.

(c) With respect to any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement that would change the name of the Company, admit new or substituted Members in accordance with the terms of Article IX , or any other change, modification or amendment that does not adversely affect the Members in any disproportionate and material respect, and any change, modification or amendment which the Board determines is necessary or advisable to ensure that the Company is not and will not be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or to conform with changes in applicable tax law ( provided such changes do not have a material adverse effect on the Members), such change, modification, or amendment may be contained in a written instrument executed solely by the Board; provided that the Board notifies the Members of such change, modification, or amendment.

(d) With respect to any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement which the Board determines is necessary or advisable to comply with or administer in an equitable manner the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act and any Treasury Regulations or other administrative pronouncements promulgated thereunder in any manner determined by the Board, such change, modification, or amendment may be contained in a written instrument executed solely by the Board; provided that the Board notifies the Members of such change, modification, or amendment.

Section 11.3. Partition . Each of the Members hereby irrevocably waives for the term of the Company any right that such Member may have to maintain any action for partition with respect to the Company property.

Section 11.4. Entire Agreement . This Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby constitute the full and complete agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

Section 11.5. Severability . Every provision in this Agreement is intended to be severable. If any term or provision hereof is illegal or invalid for any reason whatsoever, such illegality or invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Agreement.

 

45


Section 11.6. No Waiver . The failure of any Member to insist upon strict performance of a covenant hereunder or of any obligation hereunder, irrespective of the length of time for which such failure continues, shall not constitute a waiver of such Member’s right to demand strict compliance in the future. No consent or waiver, express or implied, to or of any breach or default in the performance of any obligation hereunder shall constitute a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance of the same or any other obligation hereunder.

Section 11.7. Applicable Law . This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall be governed by and interpreted, construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to rules or principles of conflicts of law requiring the application of the law of another State.

Section 11.8. Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns; provided , however , that no Member may Transfer all or any part of its rights or Company Interest or any interest under this Agreement except in accordance with Article IX .

Section 11.9. Arbitration . Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Transaction Documents, or the Company, including claims sounding in contract, tort, statutory or otherwise (a “ Dispute ”), shall be settled exclusively and finally by arbitration in accordance with this Section  11.9 .

(a) Rules and Procedures . Such arbitration shall be administered by JAMS/Endispute, Inc., a Delaware corporation and national dispute resolution company (“ JAMS ”), pursuant to (i) the JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures, if the amount in controversy is $250,000 or less, or (ii) the JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures, if the amount in controversy exceeds $250,000 (each, as applicable, the “ Rules ”). The making, validity, construction, and interpretation of this Section  11.9 , and all procedural aspects of the arbitration conducted pursuant hereto, shall be decided by the arbitrator(s). For purposes of this Section  11.9 , “amount in controversy” means the stated amount of the claim, not including interest or attorneys’ fees, plus the stated amount of any counterclaim, not including interest or attorneys’ fees. If the claim or counterclaim seeks a form of relief other than damages, such as injunctive or declaratory relief, it shall be treated as if the amount in controversy exceeds $250,000, unless all parties to the Dispute otherwise agree.

(b) Discovery . Discovery shall be allowed only to the extent permitted by the Rules.

(c) Time and Place . All arbitration proceedings hereunder shall be conducted in Dallas, Texas or such other location as all parties to the Dispute may agree. Unless good cause is shown or all parties to the Dispute otherwise agree, the hearing on the merits shall be conducted within 180 days of the initiation of the arbitration, if the arbitration is being conducted under the Streamlined Arbitration Rules, or within 270 days of the initiation of the arbitration, if the arbitration is being conducted under the Comprehensive Arbitration Rules. However, it shall not be a basis to challenge the outcome or result of the arbitration proceeding that it was not conducted within the specified timeframe, nor shall the failure to conduct the hearing within the specified timeframe in any way waive the right to arbitration as provided for herein.

 

46


(d) Arbitrators .

(i) If the amount in controversy is $250,000 or less, the arbitration shall be before a single arbitrator selected by JAMS in accordance with the Rules.

(ii) If the amount in controversy is more than $250,000, the arbitration shall be before a panel of three arbitrators, selected in accordance with this paragraph. The party initiating the arbitration shall designate, with its initial filing, its choice of arbitrator. Within 30 days of the notice of initiation of the arbitration procedure, the opposing party to the Dispute shall select one arbitrator. If any party to the Dispute shall fail to select an arbitrator within the required time, JAMS shall appoint an arbitrator for that party. In the event that the Dispute involves three or more parties, JAMS shall determine the parties’ alignment pursuant to Rule 15 and each “side” shall have the right to appoint one arbitrator as provided above. The two arbitrators so selected shall select a third arbitrator, failing agreement on which, the third arbitrator shall be selected in accordance with JAMS Rule 15. Notwithstanding that each party may select an arbitrator, all arbitrators (whether selected by the parties, JAMS or otherwise) shall be independent and shall disclose any relationship that he or she may have with any party to the Dispute at the time of their respective appointment. All arbitrators shall be subject to challenge for cause under JAMS Rule 15. In the event that any party-selected arbitrator is struck for cause, JAMS shall appoint the replacement arbitrator.

(e) Waiver of Certain Damages . Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company and the Members expressly agree that the arbitrators shall have absolutely no authority to award consequential, incidental, special, treble, exemplary or punitive damages of any type under any circumstances regardless of whether such damages may be available under Delaware law, or any other laws, or under the Federal Arbitration Act or the Rules, unless such damages are a part of a third party claim for which a Member is entitled to indemnification hereunder.

(f) Limitations on Arbitrators . The arbitrators shall have authority to interpret and apply the terms and conditions of this Agreement and to order any remedy allowed by this Agreement, including specific performance of the Agreement, but may not change any term or condition of this Agreement, deprive any Member of a remedy expressly provided hereunder, or provide any right or remedy that has been excluded hereunder.

(g) Form of Award . The arbitration award shall conform with the Rules, but also contain a certification by the arbitrators that, except as permitted by Section 11.9(e) , the award does not include any consequential, incidental, special, treble, exemplary or punitive damages.

(h) Fees and Awards . The fees and expenses of the arbitrator(s) shall be borne equally by each side to the Dispute, but the decision of the arbitrator(s) may include such award of the arbitrators’ expenses and of other costs to the prevailing side as the arbitrators may determine. In addition, the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award of its attorneys’ fees and interest.

(i) Binding Nature . The decision and award shall be binding upon all of the parties to the Dispute and final and nonappealable to the maximum extent permitted by law, and judgment thereon may be entered in a court of competent jurisdiction and enforced by any party to the Dispute as a final judgment of such court.

 

47


Section 11.10. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same document.

*    *    *    *

[Signature Pages of Company, Members and Managers Attached]

 

48


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

 

COMPANY:

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:  

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Name:   Anthony Bahr
Title:   Authorized Person
MANAGERS:

/s/ Scott Gieselman

Scott Gieselman

/s/ David W. Hayes

David W. Hayes

/s/ Tony R. Weber

Tony R. Weber

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Anthony Bahr

/s/ Jay Graham

Jay Graham

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


MEMBERS:
NGP X US HOLDINGS, L.P.
By:   NGP X Holdings GP, L.L.C.
  Its General Partner
By:  

/s/ Tony R. Weber

  Tony R. Weber             , Authorized Person

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


MEMBERS:

[ Signature pages appended. ]

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


JJE HOLDINGS, LP
By:  

/s/ Steve Eckerman

Name: Steve Eckerman
Title: Manager

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


H2E HOLDINGS, LP
By:  

/s/ Paul R. Eschete

Name: Paul R. Eschete
Title: Manager

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


SVH HOLDINGS, LP
By:  

/s/ Steve Habachy

Name: Steve Habachy
Title: Manager

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


HOWTH INVESTMENTS, LP
By:

/s/ Terence Lynch

Name:   Terence Lynch
Title:   Manager of Howth Investments LLC, its
  general partner

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


GARY SMITH

/s/ Gary Smith

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


JAY GRAHAM

/s/ Jay Graham

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


MIKE SHERWOOD

/s/ Mike Sherwood

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


PAUL ESCHETE

/s/ Paul Eschete

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


STEVE ECKERMAN

/s/ Steve Eckerman

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


STEVE HABACHY

/s/ Steve Habachy

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


TERENCE LYNCH

/s/ Terence Lynch

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


RANDAL GARRETT

/s/ Randal Garrett

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


JOHN NABORS

/s/ John Nabors

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


MATTHEW VAN WIE

/s/ Matthew Van Wie

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


MATTHEW AVERILL

/s/ Matthew Averill

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


COURTNEY DAMM

/s/ Courtney Damm

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


HERBERT COLE

/s/ Herbert Cole

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


LUIS MIER

/s/ Luis Mier

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


BYRON BARNES

/s/ Byron Barnes

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


JACOB RODGERS

/s/ Jacob Rodgers

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


NEAL HAMILTON

/s/ Neal Hamilton

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


AMIR RADFAR

/s/ Amir Radfar

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


MARK HICKS

/s/ Mark Hicks

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


JOSHUA SIGLER

/s/ Josh Sigler

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


JEREMY HAFEMANN

/s/ Jeremy Hafemann

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


SETH IRELAND

/s/ Seth Ireland

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


RACHEL COLEY

/s/ Rachel Coley

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


CHRIS HENN

/s/ Chris Henn

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


MICHAEL WELLS

/s/ Michael Wells

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WILDHORSE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE

Exhibit 10.7

Execution Version

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

ESQUISTO INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

December 19, 2016

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

       Page No.   

Article I

  FORMATION OF COMPANY      1   

Section 1.1

  Formation      1   

Section 1.2

  Name      1   

Section 1.3

  Business      2   

Section 1.4

  Places of Business; Registered Agent; Names and Addresses of Members      2   

Section 1.5

  Term      2   

Section 1.6

  Filings      2   

Section 1.7

  Title to Company Property      2   

Section 1.8

  No Payments of Individual Obligations      3   

Article II

  DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES      3   

Section 2.1

  Defined Terms      3   

Section 2.2

  References and Titles      9   

Article III

  CAPITALIZATION AND UNITS      10   

Section 3.1

  Capital Contributions of Members      10   

Section 3.2

  Issuances of Additional Securities      10   

Section 3.3

  Return of Contributions      10   

Article IV

  ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS      10   

Section 4.1

  Allocations of Net Profits and Net Losses      10   

Section 4.2

  Special Allocations      11   

Section 4.3

  Income Tax Allocations      12   

Section 4.4

  Distributions      14   

Article V

  MANAGEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS      14   

Section 5.1

  Power and Authority of Board      14   

Section 5.2

  Officers      15   

Section 5.3

  Acknowledged and Permitted Activities      16   

Section 5.4

  Duties and Services of the Board      16   

Section 5.5

  Liability and Indemnification      16   

Section 5.6

  Reimbursement of Members      18   

Section 5.7

  Insurance      18   

Section 5.8

  Tax Elections and Status      18   

Section 5.9

  Tax Returns      18   

Section 5.10

  Tax Matters Member      18   

Section 5.11

  Partnership Representative      19   

Section 5.12

  Annual Financial Statements      20   

Section 5.13

  Subsidiaries of the Company      20   

Section 5.14

  Outside Manager Expenses      20   

Section 5.15

  Tax Reimbursement      20   

 

i


Article VI

  RIGHTS OF MEMBERS      21   

Section 6.1

  Rights of Members      21   

Section 6.2

  Limitations on Members      21   

Section 6.3

  Liability of Members      21   

Section 6.4

  Withdrawal and Return of Capital Contributions      21   

Section 6.5

  Voting Rights      21   

Article VII

  BOOKS, REPORTS, MEETINGS AND CONFIDENTIALITY      22   

Section 7.1

  Capital Accounts, Books and Records      22   

Section 7.2

  Bank Accounts      23   

Section 7.3

  Reports      23   

Section 7.4

  Meetings of Members      24   

Section 7.5

  Confidentiality      24   

Article VIII

  DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION      24   

Section 8.1

  Dissolution      24   

Section 8.2

  Winding Down      25   

Section 8.3

  Liquidation and Termination      25   

Article IX

  ASSIGNMENTS OF COMPANY INTERESTS      26   

Article X

  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      27   

Article XI

  MISCELLANEOUS      30   

Section 11.1

  Notices      30   

Section 11.2

  Amendment      30   

Section 11.3

  Partition      31   

Section 11.4

  Amendment and Restatement of Original Agreement; Entire Agreement      31   

Section 11.5

  Severability      31   

Section 11.6

  No Waiver      31   

Section 11.7

  Applicable Law      32   

Section 11.8

  Successors and Assigns      32   

Section 11.9

  Arbitration      32   

Section 11.10

  Counterparts      34   

 

ii


EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A    —      List of Members and Sharing Ratios; Deemed Capital Contributions

 

 

iii


AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

OF

ESQUISTO INVESTMENT HOLDINGS , LLC

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), dated effective as of December 19, 2016, is made by and among Esquisto Resources II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”), and the Persons who have executed a signature page to this Agreement as the Members and Managers.

WHEREAS, the Company was formed pursuant to the filing of a Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware effective on November 21, 2016, in accordance with the provisions of the Act (as defined below) and by the execution of that certain Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated effective as of November 21, 2016 (the “ Original Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, effective as of the date hereof, the parties to this Agreement hereby amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein in order to reflect the admission of the Members, and the parties’ agreement regarding the manner in which the Company shall be governed and operated and the other matters set forth herein.

ARTICLE I

FORMATION OF COMPANY

Section 1.1 Formation . Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the parties do hereby desire to establish this Agreement to continue and govern the Company as a limited liability company under the provisions of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, D EL . C ODE A NN . T IT . 6 §§ 18-101 (2010) et seq., as amended from time to time, and any successor statute or statutes (the “ Act ”). The Company was formed upon the execution and filing by the organizer with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of a Certificate of Formation of the Company effective on November 21, 2016. This Agreement shall amend and restate in its entirety the Original Agreement in all respects and such Original Agreement shall be of no force or effect after the date hereof. The parties hereby continue the Company pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

Section 1.2 Name . The name of the Company shall be Esquisto Resources II, LLC. Subject to all applicable laws, the business of the Company shall be conducted in the name of the Company unless under the law of some jurisdiction in which the Company does business such business must be conducted under another name or unless the Board determines that it is advisable to conduct Company business under another name. In such a case, the business of the Company in such jurisdiction or in connection with such determination may be conducted under such other name or names as the Board shall determine to be necessary. The Board shall cause to be filed on behalf of the Company such assumed or fictitious name certificate or certificates or similar instruments as may from time to time be required by law.

 

1


Section 1.3 Business . The business of the Company shall be, whether directly or indirectly through subsidiaries, to hold shares of common stock of WRDC and to make distributions to Members as provided herein.

Section 1.4 Places of Business; Registered Agent; Names and Addresses of Members .

(a) The address of the principal United States office and place of business of the Company and its street address shall be 421 West Third Street, Suite 750, Fort Worth, Texas 76102. The Board, at any time and from time to time, may change the location of the Company’s principal place of business upon giving prior written notice of such change to the Members and may establish such additional place or places of business of the Company as the Board shall determine to be necessary or desirable.

(b) The registered office of the Company in the State of Delaware shall be and it hereby is, established and maintained at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, and the registered agent for service of process on the Company shall be The Corporation Trust Company, whose business address is the same as the Company’s registered office in Delaware. The Board, at any time and from time to time, may change the Company’s registered office or registered agent or both by complying with the applicable provisions of the Act, and may establish, appoint and change additional registered offices and registered agents of the Company in such other states as the Board shall determine to be necessary or advisable.

(c) The mailing address and street address of each of the Members shall be the same as for the Company, unless another address for such Member is set forth on Exhibit  A to this Agreement.

Section 1.5 Term . The Company shall continue until terminated in accordance with Section  8.1 .

Section 1.6 Filings . Upon the request of the Board, the Members shall promptly execute and deliver all such certificates and other instruments conforming hereto as shall be necessary for the Board to accomplish all filing, recording, publishing and other acts appropriate to comply with all requirements for the formation and operation of a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware and for the qualification and operation of a limited liability company in all other jurisdictions where the Company shall propose to conduct business. Prior to conducting business in any jurisdiction, the Board shall use its reasonable good faith efforts to cause the Company to comply with all requirements for the qualification of the Company to conduct business as a limited liability company in such jurisdiction.

Section 1.7 Title to Company Property . All property owned by the Company, whether real or personal, tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Company as an entity, and no Member, individually, shall have any ownership of such property. The Company may hold its property in its own name or in the name of a nominee which may be the Board or any of its Affiliates or any trustee or agent designated by it.

 

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Section 1.8 No Payments of Individual Obligations . The Members shall use the Company’s credit and assets solely for the benefit of the Company. No asset of the Company shall be Transferred for or in payment of any individual obligation of any Member.

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES

Section 2.1 Defined Terms . When used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:

Act ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  1.1 .

Adjusted Capital Account ” shall mean the Capital Account maintained for each Member as provided in Section  7.1(b) as of the end of each Fiscal Period, (a) increased by (i) the amount of any unpaid Capital Contributions agreed to be contributed by such Member under Section  3.1 , if any, and (ii) an amount equal to such Member’s allocable share of Minimum Gain as computed on the last day of such Fiscal Period in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, and (b) reduced by the adjustments provided for in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4)-(6).

Adjusted Property ” shall mean any property that has a Carrying Value different than its adjusted tax basis.

Affiliate ” (whether or not capitalized) shall mean, with respect to any Person: (a) any other Person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding power to vote 10% or more of the outstanding voting securities of such Person, (b) any other Person 10% or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held with power to vote by such Person, (c) any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person, and (d) any officer, director, member, partner or immediate family member of such Person or any other Person described in subsection  (a) , (b) or (c)  of this paragraph.

Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph.

Auditor ” shall mean any of KPMG, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Grant Thornton or such other auditor as may be agreed upon by the Company and NGP.

Bipartisan Budget Act ” shall mean Title XI of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 and any related provisions of law, court decisions, regulations, rules, and administrative guidance.

Board ” and “ Board of Managers ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.1 .

Capital Account ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  7.1(b) .

 

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Capital Contributions ” shall mean for any Member at the particular time in question the aggregate of the dollar amounts of any cash, or the fair market value (as determined in the discretion of the Board) of any property, contributed to the capital of the Company, or, if the context in which such term is used so indicates, the dollar amounts of cash or the fair market value (as determined in the discretion of the Board) of any property agreed to be contributed, or requested to be contributed, by such Member to the capital of the Company.

Carrying Value ” shall mean with respect to any asset, the value of such asset as reflected in the Capital Accounts of the Members. The Carrying Value of any asset shall be such asset’s adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes, except as follows:

(a) The initial Carrying Value of any asset contributed by a Member to the Company will be the fair market value of the asset on the date of the contribution, as determined by the Board;

(b) The Carrying Value of all Company assets shall be adjusted to equal their respective fair market values, as determined by the Board, upon (i) the acquisition of an additional Company Interest by any new or existing Member in exchange for a Capital Contribution that is not de minimis; (ii) the distribution by the Company to a Member of Company property that is not de minimis as consideration for a Company Interest; (iii) the grant of a Company Interest that is not de minimis consideration for the performance of services to or for the benefit of the Company by any new or existing Member; (iv) the liquidation of the Company as provided in Section  8.3 ; (v) the acquisition of a Company Interest by any new or existing Member upon the exercise of a noncompensatory option in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s); or (vi) any other event to the extent determined by the Board to be necessary to properly reflect Carrying Values in accordance with the standards set forth in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(q). If any noncompensatory options are outstanding upon the occurrence of an event described in clauses  ( i ) through (vi)  above, the Company shall adjust the Carrying Values of its properties in accordance with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f)(1) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(h)(2);

(c) The Carrying Value of any Company asset distributed to any Member shall be adjusted to equal the fair market value of such asset on the date of distribution, as determined by the Board;

(d) The Carrying Value of an asset shall be adjusted by Depreciation and Simulated Depletion taken into account with respect to such asset for purposes of computing Net Profits, Net Losses and other items allocated pursuant to Section  7.1(b)(iv) ; and

(e) The Carrying Value of Company assets shall be adjusted at such other times as required in the applicable Treasury Regulations.

Company ” shall have the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Company Interest ” shall mean any Member’s interest in, or rights in, the Company, including and representing, as the context shall require, any membership interest in the Company and/or any other class or series of interests created pursuant to Section  3.2 .

 

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Company Nonrecourse Liabilities ” shall mean nonrecourse liabilities (or portions thereof) of the Company for which no Member bears the economic risk of loss in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Confidential Information ” shall mean, without limitation, all proprietary and confidential information of the Company, including business opportunities of the Company, intellectual property, and any other information heretofore or hereafter acquired, developed or used by the Company relating to its business, including any confidential information contained in any lease files, well files and records, land files, abstracts, title opinions, title or curative matters, contract files, seismic records, electric logs, core data, pressure data, production records, geological and geophysical reports and related data, memoranda, notes, records, drawings, correspondence, financial and accounting information, customer lists, statistical data and compilations, patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade names, inventions, formulae, methods, processes, agreements, contracts, manuals or any other documents relating to the business of the Company, developed by, or originated by any third party and brought to the attention of, the Company.

Deemed Capital Contributions ” shall mean for any Member the amounts deemed contributed to the capital of the Company as of the date hereof as set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto and as further adjusted by the Board for subsequent Capital Contributions or other transactions.

Depreciation ” shall mean for each Fiscal Period or other period, an amount equal to the depreciation, amortization, or other cost recovery deduction (other than Simulated Depletion) allowable with respect to an asset for such year or other period, except that if the Carrying Value of an asset differs from its adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes at the beginning of such year or other period, Depreciation shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to such beginning Carrying Value as the federal income tax depreciation, amortization or other cost recovery deduction for such year or other period bears to such beginning adjusted tax basis (unless the adjusted tax basis is equal to zero, in which event Depreciation shall be determined under any reasonable method selected by the Board).

Dispute ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  11.9 .

Distributable Funds ” shall mean the available cash of the Company in excess of the working capital and other requirements of the Company as determined by the Board of Managers.

Employee ” shall mean an individual who is employed by, serves as an independent contractor for, or whose services are otherwise leased from or provided by, CH4 Management, Inc., PetroMax Operating Co., Inc. or any other third party by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or other Affiliates. In the event any provision of this Agreement refers to the resignation or termination of an Employee, such resignation or termination shall apply (a) to the entity that is the employer of such Employee and (b) to instances where an individual is an independent contractor of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or where services are otherwise leased by, or otherwise provided to, the Company (or any Member for the benefit of the Company), and (i) a majority of such individual’s time ceases to be spent providing services to the Company (or any Member for the benefit of the Company), or (ii) the Company provides written notice to such individual that it no longer wishes to engage the services of such individual.

 

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Excluded Affiliate Transfer ” shall mean (a) any Transfer of a Company Interest by a Member who is an individual to a member of such Member’s family or to a revocable trust for estate planning purposes, but only if and for so long as such Transferring Member retains the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer; (b) any Transfer occurring by operation of law upon the death or mental incapacity of a Member who is an individual; (c) any Transfer to a corporation, partnership or limited liability company which is wholly owned and controlled (through voting rights) by such Member, but only if and for so long as such Transferring Member retains the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer, it being acknowledged and agreed that any failure by such Transferring Member to retain the exclusive right to vote or to retain 100% ownership and control of such Company Interest shall then immediately and automatically be deemed to be a Transfer that is not an Excluded Affiliate Transfer; and (d) any Transfer of a Company Interest by a Member which is a trust to the principal beneficiary of that trust; provided that, in the case of any Transfer described in clauses  (a)-(d) above, such Transferee agrees to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and evidences same by executing a copy of this Agreement and such other documents as the Company may reasonably request promptly upon receiving the assignment of such Company Interest.

Excluded Business Opportunity ” shall mean a business opportunity other than a business opportunity: (a) that (i) has come to the attention of a Person solely in, and as a direct result of, its or his capacity as a director of, advisor to, principal of or officer of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, or (ii) was developed with the use or benefit of the personnel or assets of the Company, or a subsidiary of the Company, and (b) that has not been previously independently brought to the attention of the subject Person from a source that is not affiliated (other than through such subject Person) with the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.

Fiscal Period ” shall mean each period (a) beginning, for the first Fiscal Period, on the date of formation of the Company, or for each succeeding Fiscal Period on the day after the last day of the immediately preceding Fiscal Period and (b) ending on the earliest to occur of the last day of the calendar year and the day on which the Carrying Value of all Company assets are adjusted pursuant to clause  (b) of the definition of Carrying Value.

Indemnitee ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.5(a) .

Indirect Transfer ” shall mean (with respect to any Member that is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity) a deemed Transfer of a Company Interest, which shall occur upon any Transfer of the ownership of, or voting rights associated with, the equity or other ownership interests in such Member.

Internal Revenue Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute or statutes.

JAMS ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  11.9(a) .

 

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Majority Interest ” of the Members, as to any agreement, election, vote or other action of the Members, shall mean those Members whose combined Sharing Ratios exceed fifty percent (50%).

Manager ” and “ Managers ” shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in Section  5.1(a) .

Members ” shall mean the Persons who from time to time shall execute a signature page to this Agreement (including by counterpart) as the Members, including any Person who becomes a substituted Member of the Company pursuant to the terms hereof.

Member Nonrecourse Debt ” shall mean any nonrecourse debt of the Company for which any Member bears the economic risk of loss in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Member Nonrecourse Deductions ” shall mean the amount of deductions, losses and expenses equal to the net increase during the year in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt, reduced (but not below zero) by proceeds of such Member Nonrecourse Debt distributed during the year to the Members who bear the economic risk of loss for such debt, as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Minimum Gain ” shall mean (a) with respect to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, the amount of gain that would be realized by the Company if the Company Transferred (in a taxable transaction) all Company properties that are subject to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities in full satisfaction of Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, computed in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations, or (b) with respect to each Member Nonrecourse Debt, the amount of gain that would be realized by the Company if the Company Transferred (in a taxable transaction) the Company property that is subject to such Member Nonrecourse Debt in full satisfaction of such Member Nonrecourse Debt, computed in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Net Profit ” or “ Net Loss ” shall mean, with respect to any Fiscal Period, the net income or net loss of the Company for such period, determined in accordance with federal income tax accounting principles and Section 703(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (including any items that are separately stated for purposes of Section 702(a) of the Internal Revenue Code), with the following adjustments:

(a) any income of the Company that is exempt from federal income tax shall be included as income;

(b) any expenditures of the Company that are described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code or treated as so described pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i) shall be treated as current expenses;

(c) in the event the Carrying Value of any Company asset is adjusted as provided in this Agreement, the amount of such adjustment shall be taken into account as gain or loss from the Transfer of such asset for purposes of computing Net Profit or Net Loss;

 

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(d) gain or loss resulting from any Transfer of Company property with respect to which gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes shall be computed by reference to the Carrying Value of the property Transferred, notwithstanding that the adjusted tax basis for such property differs from its Carrying Value;

(e) in lieu of the depreciation, amortization and other cost recovery deductions taken into account in computing such taxable income or loss, there shall be taken into account Depreciation for such Fiscal Period; and

(f) items specially allocated under Section  4.2 and Section  7.1(b)(iv) shall be excluded (but the amount of such items shall be determined under principles similar to those set forth above).

NGP ” shall mean NGP IX US Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, NGP IX CH4 Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, NGP XI US Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and their respective successors and assigns.

Original Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals of this Agreement.

Partnership Representative ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.11 .

Person ” (whether or not capitalized) shall mean any natural person, corporation, company, limited or general partnership, joint stock company, joint venture, association, limited liability company, trust, bank, trust company, business trust or other entity or organization, whether or not a governmental authority.

Regulatory Allocations ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  4.2(d) .

Rules ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  11.9(a) .

Securities Act ” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Sharing Ratio ” shall mean for any Member the percentages set forth in the books and records of the Company, as adjusted hereunder.

Simulated Basis ” shall mean the Carrying Value of any oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code).

Simulated Depletion ” shall mean, with respect to each oil and gas property, a depletion allowance computed in accordance with federal income tax principles (as if the Simulated Basis of the property were its adjusted tax basis) and in the manner specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(k)(2). For purposes of computing Simulated Depletion with respect to any property, the Simulated Basis of such property shall be deemed to be the Carrying Value of such property, and in no event shall such allowance, in the aggregate, exceed such Simulated Basis.

 

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Simulated Gain ” shall mean the excess of the amount realized from the sale of an oil or gas property over the Carrying Value of such property.

Simulated Loss ” shall mean the excess of the Carrying Value of an oil or gas property over the amount realized from the sale of such property.

Supermajority Approval ” shall mean written consent of at least five (5) of seven (7) Managers of the Company.

Tax Matters Member ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.10 .

Transaction Documents ” shall mean, collectively, this Agreement and the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement.

Transfer ,” or any derivation thereof, shall mean any sale, assignment, conveyance, mortgage, pledge, granting of security interest in, or other disposition of a Company Interest or any asset of the Company, as the context may require.

Treasury Regulations ” shall mean regulations promulgated by the United States Treasury Department under the Internal Revenue Code.

Unit ” shall mean a unit of a membership interest in the Company representing, as the context shall require, any Company Interest, as well as any other class or series of Units created pursuant to Section  3.2 No Units will be issued to the Members for Capital Contributions or Deemed Capital Contributions as of the date hereof; provided that the Board of Managers may subsequently amend this Agreement to provide for an issuance of Units for Capital Contributions or Deemed Capital Contributions in its sole discretion.

WRDC ” means WildHorse Resources Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement ” shall mean that certain Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement dated even date herewith among the Company and the Members.

Any capitalized term used in this Agreement but not defined in this Section  2.1 shall have the meaning assigned to such term elsewhere in this Agreement.

Section 2.2 References and Titles . All references in this Agreement to articles, sections, subsections and other subdivisions refer to corresponding articles, sections, subsections and other subdivisions of this Agreement unless expressly provided otherwise. Titles appearing at the beginning of any of such subdivisions are for convenience only and shall not constitute part of such subdivisions and shall be disregarded in construing the language contained in such subdivisions. The words “ this Agreement ,” “ herein ,” “ hereof ,” “ hereby ,” “ hereunder ” and words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular subdivision unless expressly so limited. Pronouns in masculine, feminine and neuter genders shall be construed to include any other gender, and words in the singular form shall be construed to include the plural and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires. The word “ including ” (in its various forms) means including without limitation.

 

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ARTICLE III

CAPITALIZATION AND UNITS

Section 3.1 Capital Contributions of Members .

(a) As of the date hereof, each Member has contributed, or is deemed to have contributed, Capital Contributions to the Company in the amounts and on the dates set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto and each Member shall have the initial Sharing Ratio indicated opposite such Member’s name under the “Sharing Ratio” column on Exhibit  A attached hereto. No Member shall be obligated to make any additional Capital Contributions to the Company.

Section 3.2 Issuances of Additional Securities .

(a) The Company may not issue additional Company Interests, or classes or series thereof, or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating thereto, or any other type of equity security without the prior written consent of the Board of Managers.

Section 3.3 Return of Contributions . No interest shall accrue on any contributions to the capital of the Company. No Member shall have the right to withdraw or to be repaid any capital contributed by such Member except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement.

ARTICLE IV

ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 4.1 Allocations of Net Profits and Net Losses .

(a) Net Profits and Net Losses and all related items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit for each Fiscal Period shall be allocated among the Members in such manner as shall cause the Capital Accounts of each Member to equal, as nearly as possible, (i) the amount such Member would receive if all assets on hand at the end of such year were sold for cash at the Carrying Values of such assets, all liabilities were satisfied in cash in accordance with their terms (limited in the case of Member Nonrecourse Debt and Company Nonrecourse Liabilities to the Carrying Value of the assets securing such liabilities), and any remaining or resulting cash was distributed to the Members under Section  4.4(a) , minus (ii) an amount equal to such Member’s allocable share of Minimum Gain as computed on the last day of such fiscal year in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations.

(b) The Board shall make the foregoing allocations as of the last day of each Fiscal Period; provided , however , that if during any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a change in any Member’s Company Interest, the Board shall make the foregoing allocations as of the date of each such change in a manner which takes into account the varying interests of the Members and in a manner the Board reasonably deems appropriate.

 

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Section 4.2 Special Allocations .

(a) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section  4.1 to the contrary:

(i) If during any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net increase in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt that gives rise to Member Nonrecourse Deductions, each Member bearing the economic risk of loss for such Member Nonrecourse Debt shall be allocated items of Company deductions and losses for such period (consisting first of cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property that is subject to such Member Nonrecourse Debt and then, if necessary, a pro rata portion of the Company’s other items of deductions and losses, with any remainder being treated as an increase in Minimum Gain attributable to Member Nonrecourse Debt in the subsequent period) equal to such Member’s share of Member Nonrecourse Deductions, as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

(ii) If for any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net decrease in Minimum Gain attributable to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, each Member shall be allocated items of Company income and gain for such period (consisting first of gain recognized from the Transfer of Company property subject to one or more Company Nonrecourse Liabilities and then, if necessary, a pro rata portion of the Company’s other items of income and gain, and if necessary, for subsequent periods) equal to such Member’s share of such net decrease (except to the extent such Member’s share of such net decrease is caused by a change in debt structure with such Member commencing to bear the economic risk of loss as to all or part of any Company Nonrecourse Liability or by such Member contributing capital to the Company that the Company uses to repay a Company Nonrecourse Liability), as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

(iii) If for any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net decrease in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt, each Member bearing the economic risk of loss for such Member Nonrecourse Debt shall be allocated items of Company income and gain for such period (consisting first of gain recognized from the Transfer of Company property subject to Member Nonrecourse Debt, and then, if necessary, a pro rata portion of the Company’s other items of income and gain, and if necessary, for subsequent periods) equal to such Member’s share of such net decrease (except to the extent such Member’s share of such net decrease is caused by a change in debt structure such that the Member Nonrecourse Debt becomes partially or wholly a Company Nonrecourse Liability or by the Company’s use of capital contributed by such Member to repay the Member Nonrecourse Debt) as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

(b) The Net Losses allocated pursuant to this Article  IV shall not exceed the maximum amount of Net Losses that can be allocated to a Member without causing or increasing a deficit balance in the Member’s Adjusted Capital Account. All Net Losses in excess of the limitation set forth in this Section  4.2(b) shall be allocated to Members with positive Adjusted Capital Account balances remaining at such time in proportion to such positive balances.

 

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(c) In the event that a Member unexpectedly receives any adjustment, allocation or distribution described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), (5) or (6) that causes or increases a deficit balance in such Member’s Adjusted Capital Account, items of Company income and gain shall be allocated to that Member in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the deficit balance as quickly as possible.

(d) The allocations set forth in subsections  (a) through (c)  of this Section  4.2 (collectively, the “ Regulatory Allocations ”) are intended to comply with certain requirements of the Treasury Regulations. It is the intent of the Members that, to the extent possible, all Regulatory Allocations that are made be offset either with other Regulatory Allocations or with special allocations pursuant to this Section  4.2(d) . Therefore, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article  IV (other than the Regulatory Allocations), the Board shall make such offsetting special allocations in whatever manner it determines appropriate so that, after such offsetting allocations are made, each Member’s Adjusted Capital Account balance is, to the extent possible, equal to the Adjusted Capital Account balance such Member would have had if the Regulatory Allocations were not part of the Agreement and all Company items were allocated pursuant to Section  4.1 and the remaining subsections of this Section  4.2 .

(e) In the event Units are issued to a Person and the issuance of such Units results in items of income or deduction to the Company, such items of income or deduction shall be allocated to the Members in proportion to the positive balances in their Capital Accounts immediately before the issuance of such Units.

Section 4.3 Income Tax Allocations .

(a) Except as provided in this Section  4.3 , each item of income, gain, loss and deduction of the Company for federal income tax purposes shall be allocated among the Members in the same manner as such items are allocated for Capital Account purposes under Section  4.1 and Section  4.2 .

(b) The deduction for depletion with respect to each separate oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code) shall, in accordance with Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code, be computed for federal income tax purposes separately by the Members rather than the Company. Except as provided in Section  4.3(d) , for purposes of such computation, the adjusted tax basis of each oil and gas property shall be allocated among the Members in proportion to their Sharing Ratios at the time of the acquisition of such property. Each Member, with the assistance of the Tax Matters Member, shall separately keep records of its share of the adjusted tax basis in each separate oil and gas property, adjust such share of the adjusted tax basis for any cost or percentage depletion allowable with respect to such property and use such adjusted tax basis in the computation of its cost depletion or in the computation of its gain or loss on the Transfer of such property by the Company. Upon the request of the Tax Matters Member, each Member shall advise the Tax Matters Member of its adjusted tax basis in each separate oil and gas property and any depletion computed with respect thereto, both as computed in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The Tax Matters Member may rely on such information and, if it is not provided by the Member, may make such reasonable assumptions as it shall determine with respect thereto.

 

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(c) Except as provided in Section  4.3(d) , for the purposes of the separate computation of gain or loss by each Member on the Transfer of each separate oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code), the Company’s allocable share of the “amount realized” (as such term is defined in Section 1001(b) of the Internal Revenue Code) from such Transfer shall be allocated for federal income tax purposes among the Members as follows:

(i) first, to the extent such amount realized constitutes a recovery of the Simulated Basis of the property, to the Members in the same proportion as the depletable basis of such property was allocated to the Members pursuant to Section  4.3(b) (without regard to any special allocation of basis under Section  4.3(d) ); and

(ii) second, the remainder of such amount realized, if any, to the Members so that, to the maximum extent possible, the amount realized that is allocated to each Member under this Section  4.3(c)(ii) will equal such Member’s share of the Simulated Gain recognized by the Company from such Transfer.

(d) The Members recognize that with respect to Adjusted Property, there will be a difference between the Carrying Value of such property at the time of revaluation or contribution and the adjusted tax basis of such property at the time. All items of tax depreciation, cost recovery, amortization, adjusted tax basis of depletable properties, amount realized and gain or loss with respect to such Adjusted Property shall be allocated among the Members to take into account the disparities between the Carrying Values and the adjusted tax basis with respect to such properties in accordance with the provisions of Sections 704(b) and 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury Regulations under those sections; provided , however , that any tax items not required to be allocated under Sections 704(b) or 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code shall be allocated in the same manner as such gain or loss would be allocated for Capital Account purposes under Section  4.1 and Section  4.2 . In making such allocations, the Board shall use such method or methods of allocation as it shall determine, in its absolute discretion, to be reasonable and in accord with the applicable Treasury Regulations.

(e) All recapture of income tax deductions resulting from the Transfer of Company property shall, to the maximum extent possible, be allocated to the Member to whom the deduction that gave rise to such recapture was allocated hereunder to the extent that such Member is allocated any gain from the Transfer of such property. For this purpose, deductions that were allocated as a component of Net Profit or Net Loss shall be treated as if allocated in the same manner as the allocation of the related Net Profit or Net Loss.

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

 

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Section 4.4 Distributions .

(a) The Board may cause the Company to distribute Distributable Funds at such times and in such amounts as the Board, in its sole discretion, determines to be appropriate. All such distributions made pursuant to this Section  4.4(a) shall be made to the Members pro rata in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios.

(b) In addition to distributions made to the Members pursuant to Section  4.4(a) , and subject to applicable law, to the extent that the Board determines that the Company has Distributable Funds, the Board shall cause the Company to pay to the Members within ninety (90) days after the end of each year an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the Distributable Funds, or (ii) an amount equal to the highest marginal federal and applicable state income tax rate for individuals (taking into account the character of the taxable income ( e.g. , long-term capital gain, qualified dividend income, ordinary income, etc.)), multiplied by the taxable income of the Company, if any, for such year, such payment to be made among the Members in the same percentages as the taxable income for such year was allocated. Any such payments to a Member under this Section  4.4(b) shall be deemed to be a draw against such Member’s share of future distributions under Section  4.4(a) and Section  8.3(b) , so that such Member’s share of such future distributions shall be reduced by the amounts previously drawn under this Section  4.4(b) until the aggregate reductions in such distributions equal the aggregate draws made under this Section  4.4(b) .

ARTICLE V

MANAGEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS

Section 5.1 Power and Authority of Board .

(a) The Company shall be managed by a Board of Managers (“ Board ” or “ Board of Managers ”). The Company shall initially have seven (7) managers (each, a “ Manager ” and, collectively, the “ Managers ”) and the Managers serving on the Board shall be appointed and removed by a Majority Interest of the Members, subject to the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement. The managers making up the initial Board shall be Mike Hoover, Richard D. Brannon, Bruce Selkirk, David W. Hayes, Craig S. Glick, Brian Minnehan and David R. Albin, and such persons shall continue to serve as Managers subject to their earlier death, resignation or removal as contemplated under this Agreement and the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement. Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section  5.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Company shall be exclusively vested in the Board, and the Members shall have no right of control over the business and affairs of the Company. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted to managers under the Act or which are granted to the Board under any other provision of this Agreement, the Board shall have full power and authority to do all things deemed necessary or desirable by it to conduct the business of the Company in the name of the Company.

 

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(b) The Board may hold such meetings at such place and at such time as it may determine. Notice of a meeting shall be served not less than 24 hours before the date and time fixed for such meeting by confirmed facsimile or other written communication or not less than three (3) days prior to such meeting if notice is provided by overnight delivery service. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Manager who signs a waiver of notice or provides a waiver by electronic transmission or a consent to holding the meeting or an approval of the minutes thereof, whether before or after the meeting, or who attends the meeting without protesting, either prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to such Manager. A special meeting of the Board may be called by any member of the Board. Any member of the Board may participate in a meeting by conference telephone or similar communications equipment. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board may be taken without a meeting if such action is evidenced in writing and signed by the requisite members of the Board that are sufficient to approve the matter in question. At any meeting of the Board, the presence in person or by telephone or similar electronic communication of Managers representing at least a majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

(c) Each Manager serving on the Board of Managers shall have one vote on any Company matter. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the business of the Company presented at any meeting of the Board of Managers shall be decided by a vote of Managers representing a majority of the entire Board of Managers.

(d) In accomplishing all of the foregoing and in fulfilling its obligations pursuant to this Agreement, the Board may, in its sole discretion, retain or use any Company Affiliates’ personnel, properties and equipment or the Board may hire or rent those of third parties and may employ on a temporary or continuing basis outside accountants, attorneys, consultants and others on such terms as the Board deems advisable. No Person, firm or corporation dealing with the Company shall be required to inquire into the authority of the Board to take any action or make any decision.

Section 5.2 Officers .

(a) Designation . The Board may, from time to time, designate individuals (who need not be a Manager) to serve as officers of the Company. The officers may, but need not, include a president and chief executive officer and one or more vice presidents and a secretary. Any two or more offices may be held by the same Person.

(b) Duties of Officers . Each officer of the Company designated hereunder shall devote such time to the Company’s business as he deems necessary to manage and supervise Company business and affairs in an efficient manner.

(c) Term of Office; Removal; Filling of Vacancies .

(i) Each officer of the Company shall hold office until his successor is chosen and qualified in his stead or until his earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office.

(ii) Any officer may be removed at any time by the Board whenever in their judgment the best interests of the Company will be served thereby. Designation of an officer shall not of itself create any contract rights in favor of such officer.

 

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(iii) If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled by the Board.

Section 5.3 Acknowledged and Permitted Activities . The Company and the Members recognize that (a) the Members own and will own substantial equity interests in other companies (existing and future) that participate in the energy industry and (b) that at any given time, a Member may be in direct or indirect competition with the Company and/or its subsidiaries. The Company and the Members acknowledge and agree that (i) the Members: (A) shall not be prohibited or otherwise restricted by their relationship with the Company and its subsidiaries from engaging in the business of investing in oil and gas investments, regardless of whether such activities are in direct or indirect competition with the business or activities of the Company or its subsidiaries, and (B) shall not have any obligation to offer the Company or its subsidiaries any Excluded Business Opportunity, and (ii) the Company and the Members hereby renounce any interest or expectancy in any Excluded Business Opportunity pursued by any Member and waive any claim that any such business opportunity constitutes a corporate, partnership or other business opportunity of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

Section 5.4 Duties and Services of the Board . The Board shall comply in all respects with the terms of this Agreement. The Board shall be obligated to perform the duties, responsibilities and obligations of the Board hereunder only to the extent that funds of the Company are available therefor. During the existence of the Company, each Manager serving on the Board shall devote such time and effort to the Company’s business as he deems necessary to manage and supervise Company business and affairs in an efficient manner. No Member, in its capacity as a Member, shall have any fiduciary or other duty to the Company, any other Member or any other Person that is a party to or is otherwise bound by this Agreement other than (i) to the extent required by law, the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing and (ii) such other contractual obligations as are expressly set forth in this Agreement. Each Manager serving on the Board, in its capacity as Manager, shall not have any fiduciary or other duty to the Company, any other Member or any other Person that is a party to or is otherwise bound by this Agreement other than (i) to the extent required by law, the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing and (ii) such other contractual obligations as are expressly set forth in this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they modify or eliminate the duties and liabilities of any Member or Manager otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Members and Managers to modify or eliminate to that extent such other duties and liabilities of such Member or Manager to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Section 5.5 Liability and Indemnification .

(a) The Company’s officers, the Board, the Members and their Affiliates, and their partners, officers, directors, employees and agents, shall not be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Company or the other Members for any acts or omissions that do not constitute gross negligence, willful misconduct, or a breach of the express terms of this Agreement, and the Company shall indemnify to the maximum extent permitted under the Act and save harmless the Company’s officers, the Board and the Members and their Affiliates, and their partners, officers, directors, employees and agents (individually, an “ Indemnitee ”) from all liabilities for which indemnification is permitted under the Act. Any act or omission performed or omitted by an Indemnitee on advice of legal counsel or an independent

 

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consultant who has been employed or retained by the Company shall be presumed to have been performed or omitted in good faith without gross negligence or willful misconduct. THE PARTIES RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PROVISION SHALL RELIEVE ANY SUCH INDEMNITEE FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITIES, OBLIGATIONS, DUTIES, CLAIMS, ACCOUNTS AND CAUSES OF ACTION WHATSOEVER ARISING OR TO ARISE OUT OF ANY ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE BY ANY SUCH INDEMNITEE, AND SUCH INDEMNITEE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO INDEMNIFICATION FROM ACTS OR OMISSIONS THAT MAY CONSTITUTE ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE.

(b) The Company shall, to the maximum extent permitted under the Act, pay or reimburse expenses incurred by an Indemnitee in connection with the Indemnitee’s appearance as a witness or other participation in a proceeding involving or affecting the Company at a time when the Indemnitee is not a named defendant or respondent in the proceeding.

(c) The Board shall have the right to require that any contract entered into by the Company provide that the Board shall have no personal liability for the obligations of the Company thereunder.

(d) The indemnification provided by this Section  5.5 shall be in addition to any other rights to which each Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement or vote of the Members, as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to action in the Indemnitee’s capacity as a Member or an officer, director, employee or agent of a Member or as a Person serving at the request of the Company as set forth above and to action in another capacity, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns, administrators and personal representatives of the Indemnitees; provided that the indemnification provided by this Section  5.5 shall be the primary source of indemnification with respect to the matters addressed herein, without regard to other potential sources of indemnification, reimbursement or contribution (subject to applicable express provisions of any insurance policy to which the Company is a party) and the Company irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases all right to contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind from NGP or its Affiliates and insurance provided by NGP or its Affiliates to any Indemnitee; and provided , further , that no advancement or payment by NGP, its Affiliates or insurance provided by any of them to an Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which an Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and NGP and its Affiliates shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of such Indemnitee against the Company. The Company and each Member agree that NGP, its Affiliates and the insurers they engage to provide insurance to Indemnitees are express third party beneficiaries of this Section  5.5(d) .

(e) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Members to personal liability by reason of this indemnification provision.

(f) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section  5.5 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

 

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Section 5.6 Reimbursement of Members . The Company or its subsidiaries shall pay or reimburse to the Members all reasonable direct and indirect costs and expenses incurred by such Members in organizing the Company, including legal fees and accounting fees.

Section 5.7 Insurance . The Company shall acquire and maintain insurance covering such risks and in such amounts as the officers of the Company shall, or the Board may, from time to time determine to be necessary or appropriate.

Section 5.8 Tax Elections and Status .

(a) The Board shall make such tax elections on behalf of the Company as it shall deem appropriate in its sole discretion.

(b) Except as otherwise determined appropriate by the Board, the Members agree to classify the Company as a partnership for U.S. federal and any applicable state income tax purposes, and neither the Company, any Member, nor any Manager shall file an election to classify the Company as an association taxable as a corporation for such income tax purposes.

Section 5.9 Tax Returns . The Company shall deliver necessary tax information to each Member after the end of each fiscal year of the Company. Not less than sixty (60) days prior to the date (as extended) on which the Company intends to file its federal income tax return or any state income tax return but in any event no earlier than March 1 of each year, the return proposed by the Board to be filed by the Company shall be furnished to the Members for review; provided , however , that an IRS Form K-1 or a good faith estimate of the amounts to be included on such IRS Form K-1 for each Member shall be sent to each Member on or before March 1 of each year and the IRS Form K-1 for each Member shall be sent to each Member no later than April 15 of each year. In addition, not more than ten (10) days after the date on which the Company files its federal income tax return or any state income tax return, a copy of the return so filed shall be furnished to the Members.

Section 5.10 Tax Matters Member .

(a) With respect to tax years beginning on or before December 31, 2017, CH4 Energy IV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, shall be designated the tax matters member under Section 6231 of the Internal Revenue Code (in such capacity, the “ Tax Matters Member ”). The Tax Matters Member may be removed and replaced by action of a Majority Interest of the Members. The Tax Matters Member is authorized to take such actions and to execute and file all statements and forms on behalf of the Company which may be permitted or required by the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or Treasury Regulations issued thereunder. The Tax Matters Member shall have full and exclusive power and authority on behalf of the Company to represent the Company (at the Company’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Company’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Company funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. The Tax Matters Member shall keep the Members informed as to the status of any audit of the Company’s tax affairs, and shall take such action as may be

 

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necessary to cause any Member so requesting to become a “ notice partner ” within the meaning of Section 6223 of the Internal Revenue Code. Without first obtaining the approval of a Majority Interest of the Members, the Tax Matters Member shall not, with respect to Company tax matters: (b) enter into a settlement agreement with respect to any tax matter which purports to bind Members, (c) intervene in any action pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 6226(b)(5), (d) enter into an agreement extending the statute of limitations, or (e) file a petition pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 6226(a) or 6228. If an audit of any of the Company’s tax returns shall occur, the Tax Matters Member shall not settle or otherwise compromise assertions of the auditing agent which may be adverse to any Member as compared to the position taken on the Company’s tax returns without the prior written consent of each such affected Member. The Tax Matters Member, with the approval of a Majority Interest of the Members, may elect (at such time and in such form and manner as the Internal Revenue Service may prescribe) for the amendments to Internal Revenue Code Sections 6221-6241 made by Section 1101 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (H.R. 1315) to apply to any return of the Company filed for taxable years beginning after November 2, 2015 and before January 1, 2018.

Section 5.11 Partnership Representative . With respect to tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, the partnership representative of the Company pursuant to Section 6223(a) of the Internal Revenue Code shall be any person (including any Member) designated by the Board of Managers, subject to replacement by action of a Majority Interest of the Members to the extent permitted by the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or Treasury Regulations issued thereunder. (Any person who is designated as the partnership representative is referred to herein as the “ Partnership Representative ”). The Partnership Representative is authorized to take such actions and to execute and file all statements and forms on behalf of the Company which may be permitted or required by the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or Treasury Regulations issued thereunder, provided that the Partnership Representative may file any suit only with the approval of a Majority Interest of the Members. The Partnership Representative shall have the sole authority to act on behalf of the Company under Subchapter C of Section 63 of the Internal Revenue Code (relating to IRS partnership audit proceedings) and in any tax proceedings brought by other taxing authorities, and the Company and all Members shall be bound by the actions taken by the Partnership Representative in such capacity. The Partnership Representative shall be reimbursed by the Company for all expenses incurred in connection with all examinations of the Company’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting proceedings, and is authorized to expend Company funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. The Partnership Representative shall keep the Members informed as to the status of any audit of the Company’s tax affairs. Without first obtaining the approval of a Majority Interest of the Members, the Partnership Representative shall not, with respect to Company tax matters: (a) enter into a settlement agreement with respect to any tax matter, or (b) enter into an agreement extending the statute of limitations. If an audit of any of the Company’s tax returns shall occur, the Partnership Representative shall not settle or otherwise compromise assertions of the auditing agent which may be adverse to any Member as compared to the position taken on the Company’s tax returns without the prior written consent of each such affected Member. If an audit results in an imputed underpayment by the Company as determined under Section 6225 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Partnership Representative, with the approval of a Majority Interest of the Members, may make the election under Section 6226(a) of the Internal Revenue Code within forty-five (45) days after the date of the notice of final partnership adjustment in the manner provided by the Internal Revenue Service. If such an

 

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election is made, the Company shall furnish to each Member of the Company for the year under audit a statement reflecting the Member’s share of the adjusted items as determined in the notice of final partnership adjustment, and each such Member shall take such adjustment into account as required under Section 6226(b) of the Internal Revenue Code and shall be liable for any related interest, penalty, addition to tax, or additional amount.

Section 5.12 Annual Financial Statements . As soon as available, and in any event within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year, the Company shall deliver to the Managers audited consolidated balance sheets of the Company and any Company subsidiaries as at the end of each such fiscal year and audited consolidated statements of income, cash flows and Members’ equity for such fiscal year prepared by the Auditor, in each case setting forth in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, accompanied by the certification of independent certified public accountants of recognized national standing selected by the Board, certifying to the effect that, except as set forth therein, such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, applied on a basis consistent with prior years, and fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Company and the Company subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and the results of their operations and changes in their cash flows and Members’ equity for the periods covered thereby.

Section 5.13 Subsidiaries of the Company . The Board may determine to conduct any Company operations indirectly through one or more subsidiaries.

Section 5.14 Outside Manager Expenses . Each member of the Board who is not employed as an officer of, or as a consultant to, the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by the Company for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such Person in connection with such services.

Section 5.15 Tax Reimbursement . If Texas law requires the Company and a Member to participate in the filing of a Texas franchise tax combined group report, and if the Company or such Member or its Affiliates pay the franchise tax liability due in connection with such combined report, the parties agree that the Company shall promptly reimburse such Member of its Affiliates for the franchise tax paid on behalf of the Company as a combined group member. The franchise tax paid on behalf of the Company shall be equal to the franchise tax that the Company would have paid if it had computed its franchise tax liability for the report period on a separate entity basis rather than as a member of the combined group. In such event, the parties agree that such Member and its Affiliates shall be considered as paying such amount on behalf of the Company and the Company shall deduct for federal income tax purposes one hundred percent (100%) of the Texas franchise tax attributable to the Company; provided that in the event that such deduction may not be properly taken by the Company, the Company shall reimburse such member and its Affiliates for the after-tax cost of such payment of Texas franchise tax paid on the Company’s behalf.

 

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ARTICLE VI

RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

Section 6.1 Rights of Members . Each of the Members shall have the right to: (a) have the Company books and records (including those required under the Act) kept at the principal United States office of the Company and at all reasonable times to inspect and copy any of them at the sole expense of such Member; (b) have on demand true and full information of all things affecting the Company and a formal account of Company affairs whenever circumstances render it just and reasonable; (c) have dissolution and winding up of the Company by decree of court as provided for in the Act; and (d) exercise all rights of a Member under the Act (except to the extent otherwise specifically provided herein). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Members shall not have the right to receive data pertaining to the properties of the Company if the Company is subject to a valid agreement prohibiting the distribution of such data or if the Board shall otherwise determine that such data is Confidential Information.

Section 6.2 Limitations on Members . The Members (in his or its capacity as a Member) shall not: (a) be permitted to take part in the business or control of the business or affairs of the Company; (b) have any voice in the management or operation of any Company property; or (c) have the authority or power to act as agent for or on behalf of the Company or any other Member, to do any act which would be binding on the Company or any other Member, or to incur any expenditures on behalf of or with respect to the Company. No Member (in his or its capacity as a Member) shall hold out or represent to any third party that the Members have any such power or right or that the Members are anything other than “members” of the Company. The foregoing provision shall not be applicable to a Member acting in his or its capacity as a member of the Board or an officer of the Company.

Section 6.3 Liability of Members . No Member shall be liable for the debts, liabilities, contracts or other obligations of the Company except (a) as otherwise provided in the Act and (b) as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement.

Section 6.4 Withdrawal and Return of Capital Contributions . No Member shall be entitled to (a) withdraw from the Company except upon the assignment by such Member of all of its Company Interest in accordance with Article  IX , or (b) the return of its Capital Contributions except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to the express terms of this Agreement may be considered as such by law or upon dissolution and liquidation of the Company, and then only to the extent expressly provided for in this Agreement and as permitted by law.

Section 6.5 Voting Rights . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to the extent that the vote of the Members may be required hereunder, the act of a Majority Interest of the Members shall be an act of the Members. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, with respect to any Company Interests held by any Member who is an Employee, such Company Interests shall be non-voting if and when such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated for any reason or without reason, including by termination, resignation, death or disability.

 

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ARTICLE VII

BOOKS, REPORTS, MEETINGS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Section 7.1 Capital Accounts, Books and Records .

(a) The Company shall keep books of account for the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Such books shall be maintained at the principal office of the Company.

(b) An individual capital account (the “ Capital Account ”) shall be maintained by the Company for each Member as provided below:

(i) The Capital Account of each Member shall, initially except as otherwise provided herein, be equal to the amount of such Member’s Deemed Capital Contribution as of the date hereof and shall thereafter be increased by the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property contributed to the Company by such Member (net of liabilities secured by such contributed property that the Company is considered to assume or take subject to under Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code) and by such Member’s share of the Net Profits of the Company and special allocations of income or gain under Section  4.2 , and shall be decreased by such Member’s share of the Net Losses of the Company and special allocations of deduction or loss under Section  4.2 and by the amount of cash or the fair market value of any property distributed to such Member (net of liabilities secured by such distributed property that such Member is considered to assume or take subject to under Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code). The Capital Accounts shall also be increased or decreased upon the exercise of any noncompensatory option pursuant to the requirements of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(d)(4) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s).

(ii) Any adjustments of basis of Company property provided for under Sections 734 and 743 of the Internal Revenue Code (resulting from an election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code) shall not affect the Capital Accounts of the Members (unless otherwise required by applicable Treasury Regulations), and the Members’ Capital Accounts shall be debited or credited pursuant to the terms of this Section  7.1 as if no such election had been made.

(iii) Capital Accounts shall be adjusted, in a manner consistent with this Section  7.1 , to reflect any adjustments in items of Company income, gain, loss or deduction (including Simulated Depletion, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss) that result from amended returns filed by the Company or pursuant to an agreement by the Company with the Internal Revenue Service or a final court decision.

(iv) The allocation of basis prescribed by Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code and provided for in Section  4.3(b) and each Member’s separately computed depletion deductions shall not reduce such Member’s Capital Account, but such Member’s Capital Account shall be decreased by its allocable share of Simulated Depletion. The Simulated Basis in each oil and gas property as of the date of this

 

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Agreement or hereafter acquired shall be allocated among the Members in proportion to their Sharing Ratios. Simulated Depletion with respect to each separate oil and gas property shall be allocated to the Members in proportion to their respective shares of the Simulated Basis in the related property. No Member’s Capital Account shall be decreased, however, by Simulated Depletion deductions attributable to any oil and gas property to the extent such deductions exceed such Member’s allocable share of the Company’s remaining Simulated Basis in such property. Any Simulated Gain shall be allocated to the Members and shall increase their respective Capital Accounts in the same manner as an equal amount of gain would have been allocated pursuant to Section  4.1 . Any Simulated Loss shall be allocated to the Members and shall reduce their respective Capital Accounts in the same percentages as the basis of the property sold was allocated up to an amount equal to each Member’s share of the Company’s Simulated Basis in such property at the time of such sale.

(v) It is the intention of the Members that the Capital Accounts of each Member be kept in the manner required under Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). To the extent any additional adjustment to the Capital Accounts is required by such regulation, the Board is hereby authorized to make such adjustment after notice to the Members.

(vi) Any Person who acquires a Company Interest directly from a Member, or whose Company Interest shall be increased by means of a Transfer to it of all or part of the Company Interest of another Member, shall have a Capital Account (including a credit for all Deemed Capital Contributions and subsequent Capital Contributions made by such Member Transferring such Company Interest) which includes the Capital Account balance of the Company Interest or portion thereof so acquired or Transferred.

Section 7.2 Bank Accounts . The Board shall cause one or more Company accounts to be maintained in a bank (or banks) which is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or some other financial institution, which accounts shall be used for the payment of the expenditures incurred by the Company in connection with the business of the Company, and in which shall be deposited any and all receipts of the Company. The Board shall determine the number of and the Persons who will be authorized as signatories on each such bank account. The Company may invest the Company funds in such money market accounts or other investments as the Board shall determine to be of high quality.

Section 7.3 Reports . The Company shall provide each Member with copies of such financial reports as shall be reasonably requested from time to time by the Members and any such other reports and financial information as the Board shall determine from time to time, including periodic consolidated financial statements for the Company and its subsidiaries (including income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements) and copies of all engineering reserve reports and other financial reports that the Company or its subsidiaries provides to any financial institution that provides debt or equity financing to the Company or its subsidiaries.

 

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Section 7.4 Meetings of Members . The Board may hold meetings of the Members from time to time to inform and consult with the Members concerning the Company’s assets and such other matters as the Board deems appropriate, provided that nothing in this Section  7.4 shall require the Board to hold any such meetings. Such meetings shall be held at such times and places, as often and in such manner as shall be determined by the Board. The Board at its election may separately inform and consult with the Members for the above purposes without the necessity of calling and/or holding a meeting of the Members. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section  7.4 , the Members shall not be permitted to take part in the business or control of the business of the Company; it being the intention of the parties that the involvement of the Members as contemplated in this Section  7.4 is for the purpose of informing the Members with respect to various Company matters, explaining any information furnished to the Members in connection therewith, answering any questions the Members may have with respect thereto and receiving any ideas or suggestions the Members may have with respect thereto; it being the further intention of the parties that the Board shall have full and exclusive power and authority on behalf of the Company to acquire, manage, control and administer the assets, business and affairs of the Company in accordance with Section  5.1 and the other applicable provisions of this Agreement.

Section 7.5 Confidentiality . No Member shall use, publish, disseminate or otherwise disclose, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information that should come into the possession of such Member for other than a proper Company purpose. No Member shall disclose any such Confidential Information except as expressly authorized by this Agreement or by the Board, or as required by law or governmental or regulatory authority. Each Member shall instruct all Affiliates (including their representatives, agents and counsel) to comply with this Section  7.5 . If a Member is required by law or court order to disclose information that would otherwise be Confidential Information under this Agreement, such Member shall immediately notify the Company of such notice and provide the Company the opportunity to resist such disclosure by appropriate proceedings. The terms of this Section  7.5 shall survive with respect to each Member until the earlier to occur of (a) the date following one year from the date of the liquidation of the Company and (b) the date following two years from the date of termination of such Member’s Company Interest.

ARTICLE VIII

DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION

Section 8.1 Dissolution . The Company shall be dissolved upon the occurrence of any of the following:

(a) The seventh anniversary of the date of this Agreement;

(b) The sale, disposition or termination of all or substantially all of the property then owned by the Company; or

(c) The consent in writing of the Board of Managers.

 

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Section 8.2 Winding Down . From and after the sixth (6th) anniversary of the Company’s formation, unless a Majority Interest of the Members otherwise mutually agree or unless the Company has previously been dissolved, the Members shall cooperate in the marketing and sale of all or substantially all of the assets or outstanding Company Interests, or any other similar transaction to potentially interested third parties, such that the Company can be formally liquidated prior to the end of its stated term.

Section 8.3 Liquidation and Termination . Upon dissolution of the Company, the Board or, if the Board so desires, a Person selected by the Board, shall act as liquidator or shall appoint one or more liquidators who shall have full authority to wind up the affairs of the Company and make final distribution as provided herein. The liquidator shall continue to operate the Company properties with all of the power and authority of the Board. The steps to be accomplished by the liquidator are as follows:

(a) As promptly as possible after dissolution and again after final liquidation, the liquidator, if requested by any Member, shall cause a proper accounting to be made by the Company’s independent accountants of the Company’s assets, liabilities and operations through the last day of the month in which the dissolution occurs or the final liquidation is completed, as appropriate.

(b) The liquidator shall pay all of the debts and liabilities of the Company (including all expenses incurred in liquidation) or otherwise make adequate provision therefor (including the establishment of a cash escrow fund for contingent liabilities in such amount and for such term as the liquidator may reasonably determine). After making payment or provision for all debts and liabilities of the Company, the liquidator shall sell all properties and assets of the Company for cash as promptly as is consistent with obtaining the best price therefor; provided , however , that upon the consent of a Majority Interest of the Members, the liquidator may distribute such properties in kind. All Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss (or other items of income, gain, loss or deduction allocable under Section  4.2 ) realized on such sales shall be allocated to the Members as provided in this Agreement, and the Capital Accounts of the Members shall be adjusted accordingly. In the event of a distribution of properties in kind, the liquidator shall first adjust the Capital Accounts of the Members by the amount of any Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss (or other items of income, gain, loss or deduction allocable under Section  4.2 ) that would have been recognized by the Members if such properties had been sold at then fair market values. The liquidator shall then distribute the proceeds of such sales or such properties to the Members in the manner provided in Section  4.4(a) (subject to the last sentence of Section  4.4(b) ). If the foregoing distributions to the Members do not equal the Member’s respective positive Capital Account balances as determined after giving effect to the foregoing adjustments and to all adjustments attributable to allocations of Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss realized by the Company during the taxable year in question and all adjustments attributable to contributions and distributions of money and property effected prior to such distribution, then, the allocations of Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss provided for in this Agreement shall be adjusted, to the least extent necessary, to produce a Capital Account balance for each Member which corresponds to the amount of the distribution to such Member. Each Member shall have the right to designate another Person to receive any property which otherwise would be distributed in kind to that Member pursuant to this Section  8.3 .

 

25


(c) Except as expressly provided herein, the liquidator shall comply with any applicable requirements of the Act and all other applicable laws pertaining to the winding up of the affairs of the Company and the final distribution of its assets.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, no Member shall be obligated to restore a deficit balance in its Capital Account at any time.

The distribution of cash and/or property to the Members in accordance with the provisions of this Section  8.3 shall constitute a complete return to the Members of their Capital Contributions and a complete distribution to the Members of their Company Interest and all Company property.

ARTICLE IX

ASSIGNMENTS OF COMPANY INTERESTS

(a) No Member’s Company Interest or rights therein shall be Transferred, or made subject to an Indirect Transfer, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the Board; provided , however , that any Member may assign its Company Interest without obtaining such consent pursuant to (i) an Excluded Affiliate Transfer or (ii) a Transfer that is otherwise permitted pursuant to the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement. Any attempt by a Member to assign its Company Interest in violation of the immediately preceding sentence shall be void ab initio . If an interest in a Unit or other Company Interest is required by law to be Transferred to a spouse of a holder thereof pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction in a divorce proceeding (notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article  IX( a) ), then such holder shall nevertheless retain all rights with respect to such interest and any interest of such spouse shall be subject to such rights of such holder. In addition, if it is determined that the holder will be required to pay any taxes attributable to such interest of the spouse in the Company, then any tax liability of such holder that is attributable to such spouse’s interest shall be taken into account, and shall reduce such spouse’s interest in the Company; in no event shall the Company be required to provide any financial, valuation or other information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of their respective assets to the spouse or former spouse of such holder.

(b) Unless an assignee of a Company Interest becomes a substituted Member in accordance with the provisions set forth below, such assignee shall not be entitled to any of the rights granted to a Member hereunder, other than the right to receive allocations of income, gains, losses, deductions, credits and similar items and distributions to which the assignor would otherwise be entitled, to the extent such items are assigned.

(c) An assignee of a Company Interest shall become a substituted Member entitled to all of the rights of a Member if, and only if, (i) the assignor gives the assignee such right, (ii) the Board consents in writing to such substitution, the granting or denying of which shall be in the Board’s sole discretion, (iii) the assignee executes and delivers such instruments, in form and substance satisfactory to the Board, as the Board may deem necessary or desirable to effect such substitution and to confirm the agreement of the assignee to be bound by all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement, and (iv) if the Board so requires, the assignee

 

26


reimburses the Company for any costs incurred by the Company in connection with such assignment and substitution. Upon the satisfaction of such requirements, such assignee shall be admitted as of such date as shall be provided for in any document evidencing such assignment as a substituted Member of the Company.

(d) The Company and the Board shall be entitled to treat the record Member of any Company Interest as the absolute Member thereof in all respects and shall incur no liability for distributions of cash or other property made in good faith to such Member until such time as a written assignment of such Company Interest that complies with the terms of this Agreement has been received by the Board.

ARTICLE X

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Each Member acknowledges and agrees that its Company Interest is being purchased for such Member’s own account as part of a private offering, exempt from registration under the Securities Act and all applicable state securities or blue sky laws, for investment only and not with a view to the distribution nor other sale thereof and that an exemption from registration under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws may not be available if the Company Interest is acquired by such Member with a view to resale or distribution thereof under any conditions or circumstances as would constitute a distribution of such Company Interest within the meaning and purview of the Securities Act or the applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, each Member represents, warrants and covenants to the Company and all other interested parties that:

(a) Such Member understands that (i) such Member’s Company Interest is being offered and issued under exemptions from registration provided for in the Securities Act and applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws, (ii) such Member is acquiring an interest in the Company without being furnished any offering literature or prospectus, and (iii) the acquisition of such Member’s Company Interest by such Member has not been reviewed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or by any administrative agency charged with the administration of the securities or “blue sky” laws of any state.

(b) Such Member acknowledges that the Company Interest being acquired by such Member was not offered to such Member by means of publicly disseminated advertisements or sales literature, nor is such Member aware of any offers made to other Persons by such means.

(c) Such Member is familiar with Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act, such Member is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) of such Regulation D and such Member is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Company Interest.

(d) Such Member acknowledges that the Company Interest is a speculative investment that involves a high degree of risk and such Member can sustain a complete loss of such Member’s investment in the Company Interest. Such Member has adequate means of providing for its current needs and contingencies and can afford a complete loss of its investment in the Company.

 

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(e) Such Member acknowledges that the Company Interest will be an illiquid investment, that such Member will continue to bear the economic risk of the investment in the Company Interest for an indefinite period and that the Company Interest is being issued without registration for any subsequent sale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Such Member has no need for liquidity in such Member’s investment in the Company Interest.

(f) Such Member, by making other investments of a similar nature and/or by reason of his/its business and financial experience or the business and financial experience of those Persons it has retained to advise such Member with respect to its investment in the Company, (i) is knowledgeable and experienced in finance, securities and investing in securities similar to the Company Interest, and (ii) is a sophisticated investor who has the capacity to protect its own interest in investments of this nature, so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Company Interest.

(g) Prior to such Member’s decision to acquire the Company Interest, such Member:

(i) Has been afforded access to, has been given an opportunity to review and has provided to such Member’s accountants and advisors, as applicable, all of the agreements and documents pertaining to the initial creation, organization and capitalization of the Company, together with all other available information relating to the Company, including all documents, records, books and due diligence materials pertaining to this investment;

(ii) Has had an opportunity to ask questions of, and receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning such Member’s investment in the Company Interest; and

(iii) Has received all information requested of the Company that such Member deemed necessary or appropriate to evaluate the Member’s investment in the Company Interest and the risks and merits thereof and to make an informed decision concerning such Member’s investment in the Company Interest.

(h) Such Member is aware of the following:

(i) The Company is newly organized and has no financial or operating history and, further, such Member’s investment in the Company is speculative and involves a high degree of risk of loss by the Member of its entire investment, with no assurance of any income from such investment;

(ii) No federal or state agency has made any finding or determination as to the fairness of the investment, or any recommendation or endorsement, of such investment;

 

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(iii) There are substantial restrictions on the Transferability of the Company Interest of such Member, there will be no public market for the Company Interest and, accordingly, it may not be possible for such Member readily to liquidate its investment in the Company in case of emergency; and

(iv) Any federal or state income tax benefits which may be available to such Member may be lost through changes to existing laws and regulations or in the interpretation of existing laws and regulations and such Member, in making this investment, is relying, if at all, solely upon the advice of its own tax advisors with respect to the tax aspects of an investment in the Company.

(i) Such Member has evaluated the risk of investing in the Company Interest and is acquiring the Company Interest based only upon such Member’s independent examination and judgment as to the prospects of the Company as determined from the information in such Member’s possession or obtained directly by such Member from the Company.

(j) Such Member has a close business association with the Company or certain of its Affiliates, thereby making the Member a well-informed investor for purposes of this investment.

(k) Such Member’s Company Interest is being acquired by such Member for such Member’s own investment portfolio and account (and not on behalf of, and without the participation of, any other Person) with the intent of holding the Company Interest for investment and without the intent of participating, directly or indirectly, in a distribution of the Company Interest or a Transfer of the Company Interest and not with a view to, or for resale in connection with, any distribution of the Company Interest or Transfer of the Company Interest or any portion thereof.

(l) Such Member has no contract, undertaking, agreement, or arrangement with any Person to sell or otherwise Transfer to any Person, or to have any Person sell on behalf of such Member, its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), and such Member is not engaged in, and does not plan to engage within the foreseeable future in, any discussion with any Person relative to the sale or any Transfer of its Company Interest (or any portion thereof).

(m) Such Member is not aware of any occurrence, event, or circumstance upon the happening of which such Member intends to attempt to Transfer its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), and such Member does not have any present intention of Transferring its Company Interest (or any portion thereof) after the lapse of any particular period of time.

(n) Such Member understands that the Company Interest may not be offered for sale, sold or Transferred other than in accordance with the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and this Agreement, including Article  IX hereof, and pursuant to (i) an effective registration under the Securities Act or in a transaction that is otherwise in compliance with the Securities Act and (ii) evidence satisfactory to the Company of compliance with the applicable securities laws (which may require such Member to provide an opinion of legal counsel satisfactory to the Company confirming compliance with such laws).

 

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(o) Such Member further covenants and agrees that such Member shall have no right to require registration of its Company Interest under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and, in view of the nature of the Company and its business, such registration is neither contemplated nor likely.

(p) Such Member understands that a legend indicating that the Company Interest has not been registered under applicable federal and state securities laws and referring to the restrictions on transferability and sale of the Company Interest may be placed on any certificate(s) or other document delivered to such Member or any substitute therefore and any transfer agent of the Company or its affiliates may be instructed to require compliance therewith.

(q) Such Member confirms that such Member has been advised to consult with such Member’s own attorney regarding legal matters concerning the Company and to consult with independent tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of investing in the Company.

(r) Such Member acknowledges that such Member understands the meaning and the legal consequences of the representations, warranties, covenants and certifications set forth in this Article  X and that the Company has relied and will rely upon such representations, warranties, covenants and certifications.

ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.1 Notices . All notices, elections, demands or other communications required or permitted to be made or given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be considered as properly given or made on the date of actual delivery if given by (a) personal delivery, (b) United States mail, (c) expedited overnight delivery service with proof of delivery, or (d) via facsimile with confirmation of delivery, addressed to the respective addressee(s). Any Member may change its address by giving notice in writing to the other Members of its new address.

Section 11.2 Amendment .

(a) In addition to the right of the Board to amend this Agreement as provided below, and except as otherwise provided below, any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective if made by an instrument in writing that has been duly approved by the Board and a Majority Interest of the Members.

(b) Notwithstanding Section  11.2(a) , with respect to any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement that would (i) increase the liability or duties of any of the Members, (ii) change the contributions required of any of the Members, (iii) cause the Company to be taxed as a corporation, or (iv) otherwise result in any disproportionate and material adverse tax consequences for any Member, such change, modification, or amendment shall not be binding on such Member unless contained in a written instrument duly executed by such Member; provided , however , that this Section  11.2(b) shall not apply to the Board’s ability to amend this Agreement pursuant to Article  III ; provided , further , that any amendment which is

 

30


made to facilitate a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, to convert the Company into another entity, or to cause the Company to participate in an exchange of interests or some type of business combination with any other entity, shall require the approval only of the Board and a Majority Interest of the Members, if each of the material terms and provisions of such merger, consolidation, conversion, exchange or combination provides for equal and/or proportionate treatment of each of the Members.

(c) With respect to any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement that would change the name of the Company, admit new or substituted Members in accordance with the terms of Article  IX , or any other change, modification or amendment that does not adversely affect the Members in any disproportionate and material respect, and any change, modification or amendment which the Board determines is necessary or advisable to ensure that the Company is not and will not be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or to conform with changes in applicable tax law ( provided such changes do not have a material adverse effect on the Members), such change, modification, or amendment may be contained in a written instrument executed solely by the Board; provided that the Board notifies the Members of such change, modification, or amendment.

(d) With respect to any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement which the Board determines is necessary or advisable to comply with or administer in an equitable manner the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act and any Treasury Regulations or other administrative pronouncements promulgated thereunder in any manner determined by the Board, such change, modification, or amendment may be contained in a written instrument executed solely by the Board; provided that the Board notifies the Members of such change, modification, or amendment.

Section 11.3 Partition . Each of the Members hereby irrevocably waives for the term of the Company any right that such Member may have to maintain any action for partition with respect to the Company property.

Section 11.4 Amendment and Restatement of Original Agreement; Entire Agreement . The parties hereto hereby agree to continue the Company and hereby amend and restate the Original Agreement, which is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this Agreement. This Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby constitute the full and complete agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede any prior agreement or understanding among them with respect to such subject matter, including without limitation the Original Agreement.

Section 11.5 Severability . Every provision in this Agreement is intended to be severable. If any term or provision hereof is illegal or invalid for any reason whatsoever, such illegality or invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Agreement.

Section 11.6 No Waiver . The failure of any Member to insist upon strict performance of a covenant hereunder or of any obligation hereunder, irrespective of the length of time for which such failure continues, shall not constitute a waiver of such Member’s right to demand strict compliance in the future. No consent or waiver, express or implied, to or of any breach or default in the performance of any obligation hereunder shall constitute a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance of the same or any other obligation hereunder.

 

31


Section 11.7 Applicable Law . This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall be governed by and interpreted, construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Texas, without regard to rules or principles of conflicts of law requiring the application of the law of another State.

Section 11.8 Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns; provided , however , that no Member may Transfer all or any part of its rights or Company Interest or any interest under this Agreement except in accordance with Article  IX .

Section 11.9 Arbitration . Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Transaction Documents, or the Company, including claims sounding in contract, tort, statutory or otherwise (a “ Dispute ”), shall be settled exclusively and finally by arbitration in accordance with this Section  11.9 .

(a) Rules and Procedures . Such arbitration shall be administered by JAMS/Endispute, Inc., a Delaware corporation and national dispute resolution company (“ JAMS ”), pursuant to (i) the JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures, if the amount in controversy is $250,000 or less, or (ii) the JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures, if the amount in controversy exceeds $250,000 (each, as applicable, the “ Rules ”). The making, validity, construction, and interpretation of this Section  11.9 , and all procedural aspects of the arbitration conducted pursuant hereto, shall be decided by the arbitrator(s). For purposes of this Section  11.9 , “amount in controversy” means the stated amount of the claim, not including interest or attorneys’ fees, plus the stated amount of any counterclaim, not including interest or attorneys’ fees. If the claim or counterclaim seeks a form of relief other than damages, such as injunctive or declaratory relief, it shall be treated as if the amount in controversy exceeds $250,000, unless all parties to the Dispute otherwise agree.

(b) Discovery . Discovery shall be allowed only to the extent permitted by the Rules.

(c) Time and Place . All arbitration proceedings hereunder shall be conducted in Dallas, Texas or such other location as all parties to the Dispute may agree. Unless good cause is shown or all parties to the Dispute otherwise agree, the hearing on the merits shall be conducted within one hundred eighty (180) days of the initiation of the arbitration, if the arbitration is being conducted under the Streamlined Arbitration Rules, or within two hundred seventy (270) days of the initiation of the arbitration, if the arbitration is being conducted under the Comprehensive Arbitration Rules. However, it shall not be a basis to challenge the outcome or result of the arbitration proceeding that it was not conducted within the specified timeframe, nor shall the failure to conduct the hearing within the specified timeframe in any way waive the right to arbitration as provided for herein.

 

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(d) Arbitrators .

(i) If the amount in controversy is $250,000 or less, the arbitration shall be before a single arbitrator selected by JAMS in accordance with the Rules.

(ii) If the amount in controversy is more than $250,000, the arbitration shall be before a panel of three arbitrators, selected in accordance with this paragraph. The party initiating the arbitration shall designate, with its initial filing, its choice of arbitrator. Within thirty (30) days of the notice of initiation of the arbitration procedure, the opposing party to the Dispute shall select one arbitrator. If any party to the Dispute shall fail to select an arbitrator within the required time, JAMS shall appoint an arbitrator for that party. In the event that the Dispute involves three or more parties, JAMS shall determine the parties’ alignment pursuant to Rule 15 and each “side” shall have the right to appoint one arbitrator as provided above. The two arbitrators so selected shall select a third arbitrator, failing agreement on which, the third arbitrator shall be selected in accordance with JAMS Rule 15. Notwithstanding that each party may select an arbitrator, all arbitrators (whether selected by the parties, JAMS or otherwise) shall be independent and shall disclose any relationship that he or she may have with any party to the Dispute at the time of their respective appointment. All arbitrators shall be subject to challenge for cause under JAMS Rule 15. In the event that any party-selected arbitrator is struck for cause, JAMS shall appoint the replacement arbitrator.

(e) Waiver of Certain Damages . Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company and the Members expressly agree that the arbitrators shall have absolutely no authority to award consequential, incidental, special, treble, exemplary or punitive damages of any type under any circumstances regardless of whether such damages may be available under Texas law, or any other laws, or under the Federal Arbitration Act or the Rules, unless such damages are a part of a third party claim for which a Member is entitled to indemnification hereunder.

(f) Limitations on Arbitrators . The arbitrators shall have authority to interpret and apply the terms and conditions of this Agreement and to order any remedy allowed by this Agreement, including specific performance of the Agreement, but may not change any term or condition of this Agreement, deprive any Member of a remedy expressly provided hereunder, or provide any right or remedy that has been excluded hereunder.

(g) Form of Award . The arbitration award shall conform with the Rules, but also contain a certification by the arbitrators that, except as permitted by Section  11.9(e) , the award does not include any consequential, incidental, special, treble, exemplary or punitive damages.

(h) Fees and Awards . The fees and expenses of the arbitrator(s) shall be borne equally by each side to the Dispute, but the decision of the arbitrator(s) may include such award of the arbitrators’ expenses and of other costs to the prevailing side as the arbitrators may determine. In addition, the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award of its attorneys’ fees and interest.

 

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(i) Binding Nature . The decision and award shall be binding upon all of the parties to the Dispute and final and nonappealable to the maximum extent permitted by law, and judgment thereon may be entered in a court of competent jurisdiction and enforced by any party to the Dispute as a final judgment of such court.

Section 11.10 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same document.

*    *    *    *

[ Signature Pages of Company, Members and Managers Attached ]

 

34


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

 

COMPANY:
ESQUISTO INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC
By:  

/s/ Richard D. Brannon

  Name: Richard D. Brannon
  Title:    CEO
MEMBERS:
CH4 ENERGY III, LLC
By:  

/s/ Richard D. Brannon

  Name: Richard D. Brannon
  Title:    President
CH4 ENERGY IV, LLC
By:  

/s/ Richard D. Brannon

  Name: Richard D. Brannon
  Title:    President
CH4 ENERGY V, LLC
By:  

/s/ Richard D. Brannon

  Name: Richard D. Brannon
  Title:    President
CROSSING ROCKS ENERGY, LLC
By:  

/s/ Bruce Selkirk

  Name: Bruce Selkirk
  Title:    President and CEO

A MENDED AND R ESTATED

L IMITED L IABILITY C OMPANY A GREEMENT

ESQUISTO INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

S IGNATURE P AGE


GARLAND EXPLORATION, LLC
By:  

/s/ Mike Hoover

  Name: Mike Hoover
  Title:    President
CALBRI ENERGY, INC.
By:  

/s/ Clinton Seidel

  Name: Clinton Seidel
  Title:    President

A MENDED AND R ESTATED

L IMITED L IABILITY C OMPANY A GREEMENT

ESQUISTO INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

S IGNATURE P AGE


MANAGERS:

/s/ Mike Hoover

Mike Hoover

/s/ Richard D. Brannon

Richard D. Brannon

/s/ Bruce Selkirk

Bruce Selkirk

/s/ David W. Hayes

David W. Hayes

/s/ Craig S. Glick

Craig S. Glick

/s/ Brian Minnehan

Brian Minnehan

/s/ David R. Albin

David R. Albin

A MENDED AND R ESTATED

L IMITED L IABILITY C OMPANY A GREEMENT

ESQUISTO INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC

S IGNATURE P AGE

Exhibit 10.8

Execution Version

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS , LLC

December  19 , 2016


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I FORMATION OF COMPANY

     1   

Section 1.1.

  Formation and Continuation      1   

Section 1.2.

  Name      1   

Section 1.3.

  Business      2   

Section 1.4.

  Places of Business; Registered Agent; Names and Addresses of Members      2   

Section 1.5.

  Term      2   

Section 1.6.

  Filings      2   

Section 1.7.

  Title to Company Property      2   

Section 1.8.

  No Payments of Individual Obligations      2   

ARTICLE II DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES

     3   

Section 2.1.

  Defined Terms      3   

Section 2.2.

  References and Titles      14   

ARTICLE III CAPITALIZATION AND UNITS

     15   

Section 3.1.

  Capital Contributions of Members      15   

Section 3.2.

  Issuances of Additional Securities      15   

Section 3.3.

  Return of Contributions      15   

Section 3.4.

  Incentive Interests      15   

ARTICLE IV ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

     19   

Section 4.1.

  Allocations of Net Profits and Net Losses      19   

Section 4.2.

  Special Allocations      19   

Section 4.3.

  Income Tax Allocations      21   

Section 4.4.

  Distributions.      23   

ARTICLE V MANAGEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS

     25   

Section 5.1.

  Power and Authority of Board      25   

Section 5.2.

  Officers      26   

Section 5.3.

  Acknowledged and Permitted Activities      26   

Section 5.4.

  Duties and Services of the Board      27   

Section 5.5.

  Liability and Indemnification      27   

Section 5.6.

  Reimbursement of Members      28   

Section 5.7.

  Insurance      28   

Section 5.8.

  Tax Elections and Status      28   

Section 5.9.

  Tax Returns      29   

Section 5.10.

  Tax Matters Member      30   

Section 5.11.

  Section 83(b) Election      30   

Section 5.12.

  Tax Reimbursement      30   

ARTICLE VI RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

     30   

Section 6.1.

  Rights of Members      30   

 

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Section 6.2.

   Limitations on Members      31   

Section 6.3.

   Liability of Members      31   

Section 6.4.

   Withdrawal and Return of Capital Contributions      31   

Section 6.5.

   Voting Rights      31   

ARTICLE VII BOOKS, REPORTS, MEETINGS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

     31   

Section 7.1.

   Capital Accounts, Books and Records.      31   

Section 7.2.

   Bank Accounts      33   

Section 7.3.

   Reports      33   

Section 7.4.

   Meetings of Members      34   

Section 7.5.

   Confidentiality      34   

ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION

     34   

Section 8.1.

   Dissolution      34   

Section 8.2.

   Winding Down      35   

Section 8.3.

   Liquidation and Termination      35   

ARTICLE IX ASSIGNMENTS OF COMPANY INTERESTS

     36   

Section 9.1.

   Assignments of Company Interests.      36   

ARTICLE X REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     37   

Section 10.1.

   Representations and Warranties      37   

ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS

     39   

Section 11.1.

   Notices      39   

Section 11.2.

   Amendment.      39   

Section 11.3.

   Partition      41   

Section 11.4.

   Entire Agreement      41   

Section 11.5.

   Severability      41   

Section 11.6.

   No Waiver      41   

Section 11.7.

   Applicable Law      41   

Section 11.8.

   Successors and Assigns      41   

Section 11.9.

   Arbitration      41   

Section 11.10.

   Counterparts      43   

 

ii


AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

OF

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS , LLC

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), dated effective as of December 19, 2016, is made by and among WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”), and the Persons who have executed a signature page to this Agreement as the Members and the Managers.

WHEREAS, the Company was formed pursuant to the filing of a Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware effective on November 21, 2016, in accordance with the provisions of the Act (as defined below) and by the execution of that certain Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated effective as of November 21, 2016 (the “ Original Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, effective as of the date hereof, the parties to this Agreement hereby amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein in order to reflect the admission of the Members, and the parties’ agreement regarding the manner in which the Company shall be governed and operated and the other matters set forth herein.

ARTICLE I

FORMATION OF COMPANY

Section 1.1. Formation and Continuation . Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the parties do hereby desire to establish this Agreement to continue and govern the Company as a limited liability company under the provisions of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, D EL . C ODE A NN . T IT . 6 §§ 18-101 (2010) et seq., as amended from time to time, and any successor statute or statutes (the “ Act ”). The Company was formed upon the execution and filing by the organizer with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of a Certificate of Formation of the Company effective on November 21, 2016. This Agreement shall amend and restate in its entirety the Original Agreement in all respects and such Original Agreement shall be of no force or effect after the date hereof. The parties hereby continue the Company pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

Section 1.2. Name . The name of the Company shall be WHE AcqCo Holdings, LLC. Subject to all applicable laws, the business of the Company shall be conducted in the name of the Company unless under the law of some jurisdiction in which the Company does business such business must be conducted under another name or unless the Board determines that it is advisable to conduct Company business under another name. In such a case, the business of the Company in such jurisdiction or in connection with such determination may be conducted under such other name or names as the Board shall determine to be necessary. The Board shall cause to be filed on behalf of the Company such assumed or fictitious name certificate or certificates or similar instruments as may from time to time be required by law.

 

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Section 1.3. Business . The business of the Company shall be, whether directly or indirectly through subsidiaries, to hold shares of common stock of WRDC and to make distributions to Members as provided herein.

Section 1.4. Places of Business ; Registered Agent ; Names and Addresses of Members .

(a) The address of the principal United States office and place of business of the Company and its street address shall be 9805 Katy Freeway, Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77024. The Board, at any time and from time to time, may change the location of the Company’s principal place of business upon giving prior written notice of such change to the Members and may establish such additional place or places of business of the Company as the Board shall determine to be necessary or desirable.

(b) The registered office of the Company in the State of Delaware shall be and it hereby is, established and maintained at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, and the registered agent for service of process on the Company shall be The Corporation Trust Company, whose business address is the same as the Company’s registered office in Delaware. The Board, at any time and from time to time, may change the Company’s registered office or registered agent or both by complying with the applicable provisions of the Act, and may establish, appoint and change additional registered offices and registered agents of the Company in such other states as the Board shall determine to be necessary or advisable.

(c) The mailing address and street address of each of the Members shall be the same as for the Company, unless another address for such Member is set forth on Exhibit A to this Agreement.

Section 1.5. Term . The Company shall continue until terminated in accordance with Section  8.1 .

Section 1.6. Filings . Upon the request of the Board, the Members shall promptly execute and deliver all such certificates and other instruments conforming hereto as shall be necessary for the Board to accomplish all filing, recording, publishing and other acts appropriate to comply with all requirements for the formation and operation of a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware and for the qualification and operation of a limited liability company in all other jurisdictions where the Company shall propose to conduct business. Prior to conducting business in any jurisdiction, the Board shall use its reasonable good faith efforts to cause the Company to comply with all requirements for the qualification of the Company to conduct business as a limited liability company in such jurisdiction.

Section 1.7. Title to Company Property . All property owned by the Company, whether real or personal, tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Company as an entity, and no Member, individually, shall have any ownership of such property. The Company may hold its property in its own name or in the name of a nominee which may be the Board or any of its Affiliates or any trustee or agent designated by it.

Section 1.8. No Payments of Individual Obligations . The Members shall use the Company’s credit and assets solely for the benefit of the Company. No asset of the Company shall be Transferred for or in payment of any individual obligation of any Member.

 

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ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES

Section 2.1. Defined Terms . When used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:

Act ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  1.1 .

Adjusted Capital Account ” shall mean the Capital Account maintained for each Member as provided in Section 7.1(b) as of the end of each Fiscal Period, (a) increased by (i) the amount of any unpaid Capital Contributions agreed to be contributed by such Member under Section  3.1 , if any, and (ii) an amount equal to such Member’s allocable share of Minimum Gain as computed on the last day of such Fiscal Period in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, and (b) reduced by the adjustments provided for in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4)-(6).

Adjusted Obligation ” shall mean any Obligation the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 7.1(b )( vi) or any Obligation that has a Carrying Value different than its adjusted issue price at the time the Obligation is assumed, or taken subject to, by the Company from a Member in connection with a contribution to the Company subject to Section 721 of the Code.

Adjusted Property ” shall mean any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 7.1(b )( vi) or any property that has a Carrying Value different than the adjusted tax basis at the time of a Capital Contribution by a Member.

Affiliate ” (whether or not capitalized) shall mean, with respect to any Person: (a) any other Person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding power to vote 10% or more of the outstanding voting securities of such Person, (b) any other Person 10% or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held with power to vote by such Person, (c) any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person, and (d) any officer, director, member, partner or immediate family member of such Person or any other Person described in subsection (a), (b) or (c) of this paragraph.

Agreement ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph.

Amended Code ” means the Code (as amended by the Bipartisan Budget Act).

Benchmark Value Payout ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b )( iv) .

Benchmark Value Re-grant Payout ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c )( i ) .

 

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Bipartisan Budget Act ” shall mean Title XI of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 and any related provisions of law, court decisions, regulations, rules, and administrative guidance.

Board ” and “ Board of Managers ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.1(a) .

Capital Account ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.1(b) .

Capital Contributions ” shall mean for any Member at the particular time in question the aggregate of the dollar amounts of any cash, or the fair market value (as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Board) of any property, contributed to the capital of the Company, or, if the context in which such term is used so indicates, the dollar amounts of cash or the fair market value (as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Board) of any property agreed to be contributed, or requested to be contributed, by such Member to the capital of the Company.

Capital Interest Percentage ” means, at any time of determination and as to any Member, the percentage of the total distributions that would be made to such Member if the assets of the Company were sold for their respective Carrying Values, all liabilities of the Company were paid in accordance with their terms (limited in the case of non-recourse liabilities to the Carrying Value of the property securing such liabilities), all items of Company Net Profit, Net Loss, income, gain, loss and deduction were allocated to the Members in accordance with Section  4.4 , and the resulting net proceeds were distributed to the Members in accordance with Article VIII ; provided, however , that the Board may determine that the Members’ Capital Interest Percentages should be determined based upon a hypothetical sale of the assets of the Company for their respective fair market values (instead of Carrying Values) in order to ensure that such percentages correspond to the Members’ “ proportionate interests in partnership capital ” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.613A-3(e)(2)(ii). The foregoing definition of Capital Interest Percentage is intended to result in a percentage for each Member that corresponds with the Member’s “ proportionate interest in partnership capital ” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.613A-3(e)(2)(ii), and Capital Interest Percentage shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

Capital Member ” means any Member holding Company Interests with respect to which Capital Contributions have been, or have been deemed to have been, previously made.

Carrying Value ” shall mean with respect to any asset or Obligation of the Company, the asset’s adjusted basis or the Obligation’s adjusted issue price for federal income tax purposes, except as follows:

(a) The initial Carrying Value of any asset contributed by a Member to the Company will be the fair market value of the asset on the date of the contribution, as determined by the Board;

(b) The initial Carrying Value of any Obligation assumed, or taken subject to, by the Company from a Member in connection with a contribution to the Company subject to Section 721 of the Code shall be the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of the date of such assumption or taking subject to;

 

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(c) The Carrying Value of all Company assets shall be adjusted to equal their respective fair market values, as determined by the Board, upon (i) the acquisition of an additional Company Interest by any new or existing Member in exchange for a Capital Contribution that is not de minimis; (ii) the distribution by the Company to a Member of Company property that is not de minimis as consideration for a Company Interest; (iii) the grant of a Company Interest that is not de minimis consideration for the performance of services to or for the benefit of the Company by any new or existing Member; (iv) the liquidation of the Company as provided in Section  8.2 ; (v) the acquisition of a Company Interest by any new or existing Member upon the exercise of a noncompensatory warrant or the making of any Capital Contribution in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s); or (vi) any other event to the extent determined by the Board to be necessary to properly reflect Carrying Values in accordance with the standards set forth in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(q), provided that any adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the Members shall be made as provided in Section 7.1(b)(vi) . If any noncompensatory warrants (or similar interests) are outstanding upon the occurrence of an event described in clauses (i) through (vi) above, the Company shall adjust the Carrying Values of its properties in accordance with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f)(1) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(h)(2);

(d) The Carrying Value of any Company asset distributed to any Member shall be adjusted to equal the fair market value of such asset on the date of distribution, as determined by the Board;

(e) The Carrying Value of an asset shall be adjusted by Depreciation and Simulated Depletion taken into account with respect to such asset for purposes of computing Net Profits, Net Losses and other items allocated pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(iv) ;

(f) (i) The Carrying Value of each Obligation of the Company shall be adjusted to equal the obligation’s Gross Liability Value at such times as an adjustment to the Carrying Value of Company assets is made pursuant to paragraph (c) hereof, and (ii) the Carrying Value of any Obligation of the Company that is assumed, or taken subject to, by a Member in connection with a distribution of property to the Member in a transaction subject to Code Section 731 shall be adjusted immediately prior thereto to equal the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of the date it is assumed or taken subject to by such Member; provided , that any adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the Members shall be made as provided in Section 7.1(b)(vi) ;

(g) If the Carrying Value of an Obligation of the Company has been determined or adjusted pursuant to clauses (b) or (f) hereof, such Carrying Value shall thereafter be adjusted based on the method adopted under subparagraph (c) of the definition of “Net Profit” or “Net Loss” to determine the extent to which the Carrying Value of such Obligation is treated as satisfied or otherwise taken into account; and

(h) The Carrying Value of Company assets and Obligations shall be adjusted at such other times as required in the applicable Treasury Regulations.

Company ” shall have the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

 

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Company Interest ” shall mean any Member’s interest in, or rights in, the Company including and representing, as the context shall require, any membership interest in the Company, Incentive Interests, and/or any other class or series of interests created pursuant to Section  3.2 .

Company Nonrecourse Liabilities ” shall mean nonrecourse liabilities (or portions thereof) of the Company for which no Member bears the economic risk of loss in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Confidential Information ” shall mean, without limitation, all proprietary and confidential information of the Company, including business opportunities of the Company, intellectual property, and any other information heretofore or hereafter acquired, developed or used by the Company relating to its business, including any confidential information contained in any lease files, well files and records, land files, abstracts, title opinions, title or curative matters, contract files, seismic records, electric logs, core data, pressure data, production records, geological and geophysical reports and related data, memoranda, notes, records, drawings, correspondence, financial and accounting information, customer lists, statistical data and compilations, patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade names, inventions, formulae, methods, processes, agreements, contracts, manuals or any other documents relating to the business of the Company, developed by, or originated by any third party and brought to the attention of, the Company; provided that such Confidential Information shall not include such information that is part of common knowledge or understanding in the oil and gas industry or otherwise in the public domain (other than from disclosure by such Member in violation of this Agreement).

Depreciation ” shall mean for each Fiscal Period or other period, an amount equal to the depreciation, amortization, or other cost recovery deduction (other than Simulated Depletion) allowable with respect to an asset for such year or other period, except that if the Carrying Value of an asset differs from its adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes at the beginning of such year or other period, Depreciation shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to such beginning Carrying Value as the federal income tax depreciation, amortization or other cost recovery deduction for such year or other period bears to such beginning adjusted tax basis (unless the adjusted tax basis is equal to zero, in which event Depreciation shall be determined under any reasonable method selected by the Board).

Descendants ” means the legitimate children of the person or persons designated and the legitimate lineal Descendants of such legitimate children, and includes any person adopted before attaining the age of eighteen (18) and the adopted person’s Descendants. A child is “legitimate” as to such child’s father if (a) such child’s father has been determined to be such child’s parent by virtue of genetic testing of a type then reasonably relied upon by experts in the field of genetic testing; and (b) the father is, or has ever been, married to such child’s mother as of the date on which such determination must be made. The presumptions of paternity found in section 160.204 of the Texas Family Code, as amended, shall not apply. A child is always legitimate as to the mother who has given birth to such child.

Dispute ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  11.9 .

 

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Distributable Funds ” shall mean the available cash of the Company in excess of the working capital and other requirements of the Company as determined by the Board of Managers.

Employee ” shall mean an individual who is employed by, or serves as an independent contractor for, the Company or any of its subsidiaries, including WRDC, or other Affiliates, or is employed by an entity with which the Company has entered into an agreement to provide personnel, management and administrative service to the Company. In the event any provision of this Agreement refers to the resignation of an Employee, such resignation or termination shall apply to the entity that is the employer of such Employee.

Excluded Affiliate Transfer ” shall mean (a) any Transfer of a Company Interest by NGP (whether voluntarily or by operation of law) to a partner or other Affiliate or a legal successor of NGP; (b) any Transfer of a Company Interest by a Member who is an individual to or among such Member’s Family Group, but only if and for so long as such Member retains the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer unless the Transferee was a Member prior to such Transfer and had voting rights prior to such Transfer; (c) upon the death of a Member who is an individual, any Transfer of such Member’s Company Interest pursuant to the duly executed Last Will or similar document controlling the testamentary disposition of such Member’s property, or pursuant to the applicable laws of descent and distributions; and (d) any Transfer to a corporation, partnership or limited liability company which is wholly owned by the Family Group and controlled (through voting rights) by such Member, but only if and for so long as such Transferring Member retains the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer, it being acknowledged and agreed that any failure by such Transferring Member to retain the exclusive right to vote such Company Interest following such Transfer shall then immediately and automatically be deemed to be a Transfer that is not an Excluded Affiliate Transfer, unless such Transfer would otherwise be an Excluded Affiliate Transfer under clauses (a), (b) or (c) above; provided that, in the case of any Transfer described in clauses (a) – (d) above, such Transferee agrees to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and evidences same by executing a copy of this Agreement and such other documents as the Company may reasonably request promptly upon receiving the assignment of such Company Interest.

Excluded Business Opportunity ” shall mean a business opportunity other than a business opportunity: (a) that (i) has come to the attention of a Person solely in, and as a direct result of, its or his capacity as a director of or an advisor to, principal of or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, or as employee of an entity that has contracted with the Company to provide personnel, management and administrative services to the Company, or (ii) was developed with the use or benefit of the personnel or assets of the Company, or a subsidiary of the Company, and (b) that has not been previously independently brought to the attention of the subject Person from a source that is not affiliated (other than through such subject Person) with the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.

 

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Family Group ” means, as to any particular Member who is an individual, (a) such Member’s spouse, other than a spouse who is legally separated from such Member under a decree of separate maintenance or with respect to whom there is an action for divorce pending; (b) such Member’s Descendants; (c) such Member’s parents or any Descendants of such Member’s parents; (d) such Member’s spouse’s parents or any Descendants of such Member’s spouse’s parents; and (e) any trust solely for the benefit of such Member, or solely for the benefit of such Member and/or any individual described in clause (a) – (d) above.

Fiscal Period ” shall mean each period (a) beginning, for the first Fiscal Period, on the date of formation of the Company, or for each succeeding Fiscal Period on the day after the last day of the immediately preceding Fiscal Period and (b) ending on the earliest to occur of the last day of the calendar year and the day on which the Carrying Value of all Company assets are adjusted pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of Carrying Value.

Fundamental Change ” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events:

(a) any of the following transactions occurs: (i) the Company or WRDC merges, consolidates or reconstitutes with or into, or enters into any similar transaction with, any Person other than an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party, (ii) the outstanding Company Interests are sold or exchanged by the holders thereof in a single transaction, or a series of related transactions, to any Person other than an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party, or (iii) the Company or WRDC sells, leases, licenses or exchanges or agrees to sell, lease, license or exchange all or substantially all of its assets to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party and in the case of any such transaction described in the immediately preceding clauses (i) – (iii), the Persons who served as members of the Board immediately before consummation of such transaction cease to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board (in the case of a sale of equity interests) or the members of the board or analogous managing body of the surviving or acquiring entity (in the case of an asset Transfer, conversion, merger, consolidation or similar transaction), immediately following completion of such transaction; or

(b) any single Person or group of related Persons (other than the Company, any Member or an Affiliate of the Company or a Member or a Related Party) purchases or otherwise acquires the right to vote or dispose of the securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the total voting power of all the then outstanding voting securities of the Company, unless such purchase or acquisition has been approved by the Board; provided that no Capital Contribution(s) made by NGP shall cause a Fundamental Change; or

(c) the Company or WRDC is dissolved and liquidated.

Gross Liability Value ” means, with respect to any Company Obligation as of any date, the amount of cash that a willing assignor would pay to a willing assignee to assume such Obligation in an arm’s-length transaction as determined by the Board in good faith.

Hypothetical Liquidation ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a) .

Incentive Interests ” shall mean the Incentive Units.

 

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Incentive Unit ” shall mean a Unit issued as a Tier I Unit or Tier II Unit pursuant to Section 3.4(a) and reflected on Exhibit A as, from time to time, may be updated pursuant to this Agreement.

Indemnitee ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.5(a) .

Indirect Transfer ” shall mean (with respect to any Member that is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity) a deemed Transfer of a Company Interest, which shall occur upon any direct or indirect Transfer of the ownership of, or voting rights associated with, the equity or other ownership interests in such Member.

Internal Revenue Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute or statutes.

JAMS ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.9(a) .

Majority Interest ” of the Members, as to any agreement, election, vote or other action of the Members, shall mean those Members whose combined Sharing Ratios exceed 50%.

Manager ” and “ Managers ” shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in Section 5.1(a) .

Members ” shall mean the Persons (including holders of Incentive Units) who from time to time shall execute a signature page to this Agreement (including by counterpart) as the Members, including any Person who becomes a substituted Member of the Company pursuant to the terms hereof.

Member Nonrecourse Debt ” shall mean any nonrecourse debt of the Company for which any Member bears the economic risk of loss in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Member Nonrecourse Deductions ” shall mean the amount of deductions, losses and expenses equal to the net increase during the year in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt, reduced (but not below zero) by proceeds of such Member Nonrecourse Debt distributed during the year to the Members who bear the economic risk of loss for such debt, as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

Minimum Gain ” shall mean (a) with respect to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, the amount of gain that would be realized by the Company if the Company Transferred (in a taxable transaction) all Company properties that are subject to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities in full satisfaction of Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, computed in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations, or (b) with respect to each Member Nonrecourse Debt, the amount of gain that would be realized by the Company if the Company Transferred (in a taxable transaction) the Company property that is subject to such Member Nonrecourse Debt in full satisfaction of such Member Nonrecourse Debt, computed in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

 

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Net Profit ” or “ Net Loss ” shall mean, with respect to any Fiscal Period, the net income or net loss of the Company for such period, determined in accordance with federal income tax accounting principles and Section 703(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (including any items that are separately stated for purposes of Section 702(a) of the Internal Revenue Code), with the following adjustments:

(a) any income of the Company that is exempt from federal income tax shall be included as income;

(b) any expenditures of the Company that are described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code or treated as so described pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i) shall be treated as current expenses;

(c) if Company assets are distributed to the Members in kind, such distributions shall be treated as sales of such assets for cash at their respective fair market values in determining Net Profit and Net Loss;

(d) in the event the Carrying Value of any Company asset is adjusted as provided in this Agreement, the amount of such adjustment shall be taken into account as gain or loss from the Transfer of such asset for purposes of computing Net Profit or Net Loss;

(e) in the event the Carrying Value of any Company Obligations is adjusted as provided in this Agreement, the amount of any such adjustment shall be treated for purposes hereof as an item of loss (if the adjustment increases the Carrying Value of such Obligation of the Company) or an item of gain (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of such Obligation of the Company) for purposes of computing Net Profit or Net Loss;

(f) gain or loss resulting from any Transfer of Company property with respect to which gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes shall be computed by reference to the Carrying Value of the property Transferred, notwithstanding that the adjusted tax basis for such property differs from its Carrying Value;

(g) in lieu of the depreciation, amortization and other cost recovery deductions taken into account in computing such taxable income or loss, there shall be taken into account Depreciation for such Fiscal Period;

(h) income, gain, deduction or loss resulting from the satisfaction of, or accrual for federal income tax purposes of items with respect to, a Company Obligation with a Carrying Value that differs from its adjusted issue price (if any) shall be computed by reference to the Carrying Value of such Obligation, with the extent to which the Carrying Value of such Obligation is treated as satisfied or otherwise taken into account being determined under any reasonable method adopted by the Board; and

(i) items specially allocated under Section  4.2 and Section 7.1(b)(iv) shall be excluded (but the amount of such items shall be determined under principles similar to those set forth above).

NGP ” shall mean NGP XI US Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and its successors and assigns.

 

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NGP Portfolio Companies ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.3(a) .

NGP Representatives ” shall mean the members, managers and employees of NGP Energy Capital Management, L.L.C., NGP or any Affiliate thereof, together with all other Persons serving as representatives of NGP, including those Persons who are serving as managers of the Company at the request of NGP pursuant to the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement.

Nonrecourse Deduction ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b).

Obligation ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(4)(ii).

Partnership Representative ” has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 6223 of the Amended Code and any Treasury Regulations or other administrative or judicial pronouncements promulgated thereunder.

Person ” (whether or not capitalized) shall mean any natural person, corporation, company, limited or general partnership, joint stock company, joint venture, association, limited liability company, trust, bank, trust company, business trust or other entity or organization, whether or not a governmental authority.

Pre-existing Incentive Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b )( iv) .

Pre-existing Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b )( iv) .

Pre-grant Incentive Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c )( i ) .

Pre-grant Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c )( i ) .

Re-grant Incentive Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(c) .

Regulatory Allocations ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.2(f) .

Related Party ” shall mean (a) any Person who is a Member of the Company, and any partner, member, shareholder, officer, director, employee or other Affiliate of such Person, (b) an Employee or group of Employees, (c) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (d) an entity owned directly or indirectly by the Members of the Company in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the Company.

Rules ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.9(a) .

 

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Securities Act ” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Service Interests ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a) .

Sharing Ratio ” shall mean for any Member, at a given time, the proportion that such Member’s Capital Contributions bear to the total Capital Contributions of all Members as of the date of such determination.

Simulated Basis ” shall mean the Carrying Value of any oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code).

Simulated Depletion ” shall mean, with respect to each oil and gas property, a depletion allowance computed in accordance with federal income tax principles (as if the Simulated Basis of the property were its adjusted tax basis) and in the manner specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(k)(2). For purposes of computing Simulated Depletion with respect to any property, the Simulated Basis of such property shall be deemed to be the Carrying Value of such property, and in no event shall such allowance, in the aggregate, exceed such Simulated Basis.

Simulated Gain ” shall mean the excess of the amount realized from the sale of an oil or gas property over the Carrying Value of such property.

Simulated Loss ” shall mean the excess of the Carrying Value of an oil or gas property over the amount realized from the sale of such property.

Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(b )( iv) .

Tax Matters Member ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section  5.10 .

Tier I Distribution Amount ” shall mean the aggregate amount of distributions after the occurrence of the Tier I Payout and prior to the occurrence of the Tier II Payout.

Tier I Members ” shall mean the Members holding Tier I Units as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time.

Tier I Payout ” shall mean the first date, if any, at which all of the Capital Members shall have received cumulative distributions in respect of their Company Interests (whether as distributions from the Company, as payment for the exchange, purchase or redemption of such Company Interests, or in connection with any merger or other combination of the Company with another Person) equal to their cumulative Capital Contributions to the Company multiplied by (1.05)n, where “n” is equal to the Weighted Average Capital Contribution Factor determined as of the date of such distribution. For the avoidance of doubt, any distribution made prior to the Tier I Payout, if any, that is subtracted from such contributions shall be first increased by the exponent for purposes of the payout calculation by multiplying such distribution by (1.05)m, where “ m ” is equal to the number of years between the distribution and the Tier I Payout (with a partial year being expressed as a decimal determined by dividing the number of days which have passed since the most recent anniversary by 365).

 

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Tier I Percentage ” shall mean 10%, which percentage shall be allocated to the Tier I Members in proportion to the Tier I Units held by the Tier I Members as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time, including any revisions to reflect any Transfer of Tier I Units by the Tier I Members made in accordance with the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and this Agreement.

Tier I Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a )( i ) .

Tier I Units ” shall mean Tier I Units representing Company Interests in the Company entitled to receive the Tier I Percentage and with the other rights and obligations specified in this Agreement.

Tier II Distribution Amount ” shall mean the aggregate amount of distributions after the occurrence of the Tier II Payout.

Tier II Members ” shall mean the Members holding Tier II Units as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time.

Tier II Payout ” shall mean the first date, if any, at which all of the Members holding Tier I Units shall have received in aggregate cumulative distributions in respect of Tier I Units (whether as distributions from the Company, as payment for the exchange, purchase or redemption of such Company Interests, or in connection with any merger or other combination of the Company with another Person) equal to $50,000,000.

Tier II Percentage ” shall mean 10%, which percentage shall be allocated to the Tier II Members in proportion to the Tier II Units held by the Tier II Members as set forth on Exhibit A , as revised from time to time, including any revisions to reflect any Transfer of Tier II Units by the Tier II Members made in accordance with the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and this Agreement.

Tier II Subsequent Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a )( ii) .

Tier II Units ” shall mean Tier II Units representing Company Interests in the Company entitled to receive the Tier II Percentage and with the other rights and obligations specified in this Agreement.

Transaction Documents ” shall mean, collectively, this Agreement, the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement and all other agreements, documents or instruments executed in conjunction with, or relation to, any of the foregoing.

Transfer ,” or any derivation thereof, shall mean any sale, assignment, conveyance, mortgage, pledge, granting of security interest in, or other disposition of a Company Interest or any asset of the Company, as the context may require.

Treasury Regulations ” shall mean regulations promulgated by the United States Treasury Department under the Internal Revenue Code.

 

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Unit ” shall mean a unit of a membership interest in the Company representing, as the context shall require, any Company Interest and/or an Incentive Unit, as well as any other class or series of Units created pursuant to Section  3.2 . No Units will be issued to the Members for Capital Contributions after the date hereof; provided that the Board of Managers may subsequently amend this Agreement to provide for an issuance of Units for Capital Contributions in its sole discretion.

Unrealized Gain ” attributable to (a) any item of Company property shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the fair market value of such property as of such date over (ii) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) as of such date), and (b) any Company Obligation shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the Carrying Value of such Obligation as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) , as of such date) over (ii) the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of such date.

Unrealized Loss ” attributable to (a) any item of Company property shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) , as of such date) over (ii) the fair market value of such property as of such date, and (b) any Company Obligation shall mean, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (i) the Gross Liability Value of such Obligation as of such date over (ii) the Carrying Value of such Obligation as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(vi) as of such date).

Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement ” shall mean that certain Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement dated as of the date hereof among the Company and the Members.

Weighted Average Capital Contribution Factor ” shall mean as of any date of calculation, a weighted average equal to the sum of the amounts determined for each date on which Capital Contributions have been, or have been deemed, funded (as set forth on Exhibit A ) calculated as the product of (a) the percentage of the total Capital Commitments funded on each date, times (b) the number of years from the date of each Capital Contribution until the date of such calculation (with a partial year being expressed as a decimal determined by dividing the number of days which have passed since the most recent anniversary by 365).

WRDC ” means WildHorse Resources Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

Any capitalized term used in this Agreement but not defined in this Section  2.1 shall have the meaning assigned to such term elsewhere in this Agreement.

Section 2.2. References and Titles . All references in this Agreement to articles, sections, subsections and other subdivisions refer to corresponding articles, sections, subsections and other subdivisions of this Agreement unless expressly provided otherwise. Titles appearing at the beginning of any of such subdivisions are for convenience only and shall not constitute part of such subdivisions and shall be disregarded in construing the language contained in such subdivisions. The words “this Agreement,” “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereunder” and words

 

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of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular subdivision unless expressly so limited. Pronouns in masculine, feminine and neuter genders shall be construed to include any other gender, and words in the singular form shall be construed to include the plural and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires. The word “including” (in its various forms) means including without limitation.

ARTICLE III

CAPITALIZATION AND UNITS

Section 3.1. Capital Contributions of Members .

(a) As of the date hereof, each Member has contributed, or is deemed to have contributed, Capital Contributions to the Company in the amounts and on the dates set forth on Exhibit A . No Member shall be obligated to make any additional Capital Contributions to the Company.

Section 3.2. Issuances of Additional Securities .

(a) The Company may not issue additional Company Interests, or classes or series thereof, or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating thereto, or any other type of equity security without the prior written consent of the Board of Managers.

Section 3.3. Return of Contributions . No interest shall accrue on any contributions to the capital of the Company, and no Member shall have the right to withdraw or to be repaid any capital contributed by such Member except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement.

Section 3.4. Incentive Interests .

(a) The following Incentive Units are hereby created and are hereby granted to the Persons and in the respective amounts set forth on Exhibit A , subject to the adjustments provided for in this Section  3.4 :

(i) 1,000,000 “ Tier I Units ,” of which a certain number of such Tier I Units may be granted to Employees after the date of this Agreement pursuant to this Section  3.4 (the “ Tier I Subsequent Units ”); and

(ii) 1,000,000 “ Tier II Units ,” of which a certain number of such Tier II Units may be granted to Employees after the date of this Agreement pursuant to this Section  3.4 (the “ Tier II Subsequent Units ”).

To the extent not so granted, the remaining Incentive Units are available for future grants by the Board to Employees in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. The Company and each Member intend to treat any interest attributable to a holder of Incentive Units as a separate “profits interest” within the meaning of Rev. Proc. 93-27, 1993-2 C.B. 343. In accordance with Rev. Proc. 2001-43, 2001-2 C.B. 191, the Company shall treat a holder of such Incentive Units as the owner of such profits interest from the date it is granted, and shall file its IRS Form 1065, and issue an appropriate Schedule K-1 to such holder of Incentive Units, allocating to such

 

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holder of Incentive Units its distributive share of all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit associated with such profits interest as if it were fully vested. Each such holder of Incentive Units agrees to take into account such distributive share in computing its federal income tax liability for the entire period during which it holds such profits interest. The undertakings contained in this Section 3.4(a) shall be construed in accordance with Section 4 of Rev. Proc. 2001-43. The provisions of this Section 3.4(a) shall apply regardless of whether or not the holder of a profits interest files an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Incentive Units are issued in consideration of services rendered and to be rendered by the holders for the benefit of the Company in their capacities as Employees. To the extent provided for in Treasury Regulations, revenue rulings, revenue procedures and/or other Internal Revenue Service guidance issued after the date hereof, the Tax Matters Member acting on behalf of the Company is hereby specifically authorized and directed to elect a safe harbor implementing the concepts articulated in Internal Revenue Service Notice 2005-43, 2005-1 C.B. 1221, under which the fair market value of the Incentive Units received by any Member for services (the “ Service Interests ”) granted after the effective date of such Treasury Regulations (or other guidance) will be treated as equal to the liquidation value of such Service Interests (i.e., a value equal to the total amount that would be distributed under Section 8.3(b) with respect to such Service Interests in a Hypothetical Liquidation occurring immediately after the issuance of such Service Interests and assuming for purposes of such Hypothetical Liquidation that all assets of the Company are sold for their fair market values). If the Company makes a safe harbor election as described in the preceding sentence, the Company and each Member will comply with all safe harbor requirements with respect to Transfers of the Service Interests while the safe harbor election remains effective. For purposes hereof, “ Hypothetical Liquidation ” means, as of any date, a hypothetical liquidation of the Company as of such date, assuming for purposes of any such hypothetical liquidation (i) that a sale of all of the assets of the Company occurs at prices equal to their respective fair market values as of such date and (ii) the net proceeds of such sale are distributed to the Members pursuant to Section 8.3(b) , but only after the payment of all actual Company indebtedness, and any other liabilities related to the Company’s assets, limited, in the case of the hypothetical payment of non-recourse liabilities, to the collateral securing or otherwise available to satisfy such liabilities.

(b) The Incentive Units are non-voting and subject to vesting, forfeiture, and termination as follows:

(i) (A) The Tier I Units held by each Employee (I) shall vest ratably over a three year period following the grant of such Tier I Units to such Employee, with 1/3rd vesting on the first anniversary of such grant, an additional 1/3rd vesting on the second anniversary of such grant and the remaining 1/3rd vesting on the third anniversary of such grant (with vesting between such anniversaries occurring pro rata determined by multiplying the number of Incentive Units that would vest on the next annual vesting date by a fraction with a numerator equal to the number of full months which have then elapsed since the last vesting date and a denominator of 12, and rounding to the closest whole number), and (II) shall vest in full (if not previously vested pursuant to clause (I)) upon Tier I Payout and the occurrence of a Fundamental Change.

 

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(B) The Tier II Units held by each Employee (I) shall vest ratably over a three year period following the grant of such Tier II Units to such Employee, with 1/3rd vesting on the first anniversary of such grant, an additional 1/3rd vesting on the second anniversary of such grant and the remaining 1/3rd vesting on the third anniversary of such grant (with vesting between such anniversaries occurring pro rata determined by multiplying the number of Incentive Units that would vest on the next annual vesting date by a fraction with a numerator equal to the number of full months which have then elapsed since the last vesting date and a denominator of 12, and rounding to the closest whole number), and (II) shall vest in full (if not previously vested pursuant to clause (I)) upon Tier II Payout and the occurrence of a Fundamental Change.

(ii) All Incentive Units that have not yet vested in accordance with the vesting requirements set forth herein and that are held by a Person who is an Employee will automatically, without any action required of any Person, be forfeited and thereby become null and void, if and when such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated for any reason or without reason, except as a result of death or disability, and any vested, unforfeited Incentive Units held by such Person shall, upon such termination, remain non-voting and shall not be counted in the determination of a Majority Interest of the Members. If such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated by reason of death or disability, any Tier I Units or Tier II Units that would have become vested within 12 months of such termination shall automatically vest upon such termination, and the remainder will automatically, without any action required of any Person, be forfeited and thereby become null and void upon such termination.

(iii) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, all Incentive Units held by a Person who is an Employee (regardless of whether vested or unvested) shall automatically be forfeited and thereby become null and void if and when such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated:

(A) for “ cause ,” which shall mean by reason of such holder’s: (I) conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, any felony or to any crime or offense causing substantial harm to the Company or its Affiliates or involving acts of theft, fraud, embezzlement, moral turpitude, or similar conduct, (II) repeated intoxication by alcohol or drugs during the performance of such holder’s duties in a manner that materially and adversely affects the holder’s performance of such duties, (III) malfeasance, in the conduct of such holder’s duties, including, but not limited to, (1) misuse or diversion of funds of the Company or its Affiliates, (2) embezzlement, or (3) material misrepresentations or concealments on any written reports submitted to the Company or its Affiliates, (IV) material violation of any provision of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement or (V) material failure to perform the duties of such holder’s employment or service relationship with the Company or its Affiliates, or material failure to follow or comply with the reasonable and lawful written directives of the Board of Managers or the managers or directors of a Company Affiliate by which such holder is employed or in a service relationship with, in either case after the holder shall have been informed, in writing, of such material failure and given a period of not less than 60 days to remedy the same; or

(B) by such Employee’s resignation or early termination of service relationship by such Employee (other than as a result of death or disability).

 

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(iv) The Company in its sole discretion, taking into account such factors as it determines from time to time, may issue Tier I Subsequent Units or Tier II Subsequent Units (collectively, “ Subsequent Units ”). Upon issuance of any Subsequent Units of a given Tier, such Units may, at the election of the Board, have a benchmark value equal to the fair market value of the assets of the Company, net of debt, on the date of grant, as determined in good faith by the Board, and will be entitled to participate in those distributions allocated to the Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, only after holders of all the Units that were outstanding on the date of grant (the “ Pre-existing Units ” and, when referring solely to Pre-existing Units that are Incentive Units, the “ Pre-existing Incentive Units ”) have received distributions pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, in the aggregate equal to the benchmark value (such limitation on distributions, the “ Benchmark Value Payout ”). Holders of Pre-existing Incentive Units of a given Tier will continue to be entitled to receive all of the profit distributions payable with respect to the Incentive Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, until the applicable Benchmark Value Payout occurs, at which time future distributions will be shared among the holders of the Pre-existing Incentive Units in that Tier and the holders of Subsequent Units in that Tier pro-rata.

(c) If any Incentive Units are forfeited pursuant to Section 3.4(b )( ii) or Section 3.4(b)(iii) , then such forfeited Incentive Units shall be available to be re-granted, as determined by the Board, in the form of newly awarded, newly issued Incentive Units in the same Tier and in the same amount as the forfeited Incentive Units (any such re-granted Incentive Units, “ Re-grant Incentive Units ”), subject to the following terms and conditions:

(i) each Re-grant Incentive Unit in a given Tier may, at the election of the Board, have a benchmark value equal to the fair market value of the assets of the Company, net of debt, on the date of grant, as determined in good faith by the Board, and will be entitled to participate in distributions made to holders of the Incentive Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, only after holders of all the Units that were outstanding on the date of such re-grant (the “ Pre-grant Units ” and, when referring solely to the Pre-grant Units that are Incentive Units, the “ Pre-grant Incentive Units ”) have received distributions in the aggregate equal to the benchmark value (such limitation on distributions, the “ Benchmark Value Re-grant Payout ”); and

(ii) following issuance of such Re-grant Incentive Units in a given Tier, holders of Pre-grant Incentive Units of that Tier will continue to be entitled to receive all of the distributions payable with respect to the Incentive Units of that Tier pursuant to Section 4.4(a) or Section 8.3(b) , as the case may be, until the applicable Benchmark Value Re-grant Payout occurs, at which time future distributions will be shared among the holders of the Pre-grant Incentive Units and the Re-grant Incentive Units in that Tier pro-rata.

(d) If all of the Incentive Units available hereunder have not been granted to Employees before the earlier of (i) a Fundamental Change, or (ii) a payout event for the corresponding series of Incentive Units (e.g., a Tier I Payout for Tier I Units), then in such case such available Tier I, Tier II or the applicable Subsequent Units, as the case may be, shall automatically, without any action required of any Person, be cancelled. The Board shall reflect all changes contemplated by this Section 3.4(d) in an amended Exhibit A .

 

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(e) Upon any forfeiture or other termination of Incentive Units and upon any issuance of Re-grant Incentive Units resulting therefrom, the Company shall amend Exhibit A to reflect such occurrence. In the case of the issuance of Re-grant Incentive Units in lieu of such forfeited Units, the Tier I or II Percentages will not be reduced as a result of such forfeiture, but appropriate notation shall be made to reflect the issuance of the Re-grant Incentive Units. The Board shall reflect all changes contemplated by this Section 3.4(e) in an amended Exhibit A .

ARTICLE IV

ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 4.1. Allocations of Net Profits and Net Losses .

(a) After giving effect to the allocations under Sections 4.2 and 7.1(b)(iv) , Net Profits and Net Losses and all related items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit for each Fiscal Period shall be allocated among the Members in such manner as shall cause the Capital Accounts of each Member to equal, as nearly as possible, (i) the amount such Member would receive if all assets on hand at the end of such year were sold for cash at the Carrying Values of such assets, all liabilities were satisfied in cash in accordance with their terms (limited in the case of Member Nonrecourse Debt and Company Nonrecourse Liabilities to the Carrying Value of the assets securing such liabilities), and any remaining or resulting cash was distributed to the Members under Section 4.4(a) , minus (ii) an amount equal to such Member’s allocable share of Minimum Gain as computed immediately prior to the deemed sale described in clause (i) above in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, and minus (iii) the amount any such Member is treated as obligated to contribute to the Company, computed immediately after the deemed sale described in clause (i) above.

(b) The Board shall make the foregoing allocations as of the last day of each Fiscal Period; provided , however , that if during any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a change in any Member’s Company Interest, the Board shall make the foregoing allocations as of the date of each such change in a manner which takes into account the varying interests of the Members and in a manner the Board reasonably deems appropriate.

Section 4.2. Special Allocations .

(a) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section  4.1 to the contrary:

(i) If during any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net increase in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt that gives rise to Member Nonrecourse Deductions, each Member bearing the economic risk of loss for such Member Nonrecourse Debt shall be allocated items of Company deductions and losses for such period (consisting first of cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property that is subject to such Member Nonrecourse Debt and then, if necessary, a pro-rata portion of the Company’s other items of deductions and losses, with any remainder being treated as an increase in Minimum Gain attributable to Member Nonrecourse Debt in the subsequent period) equal to such Member’s share of Member Nonrecourse Deductions, as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

 

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(ii) If for any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net decrease in Minimum Gain attributable to Company Nonrecourse Liabilities, each Member shall be allocated items of Company income and gain for such period (consisting first of gain recognized from the Transfer of Company property subject to one or more Company Nonrecourse Liabilities and then, if necessary, a pro-rata portion of the Company’s other items of income and gain, and if necessary, for subsequent periods) equal to such Member’s share of such net decrease (except to the extent such Member’s share of such net decrease is caused by a change in debt structure with such Member commencing to bear the economic risk of loss as to all or part of any Company Nonrecourse Liability or by such Member contributing capital to the Company that the Company uses to repay a Company Nonrecourse Liability), as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations. Nonrecourse Deductions shall be allocated to the Members as determined by the Board, to the extent permitted by the Treasury Regulations.

(iii) If for any Fiscal Period of the Company there is a net decrease in Minimum Gain attributable to a Member Nonrecourse Debt, each Member bearing the economic risk of loss for such Member Nonrecourse Debt shall be allocated items of Company income and gain for such period (consisting first of gain recognized from the Transfer of Company property subject to Member Nonrecourse Debt, and then, if necessary, a pro-rata portion of the Company’s other items of income and gain, and if necessary, for subsequent periods) equal to such Member’s share of such net decrease (except to the extent such Member’s share of such net decrease is caused by a change in debt structure such that the Member Nonrecourse Debt becomes partially or wholly a Company Nonrecourse Liability or by the Company’s use of capital contributed by such Member to repay the Member Nonrecourse Debt) as determined in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations.

(b) The Net Losses allocated pursuant to this Article IV to a Member shall not exceed the maximum amount of Net Losses that can be allocated to such Member without causing or increasing a deficit balance in the Member’s Adjusted Capital Account. All Net Losses in excess of the limitation set forth in this Section 4.2(b) shall be allocated to Members with positive Adjusted Capital Account balances remaining at such time in proportion to such positive balances.

(c) In the event that a Member unexpectedly receives any adjustment, allocation or distribution described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), (5) or (6) that causes or increases a deficit balance in such Member’s Adjusted Capital Account, items of Company income and gain shall be allocated to that Member in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the deficit balance as quickly as possible.

(d) In the event that any Member has a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of any Allocation Period, such Member shall be allocated items of Company gross income and gain in the amount of such deficit as quickly as possible; provided that an allocation pursuant to this Section 4.2(d) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Member would have a deficit balance in its capital account after all other allocations provided for in this Article IV have been tentatively made as if Section 4.2(c) and this Section 4.2(d) were not in this Agreement.

 

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(e) If any holder of Incentive Units forfeits all or a portion of such Units, such holder shall be allocated items of loss and deduction in the year of such forfeiture in an amount equal to the portion of such holder’s Capital Account attributable to such forfeited Units.

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

(g) The allocations set forth in subsections (a) through (c) of this Section  4.2 (collectively, the “ Regulatory Allocations ”) are intended to comply with certain requirements of the Treasury Regulations. It is the intent of the Members that, to the extent possible, all Regulatory Allocations that are made be offset either with other Regulatory Allocations or with special allocations pursuant to this Section 4.2(g) . Therefore, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article IV (other than the Regulatory Allocations), the Board shall make such offsetting special allocations in whatever manner it determines appropriate so that, after such offsetting allocations are made, the net amount of allocations to each Member is, to the extent possible, equal to the amount such Member would have been allocated if the Regulatory Allocations were not part of the Agreement and all Company items were allocated pursuant to Section  4.1 , the remaining subsections of this Section  4.2 and Section 7.1(b)(iv) .

(h) In the event Units are issued to a Person and the issuance of such Units results in items of income or deduction to the Company, such items of income or deduction shall be allocated to the Members in proportion to the positive balances in their Capital Accounts immediately before the issuance of such Units.

Section 4.3. Income Tax Allocations .

(a) Except as provided in this Section  4.3 , each item of income, gain, loss and deduction of the Company for federal income tax purposes shall be allocated among the Members in the same manner as such items are allocated for Capital Account purposes under Section  4.1 and Section  4.2 .

(b) The deduction for depletion with respect to each separate oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code) shall, in accordance with Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code, be computed for federal income tax purposes separately by the Members rather than the Company. For purposes of such computations, the U.S. federal income tax basis of each oil and gas property shall be allocated to each Member in accordance with such Member’s Capital Interest Percentage as of the time such oil and gas property is acquired by the Company (and any additions to such U.S. federal income tax basis resulting from expenditures required to be capitalized in such basis shall be allocated among the Members in a manner designed to cause the Members’ proportionate shares of such adjusted U.S. federal income tax basis to be in accordance with their Capital Interest Percentages as determined at the time of any such additions), and shall be reallocated among the Members in accordance with the Members’ Capital Interest Percentages as determined immediately following

 

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the occurrence of an event giving rise to an adjustment to the Carrying Values of the Company’s oil and gas properties pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of Carrying Value. Each Member, with the assistance of the Tax Matters Member, shall separately keep records of its share of the adjusted tax basis in each separate oil and gas property, adjust such share of the adjusted tax basis for any cost or percentage depletion allowable with respect to such property and use such adjusted tax basis in the computation of its cost depletion or in the computation of its share of any gain or loss on the Transfer of such property by the Company. Upon the request of the Tax Matters Member, each Member shall advise the Tax Matters Member of its adjusted tax basis in each separate oil and gas property and any depletion computed with respect thereto, both as computed in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The Tax Matters Member may rely on such information and, if it is not provided by the Member, may make such reasonable assumptions as it shall determine with respect thereto

(c) Except as provided in Section 4.3(d) , for the purposes of the separate computation of gain or loss by each Member on the Transfer of each separate oil and gas property (as defined in Section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code), the Company’s allocable share of the “amount realized” (as such term is defined in Section 1001(b) of the Internal Revenue Code) from such Transfer shall be allocated for federal income tax purposes among the Members as follows:

(i) first, to the extent such amount realized constitutes a recovery of the Simulated Basis of the property, to the Members in the same proportion as the depletable basis of such property was allocated to the Members pursuant to Section 4.3(b) (without regard to any special allocation of basis under Section 4.3(d) ); and

(ii) second, the remainder of such amount realized, if any, to the Members so that, to the maximum extent possible, the amount realized that is allocated to each Member under this Section 4.3(c)(ii) will equal such Member’s share of the Simulated Gain recognized by the Company from such Transfer.

(d) The Members recognize that (i) with respect to Adjusted Property, there will be a difference between the Carrying Value of such property at the time of revaluation or contribution and the adjusted tax basis of such property at that time and (ii) with respect to an Adjusted Obligation, there will be a difference between the Carrying Value of such Obligation at the time of revaluation or at the time the Obligations is assumed (or taken subject to) contribution and the adjusted issue price of such Obligation at that time. All items of tax depreciation, cost recovery, amortization, adjusted tax basis of depletable properties, amount realized and gain or loss with respect to any such Adjusted Property or Adjusted Obligation shall be allocated among the Members to take into account the disparities between the Carrying Value and the adjusted tax basis or adjusted issue price, as the case may be, with respect to such property or Obligation in accordance with the provisions of Sections 704(b) and 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury Regulations under those sections; provided , however , that any tax items not required to be allocated under Sections 704(b) or 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code shall be allocated in the same manner as such gain or loss would be allocated for Capital Account purposes under Section  4.1 and Section  4.2 . In making such allocations, the Board shall use such method or methods of allocation as it shall determine, in its absolute discretion, to be reasonable and in accord with the applicable Treasury Regulations.

 

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(e) All recapture of income tax deductions resulting from the Transfer of Company property shall, to the maximum extent possible, be allocated to the Member to whom the deduction that gave rise to such recapture was allocated hereunder to the extent that such Member is allocated any gain from the Transfer of such property. For this purpose, deductions that were allocated as a component of Net Profit or Net Loss shall be treated as if allocated in the same manner as the allocation of the related Net Profit or Net Loss.

Section 4.4. Distributions .

(a) The Board may cause the Company to distribute Distributable Funds or other assets at such times and in such amounts as the Board, in its sole discretion, determines to be appropriate; provided that the aggregate value attributable to any assets other than cash or distributed by the Company shall be valued (i) if a marketable security, based on the 10 day volume weighted average price of such security prior to the date of such distribution or (ii) if an asset others than cash or a marketable security, as determined by the Board. All such distributions made pursuant to this Section 4.4(a) shall be made to the Members as follows and in the following order of priority:

(i) First: to the Members, pro-rata in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios, until Tier I Payout, if any, has occurred;

(ii) Second: following Tier I Payout, if any, and until the earlier of Tier II Payout: an amount equal to the Tier I Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier I Percentage to the Members holding Tier I Units (allocated among the holders of Tier I Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier I Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier I Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios);

(iii) Third: following Tier II Payout, if any: an amount equal to the Tier II Distribution Amount, multiplied by the Tier II Percentage to the Members holding Tier II Units (allocated among the holders of Tier II Units pro-rata, in accordance with the number of Tier II Units of each holder, including, if applicable, taking into account Section 3.4(b)(iv) and Section 3.4(c) ), and the remainder of the Tier II Distribution Amount to the Members (pro-rata, in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios):

(b) In addition to distributions made to the Members pursuant to Section 4.4(a) , and subject to applicable law, to the extent that the Board determines that the Company has Distributable Funds, the Board shall cause the Company to pay to the Members within 90 days after the end of each year an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the Distributable Funds, or (ii) an amount equal to the highest marginal federal and applicable state income tax rate for individuals (taking into account the character of the taxable income (e.g., long-term capital gain, qualified dividend income, ordinary income, etc.)) multiplied by the taxable income of the Company, if any, for such year, such payment to be made among the Members in the same percentages as the taxable income for such year was allocated. Any such payments to a Member under this Section 4.4(b) shall be deemed to be a draw against such Member’s share of future distributions under Section 4.4(a) and Section 8.3(b) , so that such Member’s share of such future distributions shall be reduced by the amounts previously drawn under this Section 4.4(b) until the aggregate reductions in such distributions equal the aggregate draws made under this Section 4.4(b) .

 

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(c) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries may withhold from distributions, allocations or portions thereof if it is required to do so by any applicable rule, regulation or law, and each Member hereby authorizes the Company and its subsidiaries to withhold or pay on behalf of or with respect to such Member any amount of U.S. federal, state, provincial, local or foreign taxes that the Board determines, in good faith, that the Company or any of its subsidiaries is required to withhold or pay with respect to any amount distributable or allocable to such Member pursuant to this Agreement. To the extent that any tax is paid by (or withheld from amounts payable to) the Company or any of its subsidiaries and the Board determines, in good faith, that such tax relates to one or more specific Members (including any tax payable by the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to Section 6225 of the Amended Code with respect to items of income, gain, loss deduction or credit allocable or attributable to such Member), such tax shall be treated as an amount of taxes withheld or paid with respect to such Member pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) . For all purposes under this Agreement, any amounts withheld or paid with respect to a Member pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) shall be treated as having been distributed to such Member pursuant to Section 4.4(a) at the time such withholding or payment is made. Further, to the extent that the cumulative amount of such withholding or payment for any period exceeds the distributions to which such Member is entitled for such period, the amount of such excess shall be considered a loan from the Company to such Member, with interest accruing at the primary rate of interest then publicly quoted by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. or, at the request of the Board, the amount of such excess shall be promptly paid to the Company by the Member on whose behalf such withholding is required to be made; provided, however, that any such payment shall not be treated as a Capital Contribution and shall not reduce the amount that a Member is otherwise obligated to contribute to the Company. Any income from any deemed loan shall not be allocated to or distributed to the Member requiring such loan. Any such loan shall be satisfied out of distributions to which such Member would otherwise be subsequently entitled until such time as the Board requests that the Member pay such amount to the Company. Each Member hereby unconditionally and irrevocably grants to the Company a security interest in such Member’s Units to secure such Member’s obligation to pay to the Company any amounts required to be paid pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) . Each Member shall take such actions as the Company may request in order to perfect or enforce the security interest created hereunder. Each Member hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the other Members and the Board from and against any liability (including any liability for taxes) with respect to income attributable to or distributions or other payments to such Member. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, (i) any Person who ceases to be a Member shall be treated as a Member for purposes of this Section 4.4(c) and (ii) the obligations of a Member pursuant to this Section 4.4(c) shall survive indefinitely with respect to any taxes withheld or paid by the Company that relate to the period during which such Person was actually a Member, regardless of whether such taxes are assessed, withheld or otherwise paid during such period.

 

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ARTICLE V

MANAGEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS

Section 5.1. Power and Authority of Board .

(a) The Company shall be managed by a Board of Managers (“ Board ” or “ Board of Managers ”). The Company shall initially have five (5) managers (each, a “ Manager ” and, collectively, the “ Managers ”) and the Managers serving on the Board shall be appointed and removed by a Majority Interest of the Members, subject to the terms of the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement. The Managers making up the initial Board shall be Anthony Bahr, Jay Graham, Scott Gieselman, David W. Hayes and Tony R. Weber. Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section  5.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Company shall be exclusively vested in the Board, and the Members shall have no right of control over the business and affairs of the Company. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted to managers under the Act or which are granted to the Board under any other provision of this Agreement, the Board shall have full power and authority to do all things deemed necessary or desirable by it to conduct the business of the Company in the name of the Company.

(b) The Board may hold such meetings at such place and at such time as it may determine. Notice of a meeting shall be served not less than 24 hours before the date and time fixed for such meeting by confirmed facsimile or other written communication or not less than three days prior to such meeting if notice is provided by overnight delivery service. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Manager who signs a waiver of notice or provides a waiver by electronic transmission or a consent to holding the meeting or an approval of the minutes thereof, whether before or after the meeting, or who attends the meeting without protesting, either prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to such Manager. A special meeting of the Board may be called by any member of the Board. Any member of the Board may participate in a meeting by conference telephone or similar communications equipment. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board may be taken without a meeting if such action is evidenced in writing and signed by all of the members of the Board. At any meeting of the Board, the presence in person or by telephone or similar electronic communication of Managers representing at least a majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

(c) Each Manager serving on the Board of Managers shall have one vote on any Company matter. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the business of the Company presented at any meeting of the Board of Managers shall be decided by a vote of Managers representing a majority of the entire Board of Managers.

(d) In accomplishing all of the foregoing and in fulfilling its obligations pursuant to this Agreement, the Board may, in its sole discretion, retain or use any Company Affiliates’ personnel, properties and equipment or the Board may hire or rent those of third parties and may employ on a temporary or continuing basis outside accountants, attorneys, consultants and others on such terms as the Board deems advisable. No Person, firm or corporation dealing with the Company shall be required to inquire into the authority of the Board to take any action or make any decision.

 

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Section 5.2. Officers .

(a) Designation . The Board may, from time to time, designate individuals (who need not be a Manager) to serve as officers of the Company. The officers may, but need not, include a chief executive officer, a president, a chief operating officer, a chief financial officer, a general counsel and secretary and a chief accounting officer. Any two or more offices may be held by the same Person.

(b) Duties of Officers . Each officer of the Company designated hereunder shall devote such time to the Company’s business as he deems necessary to manage and supervise Company business and affairs in an efficient manner.

(c) Term of Office; Removal; Filling of Vacancies.

(i) Each officer of the Company shall hold office until his successor is chosen and qualified in his stead or until his earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office.

(ii) Any officer may be removed at any time by the Board whenever in their judgment the best interests of the Company will be served thereby. Designation of an officer shall not of itself create any contract rights in favor of such officer.

(iii) If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled by the Board.

Section 5.3. Acknowledged and Permitted Activities .

(a) The Company and the Members recognize that (i) NGP and its Affiliates may own or will own substantial equity interests in other companies (existing and future) that participate in the energy industry (“ NGP Portfolio Companies ”) and enter into advisory service agreements with those NGP Portfolio Companies, (ii) the NGP Representatives who serve as members of the Board may also serve as principals of other NGP Portfolio Companies, and (iii) that at any given time, other NGP Portfolio Companies may be in direct or indirect competition with the Company and/or its subsidiaries. The Company and the Members acknowledge and agree that (A) NGP, its Affiliates and the NGP Representatives: (I) shall not be prohibited or otherwise restricted by their relationship with the Company and its subsidiaries from engaging in the business of investing in NGP Portfolio Companies, entering into agreements to provide services to such companies or acting as directors or advisors to, or other principals of, such NGP Portfolio Companies, regardless of whether such activities are in direct or indirect competition with the business or activities of the Company or its subsidiaries, and (II) shall not have any obligation to offer the Company or its subsidiaries any Excluded Business Opportunity, and (B) the Company and the Members hereby renounce any interest or expectancy in any Excluded Business Opportunity pursued by NGP, its Affiliates, the NGP Representatives or another NGP Portfolio Company and waive any claim that any such business opportunity constitutes a corporate, partnership or other business opportunity of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

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Section 5.4. Duties and Services of the Board . The Board shall comply in all respects with the terms of this Agreement. The Board shall be obligated to perform the duties, responsibilities and obligations of the Board hereunder only to the extent that funds of the Company are available therefor. During the existence of the Company, each Manager serving on the Board shall devote such time and effort to the Company’s business as he deems necessary to manage and supervise Company business and affairs in an efficient manner. No Member, in its capacity as a Member, shall have any fiduciary or other duty to the Company, any other Member or any other Person that is a party to or is otherwise bound by this Agreement other than (i) to the extent required by law, the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing and (ii) such other contractual obligations as are expressly set forth in this Agreement. Each Manager serving on the Board, in its capacity as Manager, shall not have any fiduciary or other duty to the Company, any other Member or any other Person that is a party to or is otherwise bound by this Agreement other than (i) to the extent required by law, the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing and (ii) such other contractual obligations as are expressly set forth in this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they modify or eliminate the duties and liabilities of any Member or Manager otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Members and Managers to modify or eliminate to that extent such other duties and liabilities of such Member or Manager to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Section 5.5. Liability and Indemnification .

(a) The Company’s officers, the Managers, the Members and their Affiliates, and their partners, officers, directors, employees and agents, shall not be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Company or the other Members for any acts or omissions that do not constitute gross negligence, willful misconduct, or a breach of the express terms of this Agreement, and the Company shall indemnify to the maximum extent permitted under the Act and save harmless the Company’s officers, the Managers and the Members and their Affiliates, and their partners, officers, directors, employees and agents (individually, an “ Indemnitee ”) from all liabilities for which indemnification is permitted under the Act. Any act or omission performed or omitted by an Indemnitee on advice of legal counsel or an independent consultant who has been employed or retained by the Company shall be presumed to have been performed or omitted in good faith without gross negligence or willful misconduct. THE PARTIES RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PROVISION SHALL RELIEVE ANY SUCH INDEMNITEE FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITIES, OBLIGATIONS, DUTIES, CLAIMS, ACCOUNTS AND CAUSES OF ACTION WHATSOEVER ARISING OR TO ARISE OUT OF ANY ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE BY ANY SUCH INDEMNITEE, AND SUCH INDEMNITEE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO INDEMNIFICATION FROM ACTS OR OMISSIONS THAT MAY CONSTITUTE ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE.

(b) The Company shall, to the maximum extent permitted under the Act, pay or reimburse expenses incurred by an Indemnitee in connection with the Indemnitee’s appearance as a witness or other participation in a proceeding involving or affecting the Company at a time when the Indemnitee is not a named defendant or respondent in the proceeding.

(c) The Board shall have the right to require that any contract entered into by the Company provide that the Board shall have no personal liability for the obligations of the Company thereunder.

 

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(d) The indemnification provided by this Section  5.5 shall be in addition to any other rights to which each Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement or vote of the Members, as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to action in the Indemnitee’s capacity as a Member or an officer, director, employee or agent of a Member or as a Person serving at the request of the Company as set forth above and to action in another capacity, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns, administrators and personal representatives of the Indemnitees; provided that the indemnification provided by this Section  5.5 shall be the primary source of indemnification with respect to the matters addressed herein, without regard to other potential sources of indemnification, reimbursement or contribution (subject to applicable express provisions of any insurance policy to which the Company is a party) and the Company irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases all right to contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind from NGP or its Affiliates and insurance provided by NGP or its Affiliates to any Indemnitee; and provided , further , no advancement or payment by NGP, its Affiliates or insurance provided by any of them to an Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which an Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and NGP and its Affiliates shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of such Indemnitee against the Company. The Company and each Member agree that NGP, its Affiliates and the insurers they engage to provide insurance to Indemnitees are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 5.5(d) .

(e) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Members to personal liability by reason of this indemnification provision.

(f) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section  5.5 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

Section 5.6. Reimbursement of Members . The Company or its subsidiaries shall pay or reimburse to NGP all reasonable direct and indirect costs and expenses incurred by such Members in organizing the Company, including legal fees and accounting fees.

Section 5.7. Insurance . The Company shall acquire and maintain insurance covering such risks and in such amounts as the officers of the Company shall from time to time determine to be necessary or appropriate.

Section 5.8. Tax Elections and Status .

(a) The Board shall make such tax elections on behalf of the Company as it shall deem appropriate in its sole discretion. Upon request of the Board, each Member shall cooperate in good faith with the Company in connection with the Company’s efforts to elect out of the application of the company-level audit and adjustment rules of the Bipartisan Budget Act, if applicable.

 

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(b) The Members agree to classify the Company as a partnership for income tax purposes. Therefore, any provision hereof to the contrary notwithstanding, solely for income tax purposes, each of the Members hereby recognizes that the Company, so long as it has at least two Members, shall be subject to all provisions of subchapter K of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code and, to the extent permitted by law, any comparable state or local income tax provisions. Neither the Company, any Member, nor any Manager shall file an election to classify the Company as an association taxable as a corporation for income tax purposes.

Section 5.9. Tax Returns . The Company shall deliver necessary tax information to each Member after the end of each fiscal year of the Company. Not less than 60 days prior to the date (as extended) on which the Company intends to file its federal income tax return or any state income tax return but in any event no earlier than March 1 of each year, the return proposed by the Board to be filed by the Company shall be furnished to the Members for review; provided , however , that an IRS Schedule K-1 or a good faith estimate of the amounts to be included on such IRS Schedule K-1 for each Member shall be sent to each Member on or before March 1 of each year. In addition, not more than 10 days after the date on which the Company files its federal income tax return or any state income tax return, a copy of the return so filed shall be furnished to the Members.

Section 5.10. Tax Matters Member. Partnership Representative .

(a) Anthony Bahr shall be designated the tax matters member under Section 6231 of the Internal Revenue Code (in such capacity, the “ Tax Matters Member ”). The Tax Matters Member may be removed and replaced by action of a Majority Interest of the Members. The Tax Matters Member is authorized to take such actions and to execute and file all statements and forms on behalf of the Company which may be permitted or required by the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or Treasury Regulations issued thereunder. The Tax Matters Member shall have full and exclusive power and authority on behalf of the Company to represent the Company (at the Company’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Company’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Company funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. The Tax Matters Member shall keep the Members informed as to the status of any audit of the Company’s tax affairs, and shall take such action as may be necessary to cause any Member so requesting to become a “notice partner” within the meaning of Section 6223 of the Internal Revenue Code. Without first obtaining the approval of a Majority Interest of the Members, the Tax Matters Member shall not, with respect to Company tax matters: (i) enter into a settlement agreement with respect to any tax matter which purports to bind Members, (ii) intervene in any action pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 6226(b)(5), (iii) enter into an agreement extending the statute of limitations, or (iv) file a petition pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 6226(a) or 6228. If an audit of any of the Company’s tax returns shall occur, the Tax Matters Member shall not settle or otherwise compromise assertions of the auditing agent which may be adverse to any Member as compared to the position taken on the Company’s tax returns without the prior written consent of each such affected Member.

(b) The Board may appoint and replace a Partnership Representative and authorize the Partnership Representative to take any and all actions determined by the Board and permissible under Section 6223 of the Amended Code and Treasury Regulations thereunder. Pursuant to Section 11.2(d) , the Board shall have the authority to amend this Section  5.10 to give effect to the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act and any Treasury Regulations or other administrative pronouncements promulgated thereunder and each Member agrees to be bound by the provisions of any such amendment.

 

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Section 5.11. Section 83(b) Election . Each Member who acquires Incentive Units and who is a United States person within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 7701(a)(30) may file a timely election under Internal Revenue Code Section 83(b) with respect to such Incentive Units and consult with such Member’s tax advisor to determine the tax consequences of such acquisition and of filing an election under Internal Revenue Code Section 83(b). Each such Member acknowledges that it is the sole responsibility of such Member, and not the Company, to file the election under Internal Revenue Code Section 83(b) even if such Member requests the Company or its representative to assist in making such filing. In accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations, each Member who makes an election shall promptly provide a copy of such election to the Company.

Section 5.12. Subsidiaries of the Company . The Board may determine to conduct any Company operations indirectly through one or more subsidiaries.

Section 5.13. Tax Reimbursement . If Texas law requires the Company and NGP both to participate in the filing of a Texas franchise tax combined group report, and if NGP or its Affiliates pay the franchise tax liability due in connection with such combined report, the parties agree that the Company shall promptly reimburse NGP or its Affiliates for the franchise tax paid on behalf of the Company as a combined group member. The franchise tax paid on behalf of the Company shall be equal to the franchise tax that the Company would have paid if it had computed its franchise tax liability for the report period on a separate entity basis rather than as a member of the combined group. In such event, the parties agree that NGP and its Affiliates shall be considered as paying such amount on behalf of the Company and the Company shall deduct for federal income tax purposes one hundred percent (100%) of the Texas franchise tax attributable to the Company; provided that in the event that such deduction may not be properly taken by the Company, the Company shall reimburse NGP and its Affiliates for the after-tax cost of such payment of Texas franchise tax paid on the Company’s behalf.

ARTICLE VI

RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

Section 6.1. Rights of Members . Each of the Members shall have the right to: (a) have the Company books and records (including those required under the Act) kept at the principal United States office of the Company and at all reasonable times to inspect and copy any of them at the sole expense of such Member; (b) have on demand true and full information of all things affecting the Company and a formal account of Company affairs whenever circumstances render it just and reasonable; (c) have dissolution and winding up of the Company by decree of court as provided for in the Act; and (d) exercise all rights of a Member under the Act (except to the extent otherwise specifically provided herein). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Members shall not have the right to receive data pertaining to the properties of the Company if the Company is subject to a valid agreement prohibiting the distribution of such data or if the Board shall otherwise determine that such data is Confidential Information.

 

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Section 6.2. Limitations on Members . The Members, (in his or its capacity as a Member) shall not: (a) be permitted to take part in the business or control of the business or affairs of the Company; (b) have any voice in the management or operation of any Company property; or (c) have the authority or power to act as agent for or on behalf of the Company or any other Member, to do any act which would be binding on the Company or any other Member, or to incur any expenditures on behalf of or with respect to the Company. No Member (in his or its capacity as a Member) shall hold out or represent to any third party that the Members have any such power or right or that the Members are anything other than “members” of the Company. The foregoing provision shall not be applicable to a Member acting in his or its capacity as a member of the Board or an officer of the Company.

Section 6.3. Liability of Members . No Member shall be liable for the debts, liabilities, contracts or other obligations of the Company except (a) as otherwise provided in the Act and (b) as expressly provided in this Agreement.

Section 6.4. Withdrawal and Return of Capital Contributions . No Member shall be entitled to (a) withdraw from the Company except upon the assignment by such Member of all of its Company Interest in accordance with Article IX , or (b) the return of its Capital Contributions except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to the express terms of this Agreement may be considered as such by law or upon dissolution and liquidation of the Company, and then only to the extent expressly provided for in this Agreement and as permitted by law.

Section 6.5. Voting Rights . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to the extent that the vote of the Members may be required hereunder, the act of a Majority Interest of the Members shall be an act of the Members. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, with respect to any Company Interests held by any Member who is an Employee, such Company Interests shall be non-voting if and when such Person’s status as an Employee is terminated for any reason or without reason, including by termination, resignation, death or disability.

ARTICLE VII

BOOKS, REPORTS, MEETINGS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Section 7.1. Capital Accounts, Books and Records .

(a) The Company shall keep books of account for the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Such books shall be maintained at the principal office of the Company.

(b) An individual capital account (the “ Capital Account ”) shall be maintained by the Company for each Member as provided below:

(i) The Capital Account of each Member shall, except as otherwise provided herein, be increased by (A) the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property contributed to the Company by such Member (net of the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations secured by such contributed property that the Company is considered to assume or

 

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take subject to under Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code), (B) such Member’s share of the Net Profits of the Company and special allocations of income or gain under Section  4.2 , and (C) the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations assumed (or deemed assumed) by a Member from the Company that would not otherwise be taken into account under Section 7.1(b)( i )(D) , and shall be decreased by (D) such Member’s share of the Net Losses of the Company and special allocations of deduction or loss under Section  4.2 and by the amount of cash or the fair market value of any property distributed to such Member (net of the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations secured by such distributed property that such Member is considered to assume or take subject to under Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code or would be considered to have assumed or taken subject to for purposes of Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code if such Obligation were a liability for purposes of Section 752 of the Internal Revenue Code) and (E) the Gross Liability Value of any Obligations assumed (or deemed assumed) by the Company from a Member that would not otherwise be taken into account under Section 7.1(b )( i )(A) ). The Capital Accounts shall also be increased or decreased (I) to reflect a revaluation of Company property and Obligations pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (f) of the definition of Carrying Value and (II) upon the exercise of any noncompensatory warrant pursuant to the requirements of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(d)(4) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s).

(ii) Any adjustments of basis of Company property provided for under Sections 734 and 743 of the Internal Revenue Code and comparable provisions of state law (resulting from an election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code or comparable provisions of state law) shall not affect the Capital Accounts of the Members (unless otherwise required by applicable Treasury Regulations), and the Members’ Capital Accounts shall be debited or credited pursuant to the terms of this Section  7.1 as if no such election had been made.

(iii) Capital Accounts shall be adjusted, in a manner consistent with this Section  7.1 , to reflect any adjustments in items of Company income, gain, loss or deduction (including Simulated Depletion, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss) that result from amended returns filed by the Company or pursuant to an agreement by the Company with the Internal Revenue Service or a final court decision.

(iv) The allocation of basis prescribed by Section 613A(c)(7)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code and provided for in Section 4.3(b) and each Member’s separately computed depletion deductions shall not reduce such Member’s Capital Account, but such Member’s Capital Account shall be decreased by its allocable share of Simulated Depletion. The Simulated Basis of each oil and gas property shall be allocated to each Member in accordance with such Member’s Capital Interest Percentage as of the time such oil and gas property is acquired by the Company (and any additions to such Simulated Basis resulting from expenditures required to be capitalized in such Simulated Basis shall be allocated among the Members in a manner designed to cause the Members’ proportionate shares of such Simulated Basis to be in accordance with their Capital Interest Percentages as determined at the time of any such additions), and shall be reallocated among the Members in accordance with the Members’ Capital Interest Percentages as determined immediately following the occurrence of an event giving rise to an adjustment to the Carrying Values of the Company’s oil and gas properties pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of Carrying Value. Simulated Depletion with respect to each separate oil and gas property shall be allocated to the Members in proportion to their respective shares of the Simulated Basis in the related property. No Member’s Capital Account

 

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shall be decreased, however, by Simulated Depletion deductions attributable to any oil and gas property to the extent such deductions exceed such Member’s allocable share of the Company’s remaining Simulated Basis in such property. Any Simulated Gain shall be allocated to the Members and shall increase their respective Capital Accounts in the same manner as an equal amount of gain would have been allocated pursuant to Section  4.1 . Any Simulated Loss shall be allocated to the Members and shall reduce their respective Capital Accounts in the same percentages as the basis of the property sold was allocated up to an amount equal to each Member’s share of the Company’s Simulated Basis in such property at the time of such sale.

(v) It is the intention of the Members that the Capital Accounts of each Member be kept in the manner required under Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). To the extent any additional adjustment to the Capital Accounts is required by such regulation, the Board is hereby authorized to make such adjustment after notice to the Members.

(vi) In accordance with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), upon a Member’s contribution to the Company of cash or properties in exchange for a Company Interest, the Capital Accounts of all Members and the Carrying Values of all Company properties and Obligations shall, immediately prior to such issuance, be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to the Company properties and Obligations, as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss had been recognized immediately prior to such contribution and had been allocated to the Members at such time pursuant to Section  4.1 and Section  4.2 .

(vii) Any Person who acquires a Company Interest directly from a Member, or whose Company Interest shall be increased by means of a Transfer to it of all or part of the Company Interest of another Member, shall have a Capital Account (including a credit for all Capital Contributions made by such Member Transferring such Company Interest) which includes the Capital Account balance of the Company Interest or portion thereof so acquired or Transferred.

Section 7.2. Bank Accounts . The Board shall cause one or more Company accounts to be maintained in a bank (or banks) which is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or some other financial institution, which accounts shall be used for the payment of the expenditures incurred by the Company in connection with the business of the Company, and in which shall be deposited any and all receipts of the Company. The Board shall determine the number of and the Persons who will be authorized as signatories on each such bank account. The Company may invest the Company funds in such money market accounts or other investments as the Board shall determine to be of high quality.

Section 7.3. Reports . The Company shall provide each Capital Member with copies of such financial reports as shall be reasonably requested from time to time by such Members and any such other reports and financial information as the Board shall determine from time to time, including periodic consolidated financial statements for the Company and its subsidiaries (including income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements) and copies of all engineering reserve reports and other financial reports that the Company or its subsidiaries provides to any financial institution that provides debt or equity financing to the Company or its subsidiaries; provided that any information provided to Members pursuant to this Section  7.3 shall be deemed Confidential Information.

 

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Section 7.4. Meetings of Members . The Board may hold meetings of the Members from time to time to inform and consult with the Members concerning the Company’s assets and such other matters as the Board deems appropriate, provided that nothing in this Section  7.4 shall require the Board to hold any such meetings. Such meetings shall be held at such times and places, as often and in such manner as shall be determined by the Board. The Board at its election may separately inform and consult with the Members for the above purposes without the necessity of calling and/or holding a meeting of the Members. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section  7.4 , the Members shall not be permitted to take part in the business or control of the business of the Company; it being the intention of the parties that the involvement of the Members as contemplated in this Section  7.4 is for the purpose of informing the Members with respect to various Company matters, explaining any information furnished to the Members in connection therewith, answering any questions the Members may have with respect thereto and receiving any ideas or suggestions the Members may have with respect thereto; it being the further intention of the parties that the Board shall have full and exclusive power and authority on behalf of the Company to acquire, manage, control and administer the assets, business and affairs of the Company in accordance with Section  5.1 and the other applicable provisions of this Agreement.

Section 7.5. Confidentiality . No Member shall use, publish, disseminate or otherwise disclose, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information that should come into the possession of such Member for other than a proper Company purpose. No Member shall disclose any such Confidential Information except as expressly authorized by this Agreement or by the Board, or as required by law or governmental or regulatory authority. Each Member shall instruct all Affiliates (including their representatives, agents and counsel) to comply with this Section  7.5 . If a Member is required by law or court order to disclose information that would otherwise be Confidential Information under this Agreement, such Member shall immediately notify the Company of such notice and provide the Company the opportunity to resist such disclosure by appropriate proceedings. The terms of this Section  7.5 shall survive with respect to each Member until the earlier to occur of (a) the date following one year from the date of the liquidation of the Company and (b) the date following two years from the date of termination or Transfer of such Member’s Company Interest.

ARTICLE VIII

DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION

Section 8.1. Dissolution . The Company shall be dissolved upon the occurrence of any of the following:

(a) The seventh anniversary of the date of this Agreement;

(b) The sale, disposition or termination of all or substantially all of the property then owned by the Company; or

 

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(c) The consent in writing of the Board of Managers.

Section 8.2. Winding Down . From and after the sixth anniversary of the Company’s formation, unless the Capital Members otherwise mutually agree or unless the Company has previously been dissolved, the Members shall cooperate in the marketing and sale of all or substantially all of the assets or outstanding Company Interests, or any other similar transaction to potentially interested third parties, such that the Company can be formally liquidated prior to the end of its stated term.

Section 8.3. Liquidation and Termination . Upon dissolution of the Company, the Board or, if the Board so desires, a Person selected by the Board, shall act as liquidator or shall appoint one or more liquidators who shall have full authority to wind up the affairs of the Company and make final distribution as provided herein. The liquidator shall continue to operate the Company properties with all of the power and authority of the Board. The steps to be accomplished by the liquidator are as follows:

(a) As promptly as possible after dissolution and again after final liquidation, the liquidator, if requested by any Member, shall cause a proper accounting to be made by the Company’s independent accountants of the Company’s assets, liabilities and operations through the last day of the month in which the dissolution occurs or the final liquidation is completed, as appropriate.

(b) The liquidator shall pay all of the debts and liabilities of the Company (including all expenses incurred in liquidation) or otherwise make adequate provision therefor (including the establishment of a cash escrow fund for contingent liabilities in such amount and for such term as the liquidator may reasonably determine). After making payment or provision for all debts and liabilities of the Company, the liquidator shall sell all properties and assets of the Company for cash as promptly as is consistent with obtaining the best price therefor; provided , however , that upon the consent of a Majority Interest of the Members, the liquidator may distribute such properties in kind. All Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss (or other items of income, gain loss or deduction allocable under Section  4.2 ) realized on such sales shall be allocated to the Members as provided in this Agreement, and the Capital Accounts of the Members shall be adjusted accordingly. In the event of a distribution of properties in kind, the liquidator shall first adjust the Capital Accounts of the Members by the amount of any Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss (or other items of income, gain loss or deduction allocable under Section  4.2 ) that would have been recognized by the Members if such properties had been sold at then fair market values. The liquidator shall then distribute the proceeds of such sales or such properties to the Members in the manner provided in Section 4.4(a) . If the foregoing distributions to the Members do not equal the Member’s respective positive Capital Account balances as determined after giving effect to the foregoing adjustments and to all adjustments attributable to allocations of Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss realized by the Company during the taxable year in question and all adjustments attributable to contributions and distributions of money and property effected prior to such distribution, then, the allocations of Net Profit, Net Loss, Simulated Gain and Simulated Loss provided for in this Agreement shall be adjusted, to the least extent necessary, to produce a Capital Account balance for each Member which corresponds to the amount of the distribution to such Member. Each Member shall have the right to designate another Person to receive any property which otherwise would be distributed in kind to that Member pursuant to this Section  8.3 .

 

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(c) Except as expressly provided herein, the liquidator shall comply with any applicable requirements of the Act and all other applicable laws pertaining to the winding up of the affairs of the Company and the final distribution of its assets.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, no Member shall be obligated to restore a deficit balance in its Capital Account at any time.

The distribution of cash and/or property to the Members in accordance with the provisions of this Section  8.3 shall constitute a complete return to the Members of their Capital Contributions and a complete distribution to the Members of their Company Interest and all Company property.

ARTICLE IX

ASSIGNMENTS OF COMPANY INTERESTS

Section 9.1. Assignments of Company Interests .

(a) No Member’s Company Interest or rights therein shall be Transferred, or made subject to an Indirect Transfer, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the Board; provided , however , that any Member may assign its Company Interest without obtaining such consent pursuant to (i) an Excluded Affiliate Transfer or (ii) a Transfer that is otherwise permitted pursuant to the Voting and Transfer Restriction Agreement. Any attempt by a Member to assign its Company Interest in violation of the immediately preceding sentence shall be void ab initio. If an interest in a Unit or other Company Interest is required by law to be Transferred to a spouse of a holder thereof pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction in a divorce proceeding (notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.1(a) ), then such holder shall nevertheless retain all rights with respect to such interest and any interest of such spouse shall be subject to such rights of such holder. In addition, if it is determined that the holder will be required to pay any taxes attributable to such interest of the spouse in the Company, then any tax liability of such holder that is attributable to such spouse’s interest shall be taken into account, and shall reduce such spouse’s interest in the Company; in no event shall the Company be required to provide any financial, valuation or other information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of their respective assets to the spouse or former spouse of such holder.

(b) Unless an assignee of a Company Interest becomes a substituted Member in accordance with the provisions set forth below, such assignee shall not be entitled to any of the rights granted to a Member hereunder, other than the right to receive allocations of income, gains, losses, deductions, credits and similar items and distributions to which the assignor would otherwise be entitled, to the extent such items are assigned.

(c) An assignee of a Company Interest shall become a substituted Member entitled to all of the rights of a Member if, and only if, (i) the assignor gives the assignee such right, (ii) the Board consents in writing to such substitution, the granting or denying of which shall be in the

 

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Board’s sole discretion, (iii) the assignee executes and delivers such instruments, in form and substance satisfactory to the Board, as the Board may deem necessary or desirable to effect such substitution and to confirm the agreement of the assignee to be bound by all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement, and (iv) if the Board so requires, the assignee reimburses the Company for any costs incurred by the Company in connection with such assignment and substitution. Upon the satisfaction of such requirements, such assignee shall be admitted as of such date as shall be provided for in any document evidencing such assignment as a substituted Member of the Company.

(d) The Company and the Board shall be entitled to treat the record Member of any Company Interest as the absolute Member thereof in all respects and shall incur no liability for distributions of cash or other property made in good faith to such Member until such time as a written assignment of such Company Interest that complies with the terms of this Agreement has been received by the Board.

ARTICLE X

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Section 10.1. Representations and Warranties . Each Member acknowledges and agrees that its Company Interest is being purchased for such Member’s own account as part of a private offering, exempt from registration under the Securities Act and all applicable state securities or blue sky laws, for investment only and not with a view to the distribution nor other sale thereof and that an exemption from registration under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws may not be available if the Company Interest is acquired by such Member with a view to resale or distribution thereof under any conditions or circumstances as would constitute a distribution of such Company Interest within the meaning and purview of the Securities Act or the applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, each Member represents and warrants to the Company and all other interested parties that:

(a) Such Member has sufficient financial resources to continue such Member’s investment in the Company for an indefinite period and understands that (i) such Member is acquiring an interest in the Company without being furnished any offering literature or prospectus, and (ii) the acquisition of such Member’s Company Interest by such Member has not been reviewed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or by any administrative agency charged with the administration of the securities or “blue sky” laws of any state.

(b) Such Member acknowledges that the Company Interest being acquired by such Member was not offered to such Member by means of publicly disseminated advertisements or sales literature, nor is such Member aware of any offers made to other Persons by such means.

(c) Such Member is familiar with Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act, and such Member is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) of such Regulation D.

 

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(d) Such Member has adequate means of providing for its current needs and contingencies and can afford a complete loss of its investment in the Company.

(e) It is such Member’s intention to acquire and hold its Company Interest solely for its private investment and for its own account and with no view or intention to Transfer such Company Interest (or any portion thereof) in violation of applicable law or this Agreement.

(f) Such Member has no contract, undertaking, agreement, or arrangement with any Person to sell or otherwise Transfer to any Person, or to have any Person sell on behalf of such Member, its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), and such Member is not engaged in and does not plan to engage within the foreseeable future in any discussion with any Person relative to the sale or any Transfer of its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), except pursuant to an Excluded Affiliate Transfer.

(g) Such Member is not aware of any occurrence, event, or circumstance upon the happening of which such Member intends to attempt to Transfer its Company Interest (or any portion thereof), and such Member does not have any present intention of Transferring its Company Interest (or any portion thereof) after the lapse of any particular period of time, except pursuant to an Excluded Affiliate Transfer.

(h) Such Member, by making other investments of a similar nature and/or by reason of his/its business and financial experience or the business and financial experience of those Persons it has retained to advise such Member with respect to its investment in the Company, is a sophisticated investor who has the capacity to protect its own interest in investments of this nature, so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Company Interest.

(i) Such Member has had all documents, records, books and due diligence materials pertaining to this investment made available to such Member and such Member’s accountants and advisors; such Member has also had an opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from the Company concerning this investment; and such Member has all of the information deemed by such Member to be necessary or appropriate to evaluate the investment and the risks and merits thereof and to make an informed decision concerning such Member’s investment in the Company Interest.

(j) Such Member has a close business association with the Company or certain of its Affiliates, thereby making the Member a well-informed investor for purposes of this investment.

(k) Such Member is aware of the following:

(i) The Company is newly organized and has no financial or operating history and, further, such Member’s investment in the Company is speculative and involves a high degree of risk of loss by the Member of its entire investment, with no assurance of any income from such investment;

(ii) No federal or state agency has made any finding or determination as to the fairness of the investment, or any recommendation or endorsement, of such investment;

 

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(iii) There are substantial restrictions on the Transferability of the Company Interest of such Member, there will be no public market for the Company Interest and, accordingly, it may not be possible for such Member readily to liquidate its investment in the Company in case of emergency; and

(iv) Any federal or state income tax benefits which may be available to such Member may be lost through changes to existing laws and regulations or in the interpretation of existing laws and regulations; such Member in making this investment is relying, if at all, solely upon the advice of its own tax advisors with respect to the tax aspects of an investments in the Company.

(l) Such Member further covenants and agrees that (i) its Company Interest will not be resold unless the provisions set forth in Article IX above are complied with, and (ii) such Member shall have no right to require registration of its Company Interest under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and, in view of the nature of the Company and its business, such registration is neither contemplated nor likely.

(m) Such Member understands that a legend indicating that the Company Interest has not been registered under applicable federal and state securities laws and referring to the restrictions on transferability and sale of the Company Interest may be placed on any certificate(s) or other document delivered to such Member or any substitute therefore and any transfer agent of the Company or its affiliates may be instructed to require compliance therewith.

(n) Such Member confirms that such Member has been advised to consult with such Member’s own attorney regarding legal matters concerning the Company and to consult with independent tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of investing in the Company.

(o) Such Member acknowledges that such Member understands the meaning and the legal consequences of the representations, warranties, covenants and certifications set forth in this Article X and that the Company has relied and will rely upon such representations, warranties, covenants and certifications.

ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.1. Notices . All notices, elections, demands or other communications required or permitted to be made or given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be considered as properly given or made on the date of actual delivery if given by (a) personal delivery, (b) United States mail, (c) expedited overnight delivery service with proof of delivery, or (d) via facsimile with confirmation of delivery, addressed to the respective addressee(s). Any Member may change its address by giving notice in writing to the other Members of its new address.

Section 11.2. Amendment .

(a) In addition to the right of the Board to amend this Agreement as provided below, and except as otherwise provided below, any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective if made by an instrument in writing that has been duly approved by the Board and a Majority Interest of the Members.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding Section 11.2(a) :

(i) with respect to any change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment to this Agreement that would (A) increase the liability or duties of any of the Members, (B) change the contributions required of any of the Members, (C) cause the Company to be taxed as a corporation, or (D) otherwise result in any disproportionate and material adverse consequences for any Member, such change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment shall not be binding on such Member unless contained in a written instrument duly executed by such Member;

(ii) with respect to any change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment that would alter or change the rights, obligations, powers or preferences of one or more Capital Members in a disproportionate and adverse manner, other than in a de minimis respect, compared to other Capital Members, such change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment shall also require the prior written consent of Capital Members holding a majority of the Company Interests so disproportionately and adversely affected; and

(iii) with respect to any change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment to this Agreement that would alter or change the rights, obligations, powers or preferences of one or more Members in their capacity as a holder of Incentive Units in a disproportionate and adverse manner, other than in a de minimis respect, compared to any other class or series of Company Interests (including Company Interests held by Capital Members), such change, modification, supplement, restatement, waiver or amendment shall also require the prior written consent of Members holding at least a majority of the outstanding Incentive Units;

provided, however , that any amendment which is made to facilitate a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, to convert the Company into another entity, or to cause the Company to participate in an exchange of interests or some type of business combination with any other entity, shall require the approval only of the Board and a Majority Interest of the Capital Members, if each of the material terms and provisions of such merger, consolidation, conversion, exchange or combination provides for equal and/or proportionate treatment of each of the Members.

(c) With respect to any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement that would change the name of the Company, admit new or substituted Members in accordance with the terms of Article IX , or any other change, modification or amendment that does not adversely affect the Members in any disproportionate and material respect, and any change, modification or amendment which the Board determines is necessary or advisable to ensure that the Company is not and will not be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or to conform with changes in applicable tax law ( provided such changes do not have a material adverse effect on the Members), such change, modification, or amendment may be contained in a written instrument executed solely by the Board; provided that the Board notifies the Members of such change, modification, or amendment.

 

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(d) With respect to any change, modification, or amendment to this Agreement which the Board determines is necessary or advisable to comply with or administer in an equitable manner the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act and any Treasury Regulations or other administrative pronouncements promulgated thereunder in any manner determined by the Board, such change, modification, or amendment may be contained in a written instrument executed solely by the Board; provided that the Board notifies the Members of such change, modification, or amendment.

Section 11.3. Partition . Each of the Members hereby irrevocably waives for the term of the Company any right that such Member may have to maintain any action for partition with respect to the Company property.

Section 11.4. Entire Agreement . This Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby constitute the full and complete agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

Section 11.5. Severability . Every provision in this Agreement is intended to be severable. If any term or provision hereof is illegal or invalid for any reason whatsoever, such illegality or invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Agreement.

Section 11.6. No Waiver . The failure of any Member to insist upon strict performance of a covenant hereunder or of any obligation hereunder, irrespective of the length of time for which such failure continues, shall not constitute a waiver of such Member’s right to demand strict compliance in the future. No consent or waiver, express or implied, to or of any breach or default in the performance of any obligation hereunder shall constitute a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance of the same or any other obligation hereunder.

Section 11.7. Applicable Law . This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall be governed by and interpreted, construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to rules or principles of conflicts of law requiring the application of the law of another State.

Section 11.8. Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns; provided , however , that no Member may Transfer all or any part of its rights or Company Interest or any interest under this Agreement except in accordance with Article IX .

Section 11.9. Arbitration . Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Transaction Documents, or the Company, including claims sounding in contract, tort, statutory or otherwise (a “ Dispute ”), shall be settled exclusively and finally by arbitration in accordance with this Section  11.9 .

(a) Rules and Procedures . Such arbitration shall be administered by JAMS/Endispute, Inc., a Delaware corporation and national dispute resolution company (“ JAMS ”), pursuant to (i) the JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures, if the amount in controversy is $250,000 or less, or (ii) the JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures, if the amount in controversy exceeds $250,000 (each, as applicable, the “ Rules ”). The making, validity, construction, and interpretation of this Section  11.9 , and all procedural aspects of the

 

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arbitration conducted pursuant hereto, shall be decided by the arbitrator(s). For purposes of this Section  11.9 , “amount in controversy” means the stated amount of the claim, not including interest or attorneys’ fees, plus the stated amount of any counterclaim, not including interest or attorneys’ fees. If the claim or counterclaim seeks a form of relief other than damages, such as injunctive or declaratory relief, it shall be treated as if the amount in controversy exceeds $250,000, unless all parties to the Dispute otherwise agree.

(b) Discovery . Discovery shall be allowed only to the extent permitted by the Rules.

(c) Time and Place . All arbitration proceedings hereunder shall be conducted in Dallas, Texas or such other location as all parties to the Dispute may agree. Unless good cause is shown or all parties to the Dispute otherwise agree, the hearing on the merits shall be conducted within 180 days of the initiation of the arbitration, if the arbitration is being conducted under the Streamlined Arbitration Rules, or within 270 days of the initiation of the arbitration, if the arbitration is being conducted under the Comprehensive Arbitration Rules. However, it shall not be a basis to challenge the outcome or result of the arbitration proceeding that it was not conducted within the specified timeframe, nor shall the failure to conduct the hearing within the specified timeframe in any way waive the right to arbitration as provided for herein.

(d) Arbitrators .

(i) If the amount in controversy is $250,000 or less, the arbitration shall be before a single arbitrator selected by JAMS in accordance with the Rules.

(ii) If the amount in controversy is more than $250,000, the arbitration shall be before a panel of three arbitrators, selected in accordance with this paragraph. The party initiating the arbitration shall designate, with its initial filing, its choice of arbitrator. Within 30 days of the notice of initiation of the arbitration procedure, the opposing party to the Dispute shall select one arbitrator. If any party to the Dispute shall fail to select an arbitrator within the required time, JAMS shall appoint an arbitrator for that party. In the event that the Dispute involves three or more parties, JAMS shall determine the parties’ alignment pursuant to Rule 15 and each “side” shall have the right to appoint one arbitrator as provided above. The two arbitrators so selected shall select a third arbitrator, failing agreement on which, the third arbitrator shall be selected in accordance with JAMS Rule 15. Notwithstanding that each party may select an arbitrator, all arbitrators (whether selected by the parties, JAMS or otherwise) shall be independent and shall disclose any relationship that he or she may have with any party to the Dispute at the time of their respective appointment. All arbitrators shall be subject to challenge for cause under JAMS Rule 15. In the event that any party-selected arbitrator is struck for cause, JAMS shall appoint the replacement arbitrator.

(e) Waiver of Certain Damages . Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company and the Members expressly agree that the arbitrators shall have absolutely no authority to award consequential, incidental, special, treble, exemplary or punitive damages of any type under any circumstances regardless of whether such damages may be available under Delaware law, or any other laws, or under the Federal Arbitration Act or the Rules, unless such damages are a part of a third party claim for which a Member is entitled to indemnification hereunder.

 

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(f) Limitations on Arbitrators . The arbitrators shall have authority to interpret and apply the terms and conditions of this Agreement and to order any remedy allowed by this Agreement, including specific performance of the Agreement, but may not change any term or condition of this Agreement, deprive any Member of a remedy expressly provided hereunder, or provide any right or remedy that has been excluded hereunder.

(g) Form of Award . The arbitration award shall conform with the Rules, but also contain a certification by the arbitrators that, except as permitted by Section 11.9(e) , the award does not include any consequential, incidental, special, treble, exemplary or punitive damages.

(h) Fees and Awards . The fees and expenses of the arbitrator(s) shall be borne equally by each side to the Dispute, but the decision of the arbitrator(s) may include such award of the arbitrators’ expenses and of other costs to the prevailing side as the arbitrators may determine. In addition, the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award of its attorneys’ fees and interest.

(i) Binding Nature . The decision and award shall be binding upon all of the parties to the Dispute and final and nonappealable to the maximum extent permitted by law, and judgment thereon may be entered in a court of competent jurisdiction and enforced by any party to the Dispute as a final judgment of such court.

Section 11.10. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same document.

*    *    *    *

[Signature Pages of Company, Members and Managers Attached]

 

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

 

COMPANY:

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:  

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Name:   Anthony Bahr
Title:   Authorized Person
MANAGERS:

/s/ Scott Gieselman

Scott Gieselman

/s/ David W. Hayes

David W. Hayes

/s/ Tony W. Weber

Tony R. Weber

/s/ Anthony Bahr

Anthony Bahr

/s/ Jay Graham

Jay Graham

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


MEMBERS:

NGP XI US HOLDINGS, L.P.,

a Delaware limited partnership

By:  

/s/ Tony R. Weber

  Tony R. Weber                     , Authorized Person

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


INCENTIVE MEMBERS:

[Signature pages appended.]

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


JAY GRAHAM

/s/ Jay Graham

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


ANTHONY BAHR

/s/ Anthony Bahr

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


ANDREW COZBY

/s/ Andrew Cozby

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


STEVE HABACHY

/s/ Steve Habachy

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


KYLE ROANE

/s/ Kyle Roane

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


KENNETH BRADEN

/s/ Kenneth Braden

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


RANDAL GARRETT

/s/ Randal Garrett

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


TERENCE W. LYNCH

/s/ Terence W. Lynch

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


JASON PEARCE

/s/ Jason Pearce

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE


MIKE SHERWOOD

/s/ Mike Sherwood

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

WHE ACQCO HOLDINGS, LLC

SIGNATURE PAGE