UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 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): September 12, 2019

 

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

Texas

  001-16317   95-4079863
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)

717 Texas Ave., Suite 2900, Houston Texas 77002

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(713) 236-7400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐ 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 14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

  

Trading Symbol(s)

  

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, Par Value $0.04 per share    MCF    NYSE American

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company    ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.    ☐

 

 

 


Item 1.01

Entry into Material Definitive Agreement.

Underwriting Agreement

On September 12, 2019, Contango Oil & Gas Company (the “Company”) entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Cowen and Company, LLC and Intrepid Partners, LLC (the “Underwriters”), in connection with an underwritten public offering (the “Public Offering”) of 44,736,842 shares of common stock, par value $0.04 per share (the “Common Shares”). The Company granted the Underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 6,710,526 Common Shares. On September 13, 2019, the Underwriters exercised the option to purchase an additional 6,710,526 Common Shares. The estimated net proceeds from the offering were $46.13 million, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated fees and expenses. Net proceeds from the Public Offering and the Private Placement (defined below) are expected to be used to fund the cash portion of the purchase price for the Pending Acquisition (defined below) that is due at closing, and for related transaction expenses. Pending the application of the proceeds in this manner, the Company intends to use the balance of the proceeds from the offering to reduce borrowings under its revolving credit facility or invest in short-term securities. If the Pending Acquisition is not consummated, the Company intends to use the proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including funding future potential acquisitions or a portion of its 2019 capital program. The issuance and sale of the Common Shares has been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), pursuant to an effective Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-215784), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on January 27, 2017, as amended by Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, filed with the Commission on June 24, 2019. A legal opinion relating to the validity of the Common Shares is filed herewith as Exhibit 5.1.

The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements by the Company and customary conditions to closing, obligations of the parties and termination provisions. Additionally, the Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the Underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities. Furthermore, the Company has agreed with the Underwriters not to offer or sell any shares of its common stock (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock), subject to limited exceptions, for a period of 90 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement without the prior written consent of the Underwriters.

Certain of the Underwriters and their affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, various investment banking, commercial banking and other financial services for the Company and its affiliates for which they have received, and may in the future receive, customary fees. The Underwriters have agreed to reimburse the Company for certain expenses relating to the Public Offering.

The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 1.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Purchase Agreement

On September 12, 2019, the Company entered into a Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with each of the purchasers set forth in Schedule A thereto (the “Purchasers”) to issue and sell in a private placement exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (the “Private Placement”) 789,474 shares of Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.04 per share (the “Preferred Shares”), at a price of $9.50 per Preferred Share (the “Original Issue Price”), resulting in gross proceeds of $7.5 million. A description of the Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock is provided below under the section entitled “Statement of Resolution.” The Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Purchasers. The Purchasers are entities affiliated with John C. Goff, a member of the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”). Mr. Goff, together with his affiliated entities, held in the aggregate, prior to the


closing of the Public Offering and Private Placement, approximately 20.00% of the outstanding common stock of the Company and is party to a Cooperation Agreement with the Company, which was previously filed as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K on August 15, 2018. The Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements by the Company and customary conditions to closing, obligations of the parties and termination provisions. Additionally, the Company has agreed to indemnify the Purchasers against certain liabilities or to contribute to payments the Purchasers may be required to make because of any of those liabilities.

The foregoing description of the Purchase Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Purchase Agreement, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Statement of Resolution

At the closing of the Private Placement, the Company adopted and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Texas the “Statement of Resolution Establishing Series of Shares Designated Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock of Contango Oil & Gas Company” (the “Statement of Resolution”) as an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Formation of the Company (the “Certificate of Formation”) to authorize and establish the rights, preferences and privileges of the Preferred Shares. The Preferred Shares are a new class of equity interests that rank equal to the Common Shares with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation. The Preferred Shares will be entitled to vote on an as-converted basis on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders, with voting rights of the Preferred Shares equal to 19.99% of the Common Shares outstanding prior to the closing of the Public Offering.

No dividends shall accrue or be payable on the Preferred Shares until the first anniversary of the closing of the Private Placement. Holders of the Preferred Shares are entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board and declared by the Company, cash dividends of ten percent (10%) of the Original Issue Price per annum on each outstanding Preferred Share. Such dividends shall accrue from the first anniversary of the closing of the Private Placement and shall cease to accrue on the date immediately preceding the date of Conversion (as defined below). Following such date, subject to compliance with the Credit Agreement (as defined below), dividends shall be payable quarterly in cash on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year, beginning September 30, 2020, when, as and if declared by the Board, until the time of the Conversion; provided, however, when there are no Preferred Shares outstanding, no dividends, including any dividends which have accrued, shall be payable to the holders of the Preferred Shares or the holders of the Common Shares into which the Preferred Shares convert.

Each of the Purchasers have agreed to restrictions on its ability to dispose of shares of Preferred Shares without the prior written consent of the Company until six months from the closing of the Private Placement. Upon effectiveness of an amendment of the Certificate of Formation to increase the number of authorized Common Shares and shareholder approval of the issuance of the Common Shares underlying the Preferred Shares in accordance with applicable law and stock exchange rules, each Preferred Share will automatically convert into the number of Common Shares the Purchaser would have received if the Purchaser had purchased shares of Common Shares in the Public Offering for the same gross proceeds (the “Conversion”) and, upon the Conversion, the outstanding Preferred Shares will be cancelled. The Company intends to seek such approval by written consent, and the Purchasers delivered a written consent immediately following the closing of the Private Placement with respect to all of the Common Shares held by the Purchasers entitled to vote on the matter.

The foregoing description of the Statement of Resolution is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Statement of Resolution, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Registration Rights Agreement

On September 17, 2019, in connection with the closing of the Private Placement and pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights


Agreement”) with the Purchasers relating to the registration of the resale of the Common Shares issuable upon the Conversion. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company is required to use its commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file an initial registration statement under the Securities Act to permit the public resale of such Common Shares within 30 days of the Conversion.

The foregoing description of the Registration Rights Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Registration Rights Agreement, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.2 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Credit Agreement

On September 17, 2019, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement by and among the Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent (the “Administrative Agent”), and each of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Royal Bank of Canada and Cadence Bank, N.A., as joint bookrunners and the lenders from time to time party thereto (the “Credit Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company obtained a revolving credit facility with a borrowing base of $65 million. The revolving credit facility matures on September 17, 2024.

The borrowing base is subject to semi-annual redeterminations. The borrowing base may also be adjusted by certain events, including the incurrence of any senior unsecured debt, material asset dispositions or liquidation of hedges in excess of certain thresholds.

The Credit Agreement is secured by liens on substantially all of the Company’s and its wholly owned and/or controlled subsidiaries’ oil and gas properties and other assets and contains customary representations and warranties, affirmative and negative covenants (including financial covenants), and events of default typical for a financing of this type. The Company’s wholly owned and/or controlled subsidiaries are required to join as guarantors and grant a security interest in each of their respective assets.

Under the terms of Credit Agreement, the Company and its subsidiaries have a continuing obligation to execute security instruments (including security agreements and mortgages) such that, after giving effect thereto, the Administrative Agent will have, at all times, a first-priority lien on a material portion of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ properties now owned, or hereafter acquired, including substantially all of their real and personal property and at least 85% of their oil and gas properties classified as proven reserves.

The Credit Agreement contains various affirmative and negative covenants. These negative covenants may limit the Company’s ability to, among other things: incur additional indebtedness; make loans to others; make investments; enter into mergers; make or declare dividends or distributions; enter into commodity hedges exceeding a specified percentage of the Company’s expected production; enter into interest rate hedges exceeding a specified percentage of the Company’s outstanding indebtedness; incur liens; sell assets including any of the Company’s oil and gas properties unless the Company complies with certain conditions; and engage in certain other transactions without the prior consent of the lenders.

The foregoing description of the Credit Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Credit Agreement, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.3 and is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 2.03

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

The information regarding the Credit Agreement set forth in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K (this “Current Report”) is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

 

Item 3.02

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The information regarding the Private Placement set forth in Item 1.01 and Item 5.03 of this Current Report is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02. The Private Placement was undertaken in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) thereof.

 

Item 3.03

Material Modifications to Rights of Security Holders.

The information set forth in Item 5.03 is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.

 

Item 5.03

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

A summary of the rights, preferences and privileges of the Preferred Shares and other material terms and conditions of the Statement of Resolution is set forth in Item 1.01 of this Current Report and is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03.

 

Item 8.01

Other Events.

On September 12, 2019, the Company issued a press release announcing the entry into a commitment for a new five-year credit facility (the “Credit Commitment”), an agreement with a private oil and gas company to acquire approximately 159,872 net acres located in North Louisiana and the Western Anadarko Basin in Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle (the “Pending Acquisition”) and the Private Placement. A copy of the press release announcing the Credit Commitment, the Pending Acquisition and the Private Placement is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)

Exhibits

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated September 12, 2019, by and among Contango Oil & Gas Company, Cowen and Company, LLC and Intrepid Partners, LLC.
3.1    Statement of Resolution Establishing Series of Shares Designated Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock of Contango Oil & Gas Company, dated September 17, 2019.
5.1    Opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
10.1    Purchase Agreement, dated September 12, 2019, by and among Contango Oil & Gas Company and each of the purchasers set forth in Schedule A thereto.
10.2    Registration Rights Agreement, dated September 17, 2019, by and among Contango Oil & Gas Company and each of the parties set forth in Schedule A thereto.
10.3    Credit Agreement, dated September 17, 2019, by and among Contango Oil  & Gas Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and each of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Royal Bank of Canada and Cadence Bank, N.A., as joint bookrunners and the lenders from time to time party thereto.
99.1    Press Release, dated September 12, 2019.


SIGNATURES

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

 

      CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
Date: September 18, 2019            /s/ E. Joseph Grady
      E. Joseph Grady
      Senior Vice President and Chief Financial and Accounting Officer

Exhibit 1.1

Execution Version

44,736,842 SHARES

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY

COMMON STOCK

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

September 12, 2019

Cowen and Company, LLC

Intrepid Partners, LLC

as representatives of the several Underwriters

named on Schedule A hereto

c/o Cowen and Company, LLC

599 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A annexed hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of 44,736,842 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of common stock, $0.04 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company. In addition, the Company proposes to grant the Underwriters the option to purchase up to an additional 6,710,526 shares of Common Stock (the “Additional Shares”) on the terms set forth in Section 1(b) hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are collectively referred to herein as the “Shares.”

To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule A other than you, the terms “Representatives” and “Underwriters” as used herein shall mean Cowen and Company, LLC and Intrepid Partners, LLC, as Underwriters.

The Company has prepared and filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-215784) including a prospectus, which registration statement incorporates by reference documents which the Company has filed, or will file, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”). Such registration statement has become effective under the Act. The term “Registration Statement,” as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto at such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B under the Act (“Rule 430B”); provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Shares, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of the Registration Statement with respect to the Shares within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B under the Act, including the exhibits and schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B. The base


prospectus filed as part of such registration statement, as amended in the form in which it has been filed most recently with the Commission prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement in accordance with Section 3(b) or 3(c) hereof, including the prospectus supplement thereto filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(c) under the Act, is referred to herein as the “Base Prospectus.” The Company has prepared and filed a preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Shares in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the Act (“Rule 424(b)”) (including the Incorporated Documents (as defined below), the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”) and delivered the Base Prospectus and such preliminary prospectus supplement to the Underwriters. The Base Prospectus and the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement are collectively referred to herein as the “Preliminary Prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus supplement relating to the Shares in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) (including the Incorporated Documents, the “Prospectus Supplement”). The Base Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, in the form the Base Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement are first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of Shares, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system) (“EDGAR”).

As used in this Agreement:

Applicable Time” means 7:40 P.M., New York City time, on the date hereof.

Disclosure Package” means each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus, if any, issued and delivered by the Company to the Underwriters for general distribution to investors prior to the Applicable Time, the Preliminary Prospectus and the number of Shares to be sold by the Company and the initial offering price per Share, all considered together.

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) relating to the Shares that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) under the Act, whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) under the Act because it contains a description of the Shares or of the offering thereof that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Act.

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is furnished to the Underwriters for general distribution to investors, as evidenced by such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus being specified in Schedule B hereto.

Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the documents incorporated by reference, or deemed to be incorporated by reference, therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement (the “Incorporated Documents”). Any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document incorporated by reference, or deemed to be incorporated by reference, therein at or after the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

2


As used in this Agreement, “business day” shall mean a day on which the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open for trading. The terms “herein,” “hereof,” “hereto,” “hereinafter” and similar terms, as used in this Agreement, shall in each case refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section, paragraph, sentence or other subdivision of this Agreement. The term “or,” as used herein, is not exclusive.

1. Sale and Delivery of Shares.

(a) Upon the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the respective Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A attached hereto, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 7 hereof at a purchase price of $0.9025 per Share, less an amount per Share equal to any dividends or other distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Additional Shares. The Company is advised by the Representatives that the Underwriters will (i) make a public offering of their respective portions of the Firm Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the Representatives’ judgment is advisable and (ii) initially offer the Firm Shares upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus. The Representatives may from time to time increase or decrease the public offering price of the Shares after the initial public offering to such extent as the Representatives may determine.

(b) In addition, the Company grants to the several Underwriters the option (the “Additional Shares Option”) to purchase, and upon the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company ratably in accordance with the number of Firm Shares to be purchased by each of them, all or a portion of the Additional Shares at the same purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters to the Company for the Firm Shares. The Additional Shares Option may be exercised by the Representatives on behalf of the several Underwriters at any time and from time to time on or before the thirtieth day following the date of this Agreement by written notice to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Additional Shares as to which the Additional Shares Option is being exercised and the date and time when the Additional Shares are to be delivered (any such date and time being herein referred to as an “Additional Time of Purchase”); provided, however, that no Additional Time of Purchase shall be earlier than the Time of Purchase (as defined below) or later than the tenth business day after the date on which the Additional Shares Option shall have been exercised. The number of Additional Shares to be sold to each Underwriter shall be the number which bears the same proportion to the aggregate number of Additional Shares being purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule A hereto bears to the total number of Firm Shares (subject, in each case, to such adjustment as the Representatives may determine to eliminate fractional shares and to adjustment in accordance with Section 7 hereof).

(c) Payment of the purchase price for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Company by Federal Funds wire transfer against delivery of the certificates or security entitlements in respect of the Firm Shares to the Representatives through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company for the respective accounts of the Underwriters. Such payment and delivery shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on September 17, 2019 (unless another time shall be agreed to by the Representatives and the Company, unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 hereof). The time at which such payment and delivery are to be made is herein referred to as the “Time of Purchase.” Electronic transfer of the Firm Shares shall be made to the Representatives at the Time of Purchase in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall specify.

 

3


(d) Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Shares shall be made at the Additional Time of Purchase in the same manner and at the same office and time of day as the payment for the Firm Shares. Electronic transfer of the Additional Shares shall be made to the Representatives at the Additional Time of Purchase in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall specify.

(e) Each of the Representatives individually and not as representatives of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Firm Shares or the Additional Shares, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Time of Purchase or any applicable Additional Time of Purchase, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

(f) Deliveries of the documents described in Section 5 hereof with respect to the purchase of the Shares shall be made at the offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP at 811 Main Street, Suite 3000, Houston, Texas 77002, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, at the Time of Purchase and, if applicable, any Additional Time of Purchase, as the case may be.

2. Representations and Warranties. (a) The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters on the date of this Agreement, the Applicable Time, the Time of Purchase and each Additional Time of Purchase, if any, and agrees with the Underwriters, as follows:

(i) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act. The Shares have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on the Registration Statement, and the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto have become effective under the Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission related to the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus for additional information.

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its initial effectiveness and as of each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2), complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Act. Each of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time it was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and is identical to the electronically transmitted copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. The Incorporated Documents, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act.

(ii) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its initial effectiveness or subsequent deemed effective date, the Time of Purchase or any Additional Time of Purchase, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the Applicable Time, neither (A) the Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein,

 

4


in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date or at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), the Time of Purchase or any Additional Time of Purchase, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Incorporated Documents, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not, do not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(iii) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, including any Incorporated Document, that has not been superseded or modified.

(iv) (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, (B) at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Shares, (C) at the date of this Agreement and (D) at the Applicable Time, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

(v) The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the section of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus component of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus entitled “Capitalization” under the column entitled “Actual” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the issuance of preferred stock of the Company in a private placement concurrent with the issuance of the Firm Shares referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and the issuance of Common Stock upon conversion of such preferred stock). All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws and were not issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right.

(vi) The Common Stock is duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, on the NYSE American LLC (the “NYSE American”). The Shares are duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, subject (except in the case of any Additional Time of Purchase) to official notice of issuance, on the NYSE American. The Company has not received any notice from the NYSE American regarding the delisting or potential delisting of the Common Stock, including the Shares, from the NYSE American. The certificates for the Shares are in due and proper form.

 

5


(vii) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Texas, with full corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to execute and deliver this Agreement and to issue, sell and deliver the Shares as contemplated herein.

(viii) The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties and assets or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to either (i) have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), liquidity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) taken as a whole or (ii) prevent or materially interfere with consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (the occurrence of any such effect or any such prevention or interference described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(ix) The Company owns, directly or indirectly, the issued and outstanding capital stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership interests (as applicable) of each of the entities listed on Schedule C hereto in the percentages set forth on Schedule C hereto, which constitute all direct or indirect subsidiaries of the Company. References herein to “Subsidiaries” refer to the entities listed on Schedule C hereto. Each Subsidiary has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Subsidiary is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties and assets or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of, or other equity interests in, each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, were not issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right and are owned by the Company or applicable Subsidiary subject to no security interest, other encumbrance or adverse claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, equities or claims granted in connection with that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2013, among the Company, as borrower, Royal Bank of Canada, as administrative agent, and each lender from time to time party thereto, as amended by the First Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of April 11, 2014, the Second Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of October 28, 2014, the Third Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of May 6, 2016, the Fourth Amendment and Waiver to Credit Agreement, dated as of March 7, 2018, the Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of May 18, 2018, the Sixth Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2018, the Seventh Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of June 17, 2019, and as further amended, restated or modified from time to time, and related security documents (collectively, the “Credit Agreement”), or as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any obligation into shares of capital stock of, or equity interests in, the Subsidiaries are outstanding. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, 37% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Exaro Energy III LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Exaro”), and such limited liability company interests are owned by the Company subject to no security interest, other encumbrance or adverse claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, equities or claims granted in connection with the Credit Agreement or as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6


(x) The Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights and any restriction upon the voting or transfer thereof pursuant to the Texas Business Organizations Code or the Company’s charter or bylaws or any agreement or other instrument to which the Company is a party. No holder of Shares will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder.

(xi) The capital stock of the Company, including the Common Stock, conforms in all material respects to each description thereof contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(xii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xiii) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in breach or violation of or in default under (nor has any event occurred which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would result in any breach or violation of, constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) (A) its charter or bylaws or similar organizational documents, or (B) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties or assets may be bound or affected, or (C) any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law, or (D) any rule or regulation of any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency or any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the NYSE American) (collectively, a “Regulatory Authority”), or (E) any decree, judgment or order applicable to it or any of its properties, except, in the case of clauses (B), (C), (D) and (E), to the extent that any such conflict, breach, violation or default would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xiv) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus do not and will not conflict with, result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under (nor constitute any event which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would result in any breach or violation of, constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) (or result in the creation or imposition of a lien, charge or encumbrance on any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to) (A) the charter or bylaws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or (B) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound or affected, or (C) any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law, or (D) any rule or regulation of any Regulatory Authority (including, without limitation, the rules and regulations of the NYSE American), or (E) any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets.

 

7


(xv) No approval, authorization, license, registration, qualification, decree, consent or order of or filing with any Regulatory Authority or approval of the stockholders of the Company is necessary or required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, other than (i) registration of the offer and sale of the Shares under the Act, which has been effected, (ii) any necessary qualification under the state or non-U.S. securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Shares are being offered by the Underwriters or (iii) under the Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

(xvi) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) no person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to it any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock of the Company, (ii) no person has any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock of the Company and (iii) no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and duly waived, no person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to register under the Act the offer or sale of any shares of Common Stock, or to include any such shares, in the Registration Statement or the offering of Shares contemplated thereby.

(xvii) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has all necessary permits, licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals issued by the appropriate Regulatory Authorities and has made all necessary filings required under any applicable law, regulation or rule, and has obtained all necessary permits, licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals from other persons, in order to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under, or has received notice of any proceedings relating to revocation or modification of, any such permit, license, authorization, consent or approval or any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, except where such violation, default, revocation or modification would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xviii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims, investigations or inquiries pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective directors or officers is or would be a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is or would be subject at law or in equity, before or by any Regulatory Authority, except any such action, suit, proceeding, claim, investigation or inquiry which, if resolved adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xix) Grant Thornton LLP (“GT”), whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries is included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Act and by the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

 

8


(xx) The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company and the Subsidiaries for the periods specified and have been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved. The supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, if any, present fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein. The other financial and statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are accurately and fairly presented in all material respects and are prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required by the Act or the Exchange Act to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All disclosures included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(xxi) Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. (“NSAI”), a reserve engineer that prepared reserve reports of the estimated net proved oil and natural gas reserves held by the Company and the Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2018 with respect to certain oil and gas properties located in Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Wyoming (the “NSAI Properties”), was, as of the date of preparation of such reserve reports, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company.

(xxii) The information contained or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus regarding estimated proved reserves of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2018 with respect to the NSAI Properties is based upon the reserve reports prepared by NSAI. The information provided to NSAI by the Company and the Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, information as to: production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates the reports were made. Such information was provided to NSAI in accordance with all customary industry practices.

(xxiii) William M. Cobb & Associates (“WMC”), a reserve engineer that prepared reserve reports of the estimated net proved oil and natural gas reserves held by the Company and the Subsidiaries as of January 1, 2019 with respect to certain oil and gas properties located in West Texas, state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and onshore Mississippi (the “WMC Properties”), was, as of the date of preparation of such reserve reports, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company.

 

9


(xxiv) The information contained or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus regarding estimated proved reserves of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of January 1, 2019 with respect to the WMC Properties is based upon the reserve reports prepared by WMC. The information provided to WMC by the Company and the Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, information as to: production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates the reports were made. Such information was provided to WMC in accordance with all customary industry practices.

(xxv) W.D. Von Gonten & Co. (“WDVG”), a reserve engineer that prepared reserve reports of the estimated net proved oil and natural gas reserves held by Exaro as of January 1, 2019 with respect to certain oil and gas properties located in Wyoming (the “WDVG Properties”), was, as of the date of preparation of such reserve reports, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company.

(xxvi) The information contained or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus regarding estimated proved reserves of Exaro as of January 1, 2019 with respect to the WDVG Properties is based upon the reserve reports prepared by WDVG. To the knowledge of the Company, the information provided to WDVG by Exaro, including, without limitation, information as to: production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates the reports were made. Such information was provided to WDVG in accordance with all customary industry practices.

(xxvii) The factual information underlying the estimates of reserves of the Company and the Subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including, without limitation, production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates such estimates were made and such information was supplied and was prepared in accordance with customary industry practices. Other than normal production of reserves, intervening market commodity price fluctuations, fluctuations in demand for such products, adverse weather conditions, unavailability or increased costs of rigs, equipment, supplies or personnel, the timing of third party operations and other factors, changes in applicable regulations or regulatory guidance regarding the rules for estimating reserves, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither of the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is aware of any facts or circumstances that would result in a material adverse change in the aggregate net reserves, or the aggregate present value of future net cash flows therefrom, as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(xxviii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each stock option granted under any stock option plan of the Company or any Subsidiary (each, a “Stock Plan”) was granted with a per share exercise price no less than the fair market value per share of Common Stock on the grant date of such option, and no such grant involved any “back-dating,” “forward-dating” or similar practice with respect to the effective date of such grant. Each such stock option (i) was granted in compliance with applicable law and with the applicable Stock Plan(s), (ii) was duly approved by the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized committee thereof) of the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, and (iii) has been properly accounted for in the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP and disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

10


(xxix) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has not been, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (i) any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the business, properties, management, condition (financial or otherwise), liquidity, or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Change”), (ii) any transaction which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations) incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary that is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iv) any change in the capital stock of, or other equity interests in, or outstanding indebtedness of, the Company or any Subsidiaries or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of, or other equity interests in, the Company or any Subsidiary.

(xxx) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is, or at any time when a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares or at the Time of Purchase or any Additional Time of Purchase will any of them be, and, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof, neither of them will be, an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

(xxxi) The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of their interests in oil and gas properties and all other real property owned by the Company and the Subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (i) are disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (ii) arise under the Credit Agreement, (iii) liens and encumbrances under operating agreements, unitization and pooling agreements, production sales contracts, farm-out agreements and other oil and gas exploration participation and production agreements, in each case that secure payment of amounts not yet due and payable for the performance of other unmatured obligations and are of a scope and nature customary in the oil and gas industry or arise in connection with drilling and production operations, or (iv) would not, in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the oil and gas leases of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and under which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries under any of such leases, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease, except for such claims that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxii) The Company and the Subsidiaries have such consents, easements, rights-of-way or licenses from any person (collectively, “rights-of-way”) as are necessary to enable the Company to conduct its business in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subject to qualifications as may be set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where failure to have such rights-of-way would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

11


(xxxiii) As of the date hereof, (i) all royalties, rentals, deposits and other amounts owed under the oil and gas leases constituting the oil and gas properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries have been properly and timely paid (other than amounts held in suspense accounts pending routine payments or related to disputes about the proper identification of royalty owners and except where the failure to timely pay or pay such amounts would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect); and no material amount of proceeds from the sale or production attributable to the oil and gas properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries are currently being held in suspense by any purchaser thereof, except where such amounts due would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) there are no claims under take-or-pay contracts pursuant to which natural gas purchasers have any makeup rights affecting the interests of the Company or the Subsidiaries in their respective oil and gas properties, except where such claims would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxiv) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries owns, licenses or otherwise has the right to use all inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), trade names, service names, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), copyrights, service marks and other intellectual property as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and which is necessary for the conduct of, or material to, its business (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), and the Company is unaware of any claim to the contrary or any challenge by any other person to the rights of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with respect to the Intellectual Property. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has infringed or is infringing the intellectual property of a third party, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is subject to any pending claim, or aware of any threatened claim, by a third party to the contrary.

(xxxv) Except for matters which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) there is (A) no unfair labor practice complaint pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries before the National Labor Relations Board, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under collective bargaining agreements is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, (B) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and (C) no union representation dispute currently existing concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, no union organizing activities are currently taking place concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, there has been no violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, any applicable wage or hour laws or any provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

(xxxvi) The Company and the Subsidiaries and their respective properties, assets and operations are in compliance with, and the Company and each of the Subsidiaries hold all permits, authorizations and approvals required under, Environmental Laws (as defined below), except to the extent that failure to so comply or to hold such permits, authorizations or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. There are no past or present conditions, circumstances, activities, practices, actions, omissions or plans that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any material costs or liabilities to the Company or any Subsidiary under, or to interfere with or prevent compliance by the Company or any Subsidiary with, Environmental Laws. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries (i) is the subject of any investigation, (ii) has received any notice or claim, (iii) is a party to or affected by any pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit or proceeding, (iv) is bound by any decree, judgment or order or (v) has entered into any agreement, in each case relating to any actual or

 

12


alleged violation of any Environmental Law or any actual or alleged release or threatened release or cleanup at any location of any Hazardous Materials (as defined below) (as used herein, “Environmental Law” means any U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, decree, judgment, injunction, permit, license, authorization or other binding requirement, or common law, relating to the protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, those relating to the distribution, processing, generation, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation, other handling or release or threatened release of Hazardous Materials, and “Hazardous Materials” means any material (including, without limitation, any flammable explosives, radioactive materials, toxic chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold) or any other hazardous materials as defined or regulated by or which may give rise to liability under any Environmental Law). In the ordinary course of their business, the Company and each of the Subsidiaries conduct periodic reviews of the effect of the Environmental Laws on their respective properties, assets and operations, in the course of which they identify and evaluate associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for cleanup, closure of properties or compliance with the Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties).

(xxxvii) All tax returns required to be filed by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries have been timely filed, and all taxes and other assessments of a similar nature (whether imposed directly or through withholding), including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto due or claimed to be due from such entities, have been timely paid, other than those being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been provided or those that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxviii) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintain insurance covering their respective properties, assets, operations, personnel and businesses as the Company reasonably deems adequate. Such insurance insures against such losses and risks to an extent which is adequate in accordance with customary industry practice for similar companies to protect the Company and the Subsidiaries and their respective properties, assets, operations, personnel and businesses in all material respects. All such insurance is fully in force. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has reason to believe that it will not be able to renew any such insurance as and when such insurance expires.

(xxxix) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or other documents referred to or described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement or any Incorporated Document, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any Subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or other document, except for such terminations or non-renewals as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xl) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability

 

13


for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. The Company’s independent registered public accountants and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses, if any, in the design or operation of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) all fraud, if any, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses, if any, in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting are disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there have not been any changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(xli) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time period specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to management of the Company, including its principal executive officer and its principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

(xlii) The principal executive officers (or their equivalents) and principal financial officers (or their equivalents) of the Company have made all certifications required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission, and the statements contained in each such certification are complete and correct in all material respects. The Company, the Subsidiaries and the Company’s directors and executive officers are each in compliance in all material respects with all applicable effective provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission and the NYSE American promulgated thereunder.

(xliii) Each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus was made by the Company with a reasonable basis and in good faith.

(xliv) All statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate.

(xlv) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is

 

14


defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company, its Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(xlvi) The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and the money laundering statutes and the rules and regulations thereunder, including but not limited to the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the United States Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the United States Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, as amended, and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xlvii) None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any applicable sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its Subsidiaries located, organized, or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, is a person that is, or is 50% or more owned or otherwise controlled by a person that is: (i) the subject of any Sanctions (a “Sanctioned Person”); or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (currently, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Venezuela, Syria and the Crimea region of Ukraine claimed by Russia) (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries” and each, a “Sanctioned Country”). Except as has been disclosed to the Underwriters or is not material to the analysis under any Sanctions, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country, in the preceding five (5) years, nor does the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have any plans to increase its dealings or transactions with Sanctioned Persons, or with or in Sanctioned Countries.

(xlviii) No Subsidiary is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends or making other distributions to the Company, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company, except, in each case, as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

15


(xlix) The issuance and sale of the Shares will not cause any holder of any shares of capital stock, securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or options, warrants or other rights to purchase capital stock or any other securities of the Company to have any right to acquire any shares of capital stock of the Company.

(l) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than as contemplated by this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or the Underwriters for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offer and sale of any Shares.

(li) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor any of their respective directors, officers, affiliates or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed, or might reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or any action that constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or a violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(lii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (A) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any Underwriter or any bank, lending or other affiliate of any Underwriter and (B) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from its sale of Shares contemplated hereby to repay any outstanding debt owed to any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter.

(liii) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of the Subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders (or analogous interest holders), customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its affiliates on the other hand, which is required to be described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or a document incorporated by reference therein and which is not so described.

(liv) Except as described in the Registration Statement or the Disclosure Package, no person or entity has the right to require registration of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries because of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or otherwise, except for persons and entities who have expressly waived such right in writing or who have been given timely and proper written notice and have failed to exercise such right within the time or times required under the terms and conditions of such right. Except as described in the Disclosure Package, there are no persons with registration rights or similar rights to have any securities registered by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under the Act, except the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of preferred stock issued in a private placement concurrent with the issuance of the Firm Shares referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(lv) The Company and its Subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and personal data and to the protection of such IT Systems and personal data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except to the extent that failure to so comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, there has been no security breach or attack or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ IT Systems, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

16


(b) Any certificate signed by any officer or other representative of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to the Underwriters.

3. Certain Covenants of the Company. The Company agrees:

(a) The Company, subject to Sections 3(b) and 3(c) hereof, will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Shares shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any Incorporated Documents, or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or any notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or of the issuance of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or of the suspension of the qualification of any Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with any offer or sale of Shares. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) and Rule 430B in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop, prevention or suspension order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(b) The Company will comply with the Act and the Exchange Act so as to permit the completion of sales of Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or counsel to the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, including, without limitation, the filing of any Incorporated Documents, in order to comply with the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will promptly (A) give the Underwriters written notice of such event or condition, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Underwriters with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement and use its commercially reasonable efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement declared effective by the Commission as soon as possible; provided, however, that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives shall object, which, in the case of any Incorporated Document, shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

17


(c) The Company will give the Representatives written notice of its intention to file or use any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, will furnish the Underwriters with copies of any such document a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall object, which, in the case of any Incorporated Documents shall not be unreasonably withheld.

(d) Upon request, the Company will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and Incorporated Documents) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts. The signed copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e) The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period in which a prospectus is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Act (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Act to be delivered in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished in accordance with this Section will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(f) The Company, during the period in which a prospectus is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required by the Act to be delivered in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods prescribed by, and meeting the requirements of, the Exchange Act. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of the net proceeds from the sale of any Shares as may be required under the Act, including, if applicable, Rule 463 of the Act.

(g) The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and non-U.S. jurisdictions as the Representatives may, from time to time, designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the sale of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

(h) The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Act.

(i) The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(j) The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Shares on, and satisfy the requirements of, the NYSE American.

 

18


(k) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, within 90 days after the date of this Agreement, (i) issue, sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to, any Common Stock or any other securities of the Company that are substantially similar to Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or any warrants or other rights to purchase, the foregoing, (ii) file or cause to become effective a registration statement under the Act relating to the offer and sale of any Common Stock or any other securities of the Company that are substantially similar to Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or any warrants or other rights to purchase, the foregoing, (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Common Stock or any other securities of the Company that are substantially similar to Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or any warrants or other rights to purchase, the foregoing, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (iv) publicly announce an intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii). The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to employee benefit plans of the Company (as they exist on the date hereof) referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (D) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to non-employee director stock plans or dividend reinvestment plans (as they exist on the date hereof) referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided that the Company shall cause each recipient of such shares pursuant to clause (A), (B), (C) or (D) to execute and deliver to you, on or prior to such issuance, a “lock-up” agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, (E) the issuance of shares of preferred stock of the Company in a private placement concurrent with the issuance of the Firm Shares and the issuance of Common Stock upon conversion of such preferred stock, and (F) the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock or the execution of any agreement to issue shares of Common Stock directly to the seller as part of the purchase price in connection with the acquisition of stock or assets of another business, by merger or otherwise, provided that the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that the Company may issue or sell pursuant to this clause (F) shall not exceed 10% of the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately following the completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(l) The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

19


(m) The Company agrees that it will not, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed, or might reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or any action that constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any Shares or a violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(n) If, immediately prior to the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement (the “Renewal Deadline”), this Agreement is still in effect or any Shares purchased by any Underwriter remain unsold, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Underwriters and (ii) promptly file, if it is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters. If, at the time the Company intends to file such a new automatic shelf registration statement, it is not eligible to do so, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Underwriters, (ii) promptly file a new shelf registration statement on the proper form relating to the Shares, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, (iii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such new shelf registration statement to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline and (iv) promptly notify the Underwriters of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the offer and sale of the Shares to continue as contemplated in the expired Registration Statement. References herein to the “Registration Statement” shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.

4. Covenant to Pay Costs. (a) The Company agrees to pay, or cause to be paid, all costs, expenses, fees and taxes in connection with (i) the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and the printing and furnishing of copies of each thereof to the Underwriters (including costs of mailing and shipment), (ii) the printing, registration, issue, sale and delivery of the Shares, including any stock or transfer taxes and stamp or similar duties payable upon the registration, sale, issuance or delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, (iii) the producing, word processing and/or printing of this Agreement, any Agreement Among Underwriters, any dealer agreements, any closing documents (including compilations thereof) and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Shares, and the reproduction and/or printing and furnishing of copies of each thereof to the Underwriters (including costs of mailing and shipment), (iv) the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state or non-U.S. laws and the determination of their eligibility for investment under state or non-U.S. law (including the legal fees and filing fees and other disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters) and the printing and furnishing of copies of any blue sky surveys or legal investment surveys to the Underwriters, (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Shares on the NYSE American and any registration thereof under the Exchange Act, (vi) any filing for review of the public offering of the Shares by FINRA up to $30,000, including the legal fees and filing fees and other disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters relating to FINRA matters, (vii) the fees and disbursements of the transfer agent and registrar for the Shares, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to presentations or meetings undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares to prospective investors and the Underwriters’ respective sales forces, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel, lodging and other expenses incurred by the officers and other representatives of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show and (ix) the performance of the Company’s other obligations hereunder.

(b) If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Sections 5, 6(b)(1) or 6(b)(2)(B), 6(b)(3) or 7 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters.

 

20


5. Conditions of the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:

(a) The Company shall have filed the Registration Statement with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof and the Registration Statement shall have become effective. The Company shall have filed with the Commission the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430B, and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 433. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened. The Company shall have complied with any and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission to the reasonable satisfaction of the Underwriters.

(b) At the Time of Purchase, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable written opinion or opinions of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (“GDC”), counsel to the Company, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters.

(c) At the Time of Purchase, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable written opinion or opinions of White & Case LLP (“W&C”), counsel to the Underwriters, dated such date, with respect to such matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request. In giving such opinion or opinions, such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the laws of the State of New York, the Delaware General Corporation Law and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Underwriters. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company, the Subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(d) On the date of this Agreement, the Underwriters shall have received a letter from GT, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(e) At the Time of Purchase, the Underwriters shall have received from GT a letter, dated such date, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Time of Purchase.

(f) On the date of this Agreement, the Underwriters shall have received from NSAI an initial letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, addressed to the Underwriters stating the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the reserve and other operational information and other matters as is customary to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

(g) At the Time of Purchase, the Underwriters shall have received from NSAI a letter, dated such date, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Time of Purchase.

 

21


(h) On the date of this Agreement, the Underwriters shall have received from WMC an initial letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, addressed to the Underwriters stating the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the reserve and other operational information and other matters as is customary to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

(i) At the Time of Purchase, the Underwriters shall have received from WMC a letter, dated such date, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 5(h) hereof, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Time of Purchase.

(j) On the date of this Agreement, the Underwriters shall have received from WDVG an initial letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, addressed to the Underwriters stating the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the reserve and other operational information and other matters as is customary to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

(k) At the Time of Purchase, the Underwriters shall have received from WDVG a letter, dated such date, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 5(j) hereof, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Time of Purchase.

(l) At the Time of Purchase, there shall not have been, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Change, and the Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Company and of the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company, dated such date, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto.

(m) On the date of this Agreement, the Underwriters shall have received a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto signed by each person listed on Schedule D hereto and each such agreement shall be in full force and effect at the Time of Purchase and each Additional Time of Purchase, if any.

(n) On the date of this Agreement and at the Time of Purchase and each Additional Time of Purchase, if any, the Shares shall have been duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, on the NYSE American, subject (except in the case of any Additional Time of Purchase) to official notice of issuance.

(o) If required by FINRA, FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness or reasonableness of the underwriting, or other arrangements of the transactions contemplated hereby.

(p) On the date of this Agreement and at the Time of Purchase and each Additional Time of Purchase, if any, that certain commitment letter entered into by and among the Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., the Royal Bank of Canada and Cadence Bank, N.A., dated as of September 6, 2019 (the “Credit Commitment”), in connection with the Company’s senior secured reserve-based revolving credit facility, shall not have been terminated, unless the closing of such facility has been consummated on or before such date.

 

22


(q) After giving effect to this offering of the Shares and any other sale by the Company of equity securities at or before the Time of Purchase, the Company shall have received proceeds from new equity issuances sufficient to satisfy any related condition in the Credit Commitment.

(r) In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 1(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Additional Shares, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries pursuant to the provisions hereof shall be true and correct as of each Additional Time of Purchase and, at the relevant Additional Time of Purchase, the Representatives shall have received:

(i) A certificate, dated such Additional Time of Purchase, of the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Company and of the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Time of Purchase pursuant to Section 5(l) hereof remains true and correct as of such Additional Time of Purchase.

(ii) The favorable written opinion or opinions of GDC, dated such Additional Time of Purchase, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Additional Time of Purchase and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

(iii) The favorable written opinion or opinions of W&C, dated such Additional Time of Purchase, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Additional Time of Purchase and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.

(iv) A letter from GT, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and dated such Additional Time of Purchase, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Additional Time of Purchase.

(v) A letter from NSAI, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and dated such Additional Time of Purchase, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Additional Time of Purchase.

(vi) A letter from WMC, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and dated such Additional Time of Purchase, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Additional Time of Purchase.

(vii) A letter from WDVG, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and dated such Additional Time of Purchase, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5(k) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Additional Time of Purchase.

(s) At the Time of Purchase and each Additional Time of Purchase, if any, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to render the opinions or make the statements requested by the Underwriters, or

 

23


in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the covenants, obligations or conditions, contained herein; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel to the Underwriters.

(t) If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Additional Shares on an Additional Time of Purchase subsequent to the Time of Purchase, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase such Additional Shares, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Time of Purchase or such Additional Time of Purchase, as the case may be, and any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except the provisions of Sections 2, 4, 8, 11, 12 and 13 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

6. Effective Date of Agreement; Termination. (a) This Agreement shall become effective when the parties hereto have executed and delivered this Agreement.

(b) The Representatives may terminate this Agreement at any time at or prior to the Time of Purchase, by notice to the Company, if (1) since the time of execution of this Agreement or the earlier respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there shall have been any material adverse change in the business, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), liquidity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole the effect of which change or development is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering of Shares contemplated by this Agreement or to enforce contracts for the sale of such Shares, or (2) since the time of execution of this Agreement, there shall have occurred: (A) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the NYSE, the NYSE American or Nasdaq, (B) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the NYSE American, (C) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, or (D) an outbreak or escalation of hostilities or acts of terrorism involving the United States or a declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere if the effect of any such event specified in this clause (D), in the sole judgment of the Representatives, makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering of Shares contemplated by this Agreement or to enforce contracts for the sale of such Shares, or (3) since the time of execution of this Agreement, there shall have occurred any downgrading in or withdrawal of, or any notice or announcement shall have been given or made of any intended or potential downgrading in or withdrawal of, or any watch, review or possible change that does not indicate an affirmation of, or improvement in, any rating accorded any securities of or guaranteed by the Company or any Subsidiary by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as that term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.

(c) In the event of any termination under Section 6(b) hereof, neither party will have any liability to the other party hereto, except as set forth in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that the provisions of Sections 2, 8, 11, 12 and 13 hereof shall remain in effect.

 

24


7. Default. If one or more Underwriters shall fail at the Time of Purchase or any Additional Time of Purchase to purchase the Shares which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Shares”), then the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one of or more of the Underwriters or any other underwriters to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Shares in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; provided, however, that if such arrangements shall not have been completed within such 24-hour period, then:

(i) if the number of Defaulted Shares does not exceed 10% of the number of Shares to be so purchased by all of the Underwriters on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective initial purchase obligation bears to the purchase obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters; or

(ii) if the number of Defaulted Shares exceeds 10% of the number of Shares to be so purchased by all of the Underwriters on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Time of Purchase subsequent to the Time of Purchase, the obligation of the several Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, such Additional Shares shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

No action taken pursuant to this Section 7 shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default. In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, with respect to Additional Shares, the obligation of the several Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, such Additional Shares, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Time of Purchase or applicable Additional Time of Purchase, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 7.

8. Indemnity and Contribution.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, directors, officers and members, any person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and any “affiliate” (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act) of any Underwriter, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons, from and against any and all loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) whatsoever, as incurred, which, jointly or severally, any Underwriter or any such person may incur insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of, relates to or is based on (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or arises out of, relates to or is based on any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim primarily and directly arises out of, relates to or is based on any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning the Underwriters furnished in writing by the Representatives to the Company expressly for use in, the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or primarily and directly arises out of, relates to or is based on any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was required to be stated in the Registration Statement or was necessary to make such information not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing

 

25


Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in any information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company (the “Marketing Information”), including, without limitation, any investor presentations, or arises out of, relates to or is based on any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except, with respect to the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim primarily and directly arises out of, relates to or is based on any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning the Underwriters furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Representatives to the Company expressly for use in, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or primarily and directly arises out of, relates to or is based on any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was necessary in order to make the statements in such information, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers, and any person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons, from and against any and all loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) whatsoever, as incurred, which, jointly or severally, the Company or any such person may incur insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim primarily and directly arises out of, relates to or is based on (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter to the Representatives for delivery to the Company expressly for use in, the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or primarily and directly arises out of, relates to or is based on any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was required to be stated in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or was necessary to make such information not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter to the Representatives for delivery to the Company expressly for use in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or primarily and directly arises out of, relates to or is based on any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was necessary in order to make the statements in such information, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(c) If any action, suit or proceeding (each, a “Proceeding”) is brought against a person (an “indemnified party”) in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any party required to provide indemnification under this Agreement (as applicable, the “indemnifying party”), such indemnified party shall promptly notify such indemnifying party in writing of the institution of such Proceeding and such indemnifying party shall be permitted to assume the defense of such Proceeding, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses; provided, however, that the omission or failure to so notify such indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability which such indemnifying party may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. The indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of

 

26


such indemnified party or parties unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party in connection with the defense of such Proceeding or the indemnifying party shall not have, within a reasonable period of time in light of the circumstances, employed counsel to defend such Proceeding or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from, additional to or in conflict with those available to such indemnifying party (in which case such indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of such Proceeding on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by such indemnifying party and paid as incurred. In no event shall any indemnifying party be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel) in any one Proceeding or series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such Proceeding or Proceedings. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent but, if settled with its written consent, such indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified party or parties from and against any and all loss, damage, expense, liability or claim by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second sentence of this Section 8(c), then the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have fully reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the indemnifying party at least 30 days’ prior notice of its intention to settle. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened Proceeding in respect of which such indemnified party is a party and indemnity has been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding and does not include an admission of fault or culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of such indemnified party.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to an indemnified party under the applicable subsections above or insufficient to hold an indemnified party harmless in respect of any and all losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total proceeds from the offering of the Shares (net of related total underwriting discounts but before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the related total underwriting discounts received by the Underwriters bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, damages, expenses, liabilities and claims referred to in this subsection shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any Proceeding.

 

27


For purposes of this Section 8, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each Underwriter’s partners, directors, officers, members and affiliates shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter; each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

(e) Each of the Company and the Underwriters agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(d) hereof. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the total underwriting discounts received by such Underwriter in connection with Shares underwritten by it for sale to the public. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not joint.

(f) The provisions contained in this Section 8, as well as the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its partners, directors, officers, members or affiliates or any person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of the Company, the Company’s directors or officers or any person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and shall survive any termination of this Agreement or the sale and delivery of the Shares. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Underwriters of the commencement of any Proceeding against it and, in the case of the Company, against any of the Company’s directors or officers, in connection with the sale and delivery of the Shares or with the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

 

28


9. Information Furnished by the Underwriters. The statements set forth in the third paragraph under the heading “Discounts and Commissions” and the paragraphs under the heading “Stabilization” under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus, only insofar as such statements relate to the amount of selling concession and reallowance or to the stabilization activities that may be undertaken by the Underwriters, constitute the only information furnished by or on behalf of one or more of the Underwriters as such information is referred to in Sections 2 and 8 hereof.

10. Notices. Except as otherwise herein provided, all statements, requests, notices and agreements shall be in writing or by telegram or facsimile and, if to the Underwriters, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to Cowen and Company, LLC, 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attn: Head of Equity Capital Markets, Fax: 646-562-1249 with a copy to the General Counsel, Fax: 646-562-1124, and Intrepid Partners, LLC, 1201 Louisiana Street, Suite 600, Houston, Texas 77002, Attn: Christopher Winchenbaugh, Fax: (281) 582-7298, with a copy to White & Case LLP, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020, Attn: Stuart Bressman; and if to the Company, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to the Company at the offices of the Company at 717 Texas Avenue, Suite 2900, Houston, Texas 77002 (facsimile: 713-758-2222), Attn: Wilkie S. Colyer, Jr., President and CEO.

11. Governing Law; Construction. This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (“Claim”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. The section headings in this Agreement have been inserted as a matter of convenience of reference and are not a part of this Agreement.

12. Submission to Jurisdiction. Except as set forth below, no Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Company consents to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. Each party consents to personal jurisdiction, service and venue in any court in which any Claim arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement is brought by any third party against any Underwriter or any indemnified party. Each of the Underwriters and the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) waives all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which the Company is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.

13. Parties at Interest. This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and, to the extent provided in Section 8 hereof, the controlling persons, partners, directors, officers, members and affiliates referred to in such Section, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, personal representatives and executors and administrators. No other person, partnership, association or corporation (including a purchaser of Shares, as such purchaser, from any of the Underwriters) shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.

 

29


14. No Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely as underwriters in connection with the purchase and sale of the Shares. The Company further acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting pursuant to a contractual relationship created solely by this Agreement entered into on an arm’s length basis, and in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be responsible as a fiduciary to the Company, its management, stockholders or other equity owners or creditors or any other person in connection with any activity that the Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of the purchase and sale of the Shares, either before or after the date hereof. The Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or similar obligations to the Company, either in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions, and the Company confirms its understanding and agreement to that effect. The Company agrees that it is responsible for making its own independent judgments with respect to any such transactions and that any opinions or views expressed by any Underwriter to the Company regarding such transactions, including, but not limited to, any opinions or views with respect to the price or market for the Shares, do not constitute advice or recommendations to the Company. The Company agrees that Underwriters are not acting as fiduciary of the Company and no Underwriter has assumed or will assume any advisory responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters). The Company waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary, advisory or similar duty to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions.

15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed by the parties in one or more counterparts which together shall constitute one and the same agreement among the parties.

16. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and assigns and any successor or assign of any substantial portion of the respective businesses and/or assets of the Underwriters and the Company, as the case may be.

[The Remainder of This Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Page Follows]

 

30


If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and the several Underwriters, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this Agreement and your acceptance shall constitute a valid and legally binding agreement between the Company and the several Underwriters.

 

Very truly yours,
CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

/s/ E. Joseph Grady

  Name:   E. Joseph Grady
  Title:   Senior Vice President and Chief
    Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written
COWEN AND COMPANY, LLC
INTREPID PARTNERS, LLC
By:   COWEN AND COMPANY, LLC
By:  

/s/ Matthew Rovelli

  Name: Matthew Rovelli
  Title: Managing Director
On behalf of themselves and as representatives of the several Underwriters.

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written
COWEN AND COMPANY, LLC
INTREPID PARTNERS, LLC
By:   INTREPID PARTNERS, LLC
By:  

/s/ Christopher F. Winchenbaugh

  Name: Christopher F. Winchenbaugh
  Title: President, COO, CCO
On behalf of themselves and as representatives of the several Underwriters.

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


SCHEDULE A

 

Underwriters

   Number of
Firm Shares
     Number of
Additional Shares
 

Cowen and Company, LLC

     22,368,421        3,355,263  

Intrepid Partners, LLC

     22,368,421        3,355,263  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     44,736,842        6,710,526  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Schedule A-1


SCHEDULE B

ISSUER GENERAL USE FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS

None.

 

Schedule B-1


SCHEDULE C

SUBSIDIARIES

 

Subsidiary

   Ownership
Percentage
 

Crimson Exploration Inc.

     100

Crimson Exploration Operating, Inc.

     100

Contango Energy Company

     100

Contango Rocky Mountain Inc.

     100

Contango Operators, Inc.

     100

Contango Mining Company

     100

Conterra Company

     100

Contaro Company

     100

Contango Alta Investments, Inc.

     100

Contango Venture Capital Corporation

     100

LTW Pipeline Co.

     100

 

Schedule C-1


SCHEDULE D

PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS

Directors & Executive Officers

 

1.

Wilkie S. Colyer

 

2.

E. Joseph Grady

 

3.

Michael J. Autin

 

4.

Joseph J. Romano

 

5.

B.A. Berilgen

 

6.

B. James Ford

 

7.

Lon McCain

 

8.

John C. Goff

 

Schedule D-1


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF OFFICERS’ CERTIFICATE

Pursuant to Section 5(l) of the Underwriting Agreement, dated September 12, 2019 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Company”), and Cowen and Company, LLC and Intrepid Partners, LLC, as the representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule A thereto, each of Wilkie S. Colyer, Jr. in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company, and E. Joseph Grady, in his capacity as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, does hereby certify, on behalf of the Company, that, to the best of his knowledge, after reasonable investigation:

At the Time of Purchase, there has not been, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Change.

Each of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and White & Case LLP is entitled to rely on this certificate in connection with the opinion that such firm is rendering pursuant to Section 5 of the Underwriting Agreement.

Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Exhibit A-1


EXHIBIT B

LOCK-UP LETTER AGREEMENT

September 12, 2019

Cowen and Company, LLC

Intrepid Partners, LLC

as representatives of the several Underwriters

named on Schedule A to the Underwriting Agreement referred to herein

c/o Cowen and Company, LLC

599 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This Lock-Up Agreement is being delivered to you in connection with the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) to be entered into by Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Company”), and you and the other Underwriters to be named in Schedule A to the Underwriting Agreement, with respect to the public offering (the “Offering”) of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.04 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

In order to induce you to enter into the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned agrees that, for a period (the “Lock-Up Period”) beginning on the date hereof and ending on, and including, the date that is 90 days after the date of the Prospectus relating to the Offering, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Cowen and Company, LLC and Intrepid Partners, LLC (the “Representatives”), (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file (or otherwise participate in the filing of) a registration statement (including any amendment thereto) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) with respect to, any Common Stock or any other securities of the Company that are substantially similar to Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or any warrants or other rights to purchase, the foregoing, (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Common Stock or any other securities of the Company that are substantially similar to Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or any warrants or other rights to purchase, the foregoing, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (iii) publicly announce an intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii). The foregoing sentence shall not apply to:

(a) bona fide gifts;

(b) dispositions to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned and/or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean the undersigned and the spouse, any lineal descendent, father, mother, brother or sister of the undersigned);

 

Exhibit B-1


(c) transfers of shares of Common Stock or any security, directly or indirectly, convertible into Common Stock in connection with estate planning or by intestacy or distributions of shares of Common Stock or any security, directly or indirectly, convertible into Common Stock to limited partners, members, stockholders or affiliates of the undersigned; and

(d) withholding of shares of Common Stock by the Company for purposes of covering tax liabilities arising from or related to the vesting during the Lock-Up Period of restricted stock and performance shares awarded pursuant to the Company’s existing equity compensation plans;

provided that it shall be a condition to any transfer pursuant to clause (a), (b) or (c) that (1) each donee, distributee or transferee shall sign and deliver a lock up letter substantially in the form of this Lock-Up Agreement, (2) no public announcement and no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Lock-Up Period in connection with such transfer or disposition and (3) the undersigned notifies the Representatives at least two business days prior to the proposed transfer or disposition.

The undersigned further agrees that, for the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or any such securities.

The undersigned hereby confirms that the undersigned has not, directly or indirectly, taken, and hereby covenants that the undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, take, any action designed, or which has constituted or will constitute or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Common Stock.

The undersigned hereby authorizes the Company and its transfer agent, during the Lock-Up Period, to decline the transfer of or to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities subject to this Lock-Up Agreement of which the undersigned is the record holder, and, with respect to shares of Common Stock or other securities subject to this Lock-Up Agreement of which the undersigned is the beneficial owner but not the record holder, the undersigned hereby agrees to cause such record holder to authorize the Company and its transfer agent, during the Lock-Up Period, to decline the transfer of or to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to such shares or other securities.

If (i) the Company notifies you in writing that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, or (ii) for any reason the Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated prior to the Time of Purchase, this Lock-Up Agreement shall be terminated and the undersigned shall be released from its obligations hereunder.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters will proceed with the Offering in reliance on this Lock-Up Agreement.

Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

 

Exhibit B-2


This Lock-Up Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Lock-Up Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

(Signature Page Follows)

 

Yours very truly,
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

Exhibit B-3

Exhibit 3.1

STATEMENT OF RESOLUTION

ESTABLISHING SERIES OF SHARES

DESIGNATED

SERIES A CONTINGENT CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK

OF CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY

Pursuant to Section 21.155 and Section 21.156 of the Texas Business Organizations Code (the “Code”):

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY, a Texas corporation (the “Corporation”), certifies that pursuant to the authority contained in Article IV of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Formation (the “Certificate of Formation”), and in accordance with the provisions of Section 21.155 and Section 21.156 of the Code, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) duly approved and adopted on September 9, 2019, and a duly authorized Pricing Committee of the Board has duly approved and adopted on September 12, 2019, the following resolution creating and providing for the establishment and issuance of a series of shares of Series A Preferred Stock (defined below) as hereinafter described, providing for the designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights, voting, redemption and other rights thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, in addition to those set forth in the Certificate of Formation, all in accordance with the provisions of Section 21.155 and Section 21.156 of the Code, which resolution remains in full force and effect on the date hereof:

RESOLVED, that the rights, powers and preferences, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions, of the Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock as set forth in the Statement of Resolution are hereby approved and adopted by the Board and the Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock is hereby authorized out of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock, par value $0.04 per share; and the form, terms and provisions of the Statement of Resolution are hereby approved, adopted, ratified and confirmed in all respects as follows:

Section 1. Designation and Amount; Ranking.

(a) The shares of such series shall be designated the “Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”).

(b) Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects with the other shares of Series A Preferred Stock.

(c) The authorized number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall initially be 789,474, which number may from time to time be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board as permitted by the Code.

(d) For purposes of this Statement of Resolution, “Capital Stock” of any person means any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents however designated of corporate stock or other equity participations, including partnership interests, whether general or limited, of such person and any rights (other than debt securities convertible or exchangeable into an equity interest), warrants or options to acquire an equity interest in such person. The Series A Preferred Stock shall, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon a liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation, rank:


(i) senior to any class or series of Capital Stock of the Corporation, the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series ranks senior to or on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon a liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation (collectively, together with any warrants, rights, calls or options exercisable for or convertible into such Capital Stock, the “Junior Stock”);

(ii) on parity with the Common Stock, par value $0.04 per share, of the Corporation (“Common Stock”) and any class or series of Capital Stock of the Corporation, the terms of which provide that such class or series ranks on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon a liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation (collectively, together with any warrants, rights, calls or options exercisable for or convertible into such Capital Stock, the “Parity Stock”); and

(iii) junior to any class or series of Capital Stock of the Corporation (other than Common Stock), the terms of which expressly provide that such class or series ranks senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon a liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation (collectively, together with any warrants, rights, calls or options exercisable for or convertible into such Capital Stock, the “Senior Stock”).

Section 2. Definitions.

For purposes of this Statement of Resolution, the following terms have meanings set forth in the Section indicated:

 

Term

  

Section

Board    Preamble
Business Day    Section 11(c)
Capital Stock    Section 1(d)
Certificate of Formation    Preamble
Common Stock    Section 1(d)(ii)
Code    Preamble
Conversion Ratio    Section 8(a)
Conversion Requirements    Section 8(a)
Corporation    Preamble
Junior Stock    Section 1(d)(i)
Liquidation    Section 4(a)
Liquidation Distribution    Section 4(a)
National Securities Exchange    Section 8(a)
Original Issue Date    Section 3(a)
Original Issue Price    Section 3(a)
Parity Stock    Section 1(d)(ii)
Transfer Agent    Section 7(b)
Senior Stock    Section 1(d)(iii)
Series A Preferred Stock    Section 1(a)

 

2


Section 3. Dividends.

(a) Holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board and declared by the Corporation, out of funds that are legally available therefor, cash dividends of ten percent (10%) of the Original Issue Price per annum on each outstanding share of Series A Preferred Stock. Such dividends shall accrue from the first anniversary of the Original Issue Date of the Series A Preferred Stock and shall cease to accrue on the date immediately preceding the date on which the Conversion Requirements described in Section 8 are satisfied. The “Original Issue Price” means $9.50 per share (as adjusted for any stock split, combination or similar event or transaction directly affecting the Series A Preferred Stock but not by any accrued dividends). The “Original Issue Date” means September 17, 2019.

(b) Following the first anniversary of the Original Issue Date, dividends pursuant to this Section 3 shall be payable quarterly in cash, on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year, beginning September 30, 2020, when, as and if declared by the Board, until the time at which the Conversion Requirements are satisfied; provided, however, that when the Preferred Stock is no longer outstanding, no dividends shall be payable to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock or the holders of the Common Stock into which the Series A Preferred Stock converts. Payments of any dividends pursuant to this Section 3 shall be payable only if the Corporation has surplus income and such payment is permissible under the Corporation’s debt instruments then in effect.

(c) No dividends or distributions shall be paid with respect to the Common Stock (i) prior to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock having received all accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock or (ii) unless and until all shares of Series A Preferred Stock have been converted to shares of Common Stock.

(d) Holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall fully participate, on an as-converted basis, in any dividends declared and paid or distributions on Common Stock as if the Series A Preferred Stock were converted into shares of Common Stock as of the record date for such dividend or distribution at the Conversion Ratio.

Section 4. Liquidation.

(a) Prior to conversion pursuant to Section 8, in the event of a liquidation (complete or partial), dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary (a “Liquidation”), after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, in respect of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by them, out of assets of the Corporation available for distribution to shareholders of the Corporation or their assignees, and subject to the rights of any outstanding shares of Senior Stock and before any amount shall be distributed to the holders of Junior Stock, a liquidating distribution (the “Liquidation Distribution”) in an amount equal to the amount such holder of Series A Preferred Stock would have been entitled to receive had such holder converted its shares of Series A Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock at the Conversion Ratio immediately prior to such Liquidation.

 

3


(b) If, upon any Liquidation, the amount payable with respect to the Liquidation Distribution is not paid in full, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Stock shall share equally and ratably in any distribution of the Corporation’s assets in proportion to the respective liquidation distributions to which they are entitled.

(c) After the payment in cash or proceeds to the holders of shares of the Series A Preferred Stock of the full amount of the Liquidation Distribution with respect to outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the holders of outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no right or claim, based on their ownership of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, to the remaining assets of the Corporation, if any. Whenever any such distribution shall be paid in property other than cash, the value of such distribution shall be the fair market value of such property as determined in the good faith reasonable discretion of the Board or liquidating trustee, as the case may be.

Section 5. Voting.

The holders of outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

(a) Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to voting power equal to 8.71 shares of Common Stock on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Corporation; provided that, to eliminate fractional votes, the votes cast by the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in the aggregate “for” or “against” a matter will be rounded down to the nearest whole vote.

(b) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein or by the Code or other applicable law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Corporation.

(d) Except as set forth herein or as otherwise required by the Code or other applicable law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with the holders of shares of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

 

4


Section 6. Reservation of Common Stock.

(a) Subject to the Conversion Requirements set forth in Section 8, at any time that any Series A Preferred Stock is outstanding, the Corporation shall from time to time take all lawful action within its control to cause the authorized capital stock of the Corporation to include a number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock equal to 7,894,740 shares (for the avoidance of doubt, taking into account any other obligations of the Corporation to reserve Common Stock upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of other securities of the Corporation such that any other reservation may not be counted toward the reservation of Common Stock hereunder) (such authorized but unissued shares, the “Reserved Shares”). If, at any time, the Corporation lacks a sufficient number of Reserved Shares, the Corporation shall use its reasonable best efforts to take all lawful action within its control to effect an amendment to the Certificate of Formation to increase the authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation to provide for a sufficient number of Reserved Shares.

(b) If any shares of Common Stock to be reserved for the purpose of conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock require registration or listing with or approval of any governmental authority, stock exchange or other regulatory body under any federal or state law or regulation or otherwise before such shares may be validly issued or delivered upon conversion, the Corporation shall, at its sole cost and expense, in good faith and as expeditiously as possible following satisfaction of the Conversion Requirements set forth in Section 8, endeavor to secure such registration, listing or approval, as the case may be.

Section 7. Form.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and any shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion thereof shall be in uncertificated, book-entry form as permitted by the Bylaws of the Corporation and the Code, and shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, REGISTRATION.”

(b) The duly appointed transfer agent for the Series A Preferred Stock shall be Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Transfer Agent”). The Corporation may, in its sole discretion, remove the Transfer Agent in accordance with the agreement between the Corporation and the Transfer Agent; provided that if the Corporation removes Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the Corporation shall appoint a successor transfer agent who shall accept such appointment prior to the effectiveness of such removal.

(c) Transfers of Series A Preferred Stock or any shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion thereof held in uncertificated, book-entry form shall be made only upon the transfer books of the Corporation kept at an office of the Transfer Agent upon receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered owner of such uncertificated shares, or from a duly authorized attorney or from an individual presenting proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer the stock. The Corporation may refuse any requested transfer until furnished evidence satisfactory to it that such transfer is proper.

 

5


Section 8. Conversion.

(a) Following (i) effectiveness of an amendment to the Certificate of Formation to increase the number of authorized shares of Common Stock by at least 50,000,000 shares and (ii) approval by the shareholders of the Corporation, in accordance with applicable law and the applicable rules and regulations of the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading (the “National Securities Exchange”), of the issuance of the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 8 (the “Conversion Requirements”), each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall automatically convert into 10 shares of Common Stock (the “Conversion Ratio”).

(b) Any Common Stock delivered as a result of conversion pursuant to this Section 8 following satisfaction of the Conversion Requirements shall be validly issued, fully paid and non- assessable, free and clear of any preemptive right, liens, claims, rights or encumbrances other than those arising under the Code or the Bylaws of the Corporation. Immediately following the settlement of conversion, the rights of the holders of converted Series A Preferred Stock shall cease and the persons entitled to receive shares of Common Stock upon the conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be treated for all purposes as having become the owners of such shares of Common Stock. Concurrently with such conversion, the converted shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall cease to be outstanding, shall be canceled and the shares of Series A Preferred Stock formerly designated pursuant to this Statement of Resolution shall be restored to authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock.

(c) If, after the Original Issue Date, the Corporation (i) makes a distribution on its Common Stock in cash, securities (including Common Stock) or other property or assets, (ii) subdivides or splits its outstanding Common Stock into a greater number of Common Stock, (iii) combines or reclassifies its Common Stock into a smaller number of Common Stock or (iv) issues by reclassification of its Common Stock any securities (including any reclassification in connection with a merger, consolidation or business combination in which the Corporation is the surviving person), then the Conversion Ratio in effect at the time of the record date for such distribution or of the effective date of such subdivision, split, combination, or reclassification shall be proportionately adjusted so that the conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock after such time shall entitle the holder to receive the aggregate number of Common Stock (or shares of any securities into which such shares of Common Stock would have been combined, consolidated, merged or reclassified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) above) that such holder would have been entitled to receive if the Series A Preferred Stock had been converted into Common Stock immediately prior to such record date or effective date, as the case may be, and in the case of a merger, consolidation or business combination in which the Corporation is the surviving person, the Corporation shall provide effective provisions to ensure that the provisions in this Statement of Resolution relating to the Series A Preferred Stock shall not be abridged or amended and that the Series A Preferred Stock shall thereafter retain the same powers, preferences and relative participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereon, that the Series A Preferred Stock had immediately prior to such transaction or event. An adjustment made pursuant to this Section 8(c) shall become effective immediately after the record date in the case of a distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination, reclassification (including any reclassification in connection with a merger, consolidation or business combination in which the Corporation is the surviving person) or split. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever any event described above shall occur.

 

6


(d) Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this Section 8, no adjustment shall be made to the Conversion Ratio pursuant to Section 8(c) as a result of any of the following:

(i) the grant of Common Stock or options, warrants or rights to purchase Common Stock to employees, officers or directors of the Corporation or its subsidiaries, under compensation plans and agreements approved in good faith by the Board; provided, that in the case of options, warrants or rights to purchase Common Stock, the exercise price per Common Stock shall not be less than the closing price of the Common Stock (as reported by the National Securities Exchange) on the date such option, warrant or other right is issued;

(ii) the issuance of any Common Stock as all or part of the consideration to effect (A) the closing of any acquisition by the Corporation of assets of a third party or (B) the consummation of a merger, consolidation or other business combination of the Corporation with another entity in which the Corporation survives and the Common Stock remain outstanding to the extent such transaction(s) is or are validly approved by the vote or consent of the Board;

(iii) without duplication of Section 8(d)(i) above, the issuance of options, warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock, or securities exercisable or convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock (or options, warrants or other rights to purchase any such securities that are exercisable or convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, in each case, that are outstanding on the date of first issuance of shares of Series A Preferred Stock); and

(iv) the issuance of securities for which an adjustment is made under another provision of this Section 8.

(e) The Corporation shall pay any and all issue, documentary, stamp and other taxes, excluding any income, franchise, property or similar taxes, that may be payable in respect of any issue or delivery of Common Stock on conversion of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant hereto. However, the holder of any Series A Preferred Stock shall pay any tax that is due because Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof are issued in a name other than such holder’s name.

(f) No fractional Common Stock shall be issued upon the conversion of any Series A Preferred Stock. All Common Stock (including fractions thereof) issuable upon conversion of more than one share of Series A Preferred Stock by a holder thereof shall be aggregated for purposes of determining whether the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional stock. If, after the aforementioned aggregation, the conversion would result in the issuance of a fraction of a Common Stock, the Corporation shall not issue a fractional Common Stock but shall round the fractional Common Stock to the nearest whole Common Stock (and a 0.5 of a share of Common Stock shall be rounded up to the next higher share of Common Stock).

 

7


Section 9. Additional Procedures.

(a) In connection with any conversion pursuant to Section 8, the holder of Series A Preferred Stock must deliver transfer instruments reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation, at the principal office of the Corporation (or such other place mutually acceptable to the holder of Series A Preferred Stock and the Corporation), in accordance with Section 7(c).

(b) On the date of conversion pursuant to Section 8, the number of shares of Common Stock into which the applicable shares of Series A Preferred Stock are converted shall be promptly issued in uncertificated, book-entry form and evidence thereof shall be delivered to the holder of Series A Preferred Stock thereof or such holder’s designee upon the furnishing of appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the payment of all transfer and similar taxes, if any, allocable to such holder.

Section 10. No Other Rights.

The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not have any powers, designations, preferences or relative, participating, optional, or other special rights, nor shall there be any qualifications, limitations or restrictions or any powers, designations, preferences or rights of such shares, other than as set forth herein or in the Certificate of Formation, or as may be provided by law.

Section 11. Other Provisions.

(a) The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be subject to the operation of any retirement or sinking fund.

(b) In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Statement of Resolution shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision, there shall be added automatically as a part of this Statement of Resolution a provision as similar in terms to such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be legal, valid and enforceable, unless the requisite parties separately agree to a replacement provision that is valid, legal and enforceable.

(c) Any amendment, modification, waiver or alteration of, or supplement to, this Statement of Resolution shall require approval of a majority of the members of the Board not affiliated with John C. Goff.

(d) Any payments, issuances or distributions required to be made hereunder on any day that is not a Business Day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day without interest or additional payment for such delay. For the purposes of this Statement of Resolution, “Business Day” shall mean each day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in Houston, Texas are authorized or required by law to close. All payments required hereunder shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds in United States Dollars to the holders in accordance with the payment instructions as such holders may deliver by written notice to the Corporation from time to time.

 

8


Section 12. Effective Date.

This Statement of Resolution shall become effective on September 17, 2019.

[The Remainder of this Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

9


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Contango Oil & Gas Company has caused this Statement of Resolution to be duly executed on the date first written above.

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:   /s/ E. Joseph Grady
Name: E. Joseph Grady
Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Statement of Resolution]

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO    LOGO

September 17, 2019

Contango Oil & Gas Company

717 Texas Ave., Suite 2900

Houston, TX 77001

 

Re:

Contango Oil & Gas Company Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-215784), as amended by Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement Form S-3 (File No. 333-215784)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-215784), as amended by Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-215784) (the “Registration Statement”), of Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Company”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), together with the preliminary prospectus thereto filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(c) under the Securities Act, in connection with the offering by the Company of up to 51,447,368 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.04 per share (the “Shares”). In arriving at the opinion expressed below, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction as being true and complete copies of the originals, of such documents, corporate records, certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable to enable us to render the opinions set forth below. In our examination, we have assumed without independent investigation the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when issued against payment therefor as set forth in the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

LOGO


LOGO

September 17, 2019

Page 2

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and we further consent to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement and the prospectus that forms a part thereof. In giving these consents, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Exhibit 10.1

Execution Version

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

among

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY

and

THE PURCHASERS PARTY HERETO


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.01

  Definitions      1  

ARTICLE II AGREEMENT TO SELL AND PURCHASE

     4  

Section 2.01

  Authorization of Sale of the Purchased Securities      4  

Section 2.02

  Sale and Purchase      4  

Section 2.03

  Closing      4  

Section 2.04

  Conditions to Closing      4  

Section 2.05

  Contango Deliveries      5  

Section 2.06

  Purchasers’ Deliveries      6  

Section 2.07

  Independent Nature of the Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights      6  

Section 2.08

  Further Assurances      6  

ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS RELATED TO CONTANGO

     7  

Section 3.01

  Corporate Existence      7  

Section 3.02

  Valid Issuance of Purchased Securities      7  

Section 3.03

  Authorization, Enforceability      7  

Section 3.04

  No Breach      7  

Section 3.05

  Investment Company Status      7  

Section 3.06

  Certain Fees      8  

ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE PURCHASERS

     8  

Section 4.01

  Existence      8  

Section 4.02

  Authorization, Enforceability      8  

Section 4.03

  No Breach      8  

Section 4.04

  Certain Fees      9  

Section 4.05

  Unregistered Securities.      9  

Section 4.06

  Short Selling      10  

Section 4.07

  Lock-Up Agreement      10  

ARTICLE V INDEMNIFICATION, COSTS AND EXPENSES

     11  

Section 5.01

  Indemnification by Contango      11  

Section 5.02

  Indemnification by the Purchasers      11  

Section 5.03

  Indemnification Procedure      11  

Section 5.04

  Tax Treatment of Indemnification Payments      12  

ARTICLE VI TERMINATION

     12  

Section 6.01

  Termination      12  

Section 6.02

  Certain Effects of Termination      13  

 

i


ARTICLE VII MISCELLANEOUS

     13  

Section 7.01

  Expenses      13  

Section 7.02

  Interpretation      13  

Section 7.03

  Survival of Provisions      14  

Section 7.04

  No Waiver; Modifications in Writing.      14  

Section 7.05

  Binding Effect; Assignment      15  

Section 7.06

  Communications      15  

Section 7.07

  Entire Agreement      16  

Section 7.08

  Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction      16  

Section 7.09

  Waiver of Jury Trial      16  

Section 7.10

  Execution in Counterparts      16  

Section 7.11

  Recapitalizations, Exchanges, Etc. Affecting the Purchased Securities      17  

Section 7.12

  Certain Tax Matters      17  

 

SCHEDULE A – Schedule of Purchasers

EXHIBIT A – Form of Statement of Resolution for the Preferred Stock

EXHIBIT B – Form of Registration Rights Agreement

EXHIBIT C – Form of Voting and Support Agreement

 

 

ii


PURCHASE AGREEMENT

This PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated as of September 12, 2019 (this “Agreement”), is entered into by and among Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (“Contango”), and each of the purchasers set forth in Schedule A hereto (the “Purchasers”).

RECITALS:

WHEREAS, Contango desires to sell the Purchased Securities (as defined below) and the Purchasers desire to purchase from Contango the Purchased Securities, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Contango has agreed to provide the Purchasers with certain registration rights with respect to the shares of Common Stock underlying the Purchased Securities acquired pursuant hereto.

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, Contango and each of the Purchasers, severally and not jointly, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01 Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, any other Person, directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; provided however, that Contango and the Purchasers shall not be considered Affiliates for purposes of this Agreement.

Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Allocated Purchase Price” means with respect to each Purchaser, the dollar amount set forth opposite such Purchaser’s name under the heading “Allocated Purchase Price” on Schedule A hereto.

Basic Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, the Statement of Resolution and the Registration Rights Agreement.

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

 


Common Stock” means the Common Stock, par value $0.04 per share, of Contango.

Contango” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Contango Bylaws” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(e).

Contango Related Parties” shall have the meaning specified in Section 5.02.

Closing” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b).

Closing Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c).

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Conversion Shares” means the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock.

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

Governmental Authority” means, with respect to a particular Person, any country, state, county, city and political subdivision in which such Person or such Person’s Property is located or which exercises valid jurisdiction over any such Person or such Person’s Property, and any court, agency, department, commission, board, bureau or instrumentality of any of them and any monetary authority which exercises valid jurisdiction over any such Person or such Person’s Property. Unless otherwise specified, all references to Governmental Authority herein with respect to Contango means a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over Contango, its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Properties.

Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning specified in Section 5.03.

Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning specified in Section 5.03.

Law” means any federal, state, local or foreign order, writ, injunction, judgment, settlement, award, decree, statute, law (including common law), rule or regulation.

Lien” means any mortgage, claim, encumbrance, pledge, lien (statutory or otherwise), security agreement, conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment, preference or priority, assessment, deed of trust, charge, easement, servitude or other encumbrance upon or with respect to any property of any kind.

NYSE” means the NYSE American.

Person” means any individual, corporation, company, voluntary association, partnership, joint venture, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, government or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision thereof or any other form of entity.

 

2


Preferred Stock” means the Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock having the terms set forth in the Statement of Resolution.

Property” means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible.

Purchased Securities” means, with respect to each Purchaser, the number of shares of Preferred Stock as set forth opposite such Purchaser’s name on Schedule A hereto.

Purchaser Related Parties” shall have the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Purchasers” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Registration Rights Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement, to be entered into on the date hereof, between Contango and the Purchasers in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

Representatives” means, with respect to a specified Person, the officers, directors, managers, employees, agents, counsel, accountants, investment bankers and other representatives of such Person.

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

Short Sales” means, without limitation, all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act, whether or not against the box, and forward sale contracts, options, puts, calls, short sales, “put equivalent positions” (as defined in Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act) and similar arrangements, and sales and other transactions through non-U.S. broker dealers or foreign regulated brokers.

Statement of Resolution” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.04(b)(iv).

Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any corporation or other entity of which: (i) such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is a general partner or manager; (ii) at least a majority of the outstanding equity interest having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or similar governing body of such corporation or other entity (irrespective of whether or not at the time any equity interest of any other class or classes of such corporation or other entity shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries; or (iii) any corporation or other entity as to which such Person consolidates for accounting purposes.

TBOC” means the Texas Business Organizations Code.

Transfer” shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.07.

 

3


ARTICLE II

AGREEMENT TO SELL AND PURCHASE

Section 2.01 Authorization of Sale of the Purchased Securities. Contango has authorized the issuance and sale to the Purchasers of the Purchased Securities on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

Section 2.02 Sale and Purchase. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, Contango hereby agrees to issue and sell to each Purchaser, free and clear of any and all Liens (other than the transfer restrictions under applicable federal and state securities laws and other than those arising under the Certificates of Designations or the TBOC), and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to purchase from Contango, such number of Purchased Securities on the Closing Date as set forth on Schedule A, and each Purchaser agrees to pay Contango its Allocated Purchase Price with respect to such Purchased Securities.

Section 2.03 Closing. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the consummation of the purchase and sale of the Purchased Securities hereunder (the “Closing”) shall take place at 9:00 a.m. Central Time on September 17, 2019 at the offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, 811 Main Street, Suite 3000, Houston, Texas, or such other date, time or location as agreed by the parties. The date of the Closing shall be the “Closing Date.” The parties agree that the Closing may occur via delivery of facsimiles or portable document format (PDF) documents.

Section 2.04 Conditions to Closing.

(a) Mutual Conditions. The respective obligations of each party to consummate the purchase and issuance and sale of the Purchased Securities to be purchased and issued at the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction on or prior to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions (any or all of which may be waived by a particular party on behalf of itself in writing, in whole or in part, to the extent permitted by applicable Law):

(i) no statute, rule, order, decree or regulation shall have been enacted or promulgated, and no action shall have been taken, by any Governmental Authority which temporarily, preliminarily or permanently restrains, precludes, enjoins or otherwise prohibits the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or makes the transactions contemplated hereby illegal;

(ii) there shall not be pending any suit, action or proceeding by any Governmental Authority seeking to restrain, preclude, enjoin or prohibit the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and

(iii) the concurrent public offering of Common Stock pursuant to an underwriting agreement between the Company and the underwriters named therein shall be consummated.

 

4


(b) Conditions of the Purchasers’ Obligations at the Closing. The respective obligations of each Purchaser to consummate the purchase of the Purchased Securities to be purchased by such Purchaser at the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by such Purchaser) on or prior to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions:

(i) the representations and warranties of Contango contained in this Agreement that are qualified by materiality shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date as if made on and as of the Closing Date and all other representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date as if made on and as of the Closing Date (except that representations and warranties made as of a specific date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects as of such date only);

(ii) Contango and its Subsidiaries shall have performed and complied, in all material respects, with all of the covenants and agreements required to be performed and complied with by it hereunder on or prior to the Closing Date;

(iii) Contango shall have adopted and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Texas the Statement of Resolution in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Statement of Resolution”), and the Statement of Resolution shall have become effective as an amendment to Contango’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Formation (the “Contango Charter”); and

(iv) Contango shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to the Purchasers, Contango’s closing deliveries described in Section 2.05.

(c) Conditions of Contango’s Obligations at the Closing. The obligation of Contango to consummate the sale of the Purchased Securities to be sold at the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by Contango) on or prior to the Closing Date of each of the following conditions:

(i) the representations and warranties of each Purchaser contained in this Agreement that are qualified by materiality shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date as if made on and as of the Closing Date and all other representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date as if made on and as of the Closing Date (except that representations and warranties made as of a specific date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects as of such date only);

(ii) each Purchaser shall have performed and complied, in all material respects, with all of the covenants and agreements required to be performed and complied with by such Purchaser on or prior to the Closing Date;

(iii) each Purchaser shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to Contango such Purchaser’s closing deliveries as described in Section 2.06 of this Agreement.

Section 2.05 Contango Deliveries. At the Closing, Contango shall deliver or cause to be delivered:

(a) evidence of the Purchased Securities credited to book-entry accounts maintained by the transfer agent of the Company and issued by the Company free and clear of any Liens, other than the transfer restrictions under applicable federal and state securities laws and other than those arising under the Statement of Resolution or the TBOC, registered in such names as each Purchaser shall have designated; and

 

5


(b) the Registration Rights Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, which shall have been duly executed by Contango.

Section 2.06 Purchasers Deliveries. At the Closing, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered:

(a) its Allocated Purchase Price as of the Closing Date, such payments to be made by wire transfers of immediately available funds on the Closing Date to an account designated by Contango at least two (2) Business Days (or such shorter period of time as shall be agreeable by all parties hereto) prior to the Closing Date;

(b) the Registration Rights Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, which shall have been duly executed by each Purchaser party thereto; and

(c) the Voting and Support Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, which shall have been duly executed by each Purchaser party thereto.

Section 2.07 Independent Nature of the Purchasers Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under any Basic Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Basic Document. The failure or waiver of performance under any Basic Document of any Purchaser by Contango does not excuse performance by any other Purchaser and the waiver of performance of Contango by any Purchaser does not excuse performance by Contango with respect to each other Purchaser. Nothing contained herein or in any other Basic Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Basic Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Basic Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.

Section 2.08 Further Assurances. From time to time after the date hereof, without further consideration, Contango and the Purchasers shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions necessary or appropriate to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

6


ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES AND

COVENANTS RELATED TO CONTANGO

Contango represents and warrants to and covenants with each Purchaser as follows:

Section 3.01 Corporate Existence. Contango is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Texas, with all necessary power and authority to own properties and to conduct its business as currently conducted.

Section 3.02 Valid Issuance of Purchased Securities. The Purchased Securities being purchased by each of the Purchasers hereunder will be duly authorized by Contango pursuant to the Contango Charter and the Statement of Resolution prior to the Closing and, when issued and delivered by Contango to such Purchaser against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the terms of the Purchased Securities, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will be free of preemptive rights or any Liens and restrictions on transfer, other than (i) restrictions on transfer under the Statement of Resolution or this Agreement and under applicable state and federal securities laws and (ii) such Liens as are created by such Purchaser or its Affiliates.

Section 3.03 Authorization, Enforceability. Contango has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Basic Documents, and the execution, delivery and performance by Contango of the Basic Documents and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary legal action on the part of Contango; and no further consent or authorization of Contango is required. All corporate action required to be taken by the Contango for the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Purchased Securities shall have been validly taken. The Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by Contango and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Contango and, when executed and delivered by Contango, the other Basic Documents will be duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by Contango and will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of Contango, in each case enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity and except as the rights to indemnification may be limited by applicable law.

Section 3.04 No Breach. The execution, delivery and performance by Contango of the Basic Documents and the consummation by Contango of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby does not and will not (a) assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein and their compliance with the covenants contained herein, violate any provision of any Law or permit having applicability to Contango or the property or assets of Contango or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) conflict with or result in a violation or breach of any provision of the organizational documents of Contango, or (c) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement to which Contango is a party or by which Contango is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Contango or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, except in the case of clauses (a) and (c), for such conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults as would not have a material adverse effect on the ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Basic Documents.

Section 3.05 Investment Company Status. Contango is not and, immediately after the sale of the Purchased Securities and the application of the net proceeds from such sale will not be, required to register as an “investment company” or a company controlled by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

7


Section 3.06 Certain Fees. Except for fees paid to Cowen and Company, LLC and Intrepid Partners, LLC in connection with the sale of the Purchased Securities, no fees or commissions are or will be payable by Contango to brokers, finders or investment bankers with respect to the sale of any of the Purchased Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Contango agrees that it will indemnify and hold harmless each Purchaser from and against any and all claims, demands, or liabilities for broker’s, finder’s, placement, or other similar fees or commissions incurred by Contango or alleged to have been incurred by Contango in connection with the sale of the Purchased Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES AND

COVENANTS OF THE PURCHASERS

Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, hereby represents and warrants and covenants to Contango as follows:

Section 4.01 Existence. Such Purchaser is duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of formation, with all necessary power and authority to own properties and to conduct its business as currently conducted.

Section 4.02 Authorization, Enforceability. Such Purchaser has all necessary legal power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Basic Documents to which such Purchaser is or will be a party. The execution, delivery and performance by such Purchaser of the Basic Documents to which such Purchaser is or will be a party and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary legal action, and no further consent or authorization of such Purchaser is required. This Agreement to which such Purchaser is a party has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by such Purchaser and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Purchaser and, when executed by such Purchaser, the other Basic Documents to which such Purchaser is a party will be duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by such Purchaser and will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of such Purchaser, in each case enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity and except as the rights to indemnification may be limited by applicable law.

Section 4.03 No Breach. The execution, delivery and performance by such Purchaser of the Basic Documents and the consummation by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby does not and will not (a) assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of Contango contained herein and its compliance with the covenants contained herein, violate any provision of any Law or permit having applicability to such Purchaser or the property or assets of such Purchaser, (b) conflict with or result in a violation or breach of any provision of

 

8


the organizational documents of such Purchaser, or (c) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement to which such Purchaser is a party or by which such Purchaser is bound or to which any of the property or assets of such Purchaser is subject, except in the case of clauses (a) and (c), for such conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults as would not have a material adverse effect on the ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Basic Documents.

Section 4.04 Certain Fees. No fees or commissions are or will be payable by such Purchaser to brokers, finders or investment bankers with respect to the purchase of any of the Purchased Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Such Purchaser agrees, severally and not jointly with any other Purchaser, that it will indemnify and hold harmless Contango from and against any and all claims, demands or liabilities for broker’s, finder’s, placement, or other similar fees or commissions incurred by such Purchaser or alleged to have been incurred by such Purchaser in connection with the purchase of the Purchased Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 4.05 Unregistered Securities.

(a) Accredited Investor Status; Sophisticated Purchasers. Such Purchaser is an “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and is able to bear the risk of its investment in Purchased Securities and the Conversion Shares. Such Purchaser has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the purchase of the Purchased Securities and the Conversion Shares.

(b) Information. Such Purchaser and its Representatives have been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and operations of Contango that have been requested and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Purchased Securities that have been requested by such Purchaser and its Representatives. Such Purchaser and its Representatives have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of Contango. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted at any time by any Purchaser and Representatives shall modify, amend or affect such Purchaser’s right (i) to rely on Contango’s representations and warranties contained in Article III above or (ii) to indemnification or any other remedy based on, or with respect to the accuracy or inaccuracy of, or compliance with, the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in this Agreement, or any other Basic Document. Such Purchaser understands that the purchase of the Purchased Securities involves a high degree of risk. Such Purchaser has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Purchased Securities.

(c) Cooperation. Such Purchaser shall cooperate reasonably with Contango to provide any information necessary for any applicable securities filings required to be made by Contango.

(d) Legends. Such Purchaser understands that the Purchased Securities will bear a restrictive legend substantially in the form as set forth in the Statement of Resolution.

 

9


(e) Purchase Representation. Such Purchaser is purchasing the Purchased Securities for its own account and not with a view to distribution in violation of any securities laws. Such Purchaser has been advised and understands that none of the Purchased Securities or the Conversion Shares have been registered under the Securities Act or under the “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction and may be resold only if registered pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act (or if eligible, pursuant to the provisions of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act or pursuant to another available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act). Such Purchaser has been advised and understands that Contango, in issuing the Purchased Securities, is relying upon, among other things, the representations and warranties of such Purchaser contained in this Article IV in concluding that such issuance is a “private offering” and is exempt from the registration provisions of the Securities Act.

(f) Rule 144. Such Purchaser understands that there is no public trading market for the Purchased Securities, that none is expected to develop and that the Purchased Securities must be held indefinitely unless and until the Purchased Securities or the Conversion Shares, as applicable, are registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from registration is available. Such Purchaser has been advised of and is aware of the provisions of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

(g) Reliance by Contango. Such Purchaser understands that the Purchased Securities are being offered and sold in reliance on a transactional exemption from the registration requirements of federal and state securities laws and that Contango is relying upon the truth and accuracy of the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of such Purchaser set forth herein in order to determine the applicability of such exemptions and the suitability of such Purchaser to acquire the Purchased Securities and the Conversion Shares.

Section 4.06 Short Selling. Such Purchaser has not engaged in any Short Sales involving Common Stock owned by it between the time it first began discussions with Contango about the transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the date of execution of this Agreement.

Section 4.07 Lock-Up Agreement. Without the prior written consent of Contango, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, each Purchaser will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending the date that is six months after the date hereof, (1) offer, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of its Purchased Securities or (2) enter into any swap or other transaction or arrangement that transfers or that is designed to, or that might reasonably be expected to, result in the transfer to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of its Purchased Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above (any such transaction described in clauses (1) and (2), a “Transfer”) is to be settled by delivery of Purchased Securities, Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.

 

10


ARTICLE V

INDEMNIFICATION, COSTS AND EXPENSES

Section 5.01 Indemnification by Contango. Contango agrees to indemnify each Purchaser and its Representatives (collectively, “Purchaser Related Parties”) from, and hold each of them harmless against, any and all losses, actions, suits, proceedings (including any investigations, litigation or inquiries), demands and causes of action, and, in connection therewith, and promptly upon demand, pay or reimburse each of them for all reasonable costs, losses, liabilities, damages or expenses of any kind or nature whatsoever (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel and all other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with investigating, defending or preparing to defend any such matter that may be incurred by them or asserted against or involve any of them), involving a third party claim, as a result of, arising out of, or in any way related to (i) the failure of any of the representations or warranties made by Contango contained herein to be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof (except with respect to any provisions including the word “material” or words of similar import, with respect to which such representations and warranties must have been true and correct) or (ii) the material breach of any covenants of Contango contained herein, provided that, in the case of the immediately preceding clause (i), such claim for indemnification is made prior to the expiration of such representation or warranty; provided, however, that for purposes of determining when an indemnification claim has been made, the date upon which a Purchaser Related Party shall have given notice (stating in reasonable detail the basis of the claim for indemnification) to Contango shall constitute the date upon which such claim has been made.

Section 5.02 Indemnification by the Purchasers. Each Purchaser agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify Contango and its respective Representatives (collectively, “Contango Related Parties”) from, and hold each of them harmless against, any and all losses, actions, suits, proceedings (including any investigations, litigation or inquiries), demands and causes of action, and, in connection therewith, and promptly upon demand, pay or reimburse each of them for all reasonable costs, losses, liabilities, damages or expenses of any kind or nature whatsoever (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel and all other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with investigating, defending or preparing to defend any such matter that may be incurred by them or asserted against or involve any of them), involving a third party claim, as a result of, arising out of, or in any way related to (i) the failure of any of the representations or warranties made by such Purchaser contained herein to be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof or (ii) the material breach of any of the covenants of such Purchaser contained herein, provided that, in the case of the immediately preceding clause (i), such claim for indemnification relating to a breach of any representation or warranty is made prior to the expiration of such representation or warranty; provided, however, that for purposes of determining when an indemnification claim has been made, the date upon which a Contango Related Party shall have given notice (stating in reasonable detail the basis of the claim for indemnification) to such Purchaser shall constitute the date upon which such claim has been made; provided, further, that the liability of such Purchaser shall not be greater in amount than such Purchaser’s Allocated Purchase Price.

Section 5.03 Indemnification Procedure. A claim for indemnification for any matter not involving a third party claim may be asserted by notice to the party from whom indemnification is sought; provided, however, that failure to so notify the indemnifying party shall not preclude the indemnified party from any indemnification which it may claim in accordance with this Article V, except as otherwise provided in Sections 5.01 and 5.02. Promptly after any Contango Related Party or Purchaser Related Party (hereinafter, the “Indemnified Party”) has received notice of any indemnifiable claim hereunder, or the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by a third person, which the Indemnified Party believes in good faith is an indemnifiable claim under this

 

11


Agreement, the Indemnified Party shall give the indemnitor hereunder (the “Indemnifying Party”) written notice of such claim or the commencement of such action, suit or proceeding, but failure to so notify the Indemnifying Party will not relieve the Indemnifying Party from any liability it may have to such Indemnified Party hereunder except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced by such failure. Such notice shall state the nature and the basis of such claim to the extent then known. The Indemnifying Party shall have the right to defend and settle, at its own expense and by its own counsel, any such matter as long as the Indemnifying Party pursues the same diligently and in good faith. If the Indemnifying Party undertakes to defend or settle such claim, it shall promptly after such determination, and in no event later than five (5) days, notify the Indemnified Party of its intention to do so, and the Indemnified Party shall cooperate with the Indemnifying Party and its counsel in all commercially reasonable respects in the defense thereof and/or the settlement thereof. Such cooperation shall include, but shall not be limited to, furnishing the Indemnifying Party with any books, records and other information reasonably requested by the Indemnifying Party and in the Indemnified Party’s possession or control relevant to the claim. Such cooperation of the Indemnified Party shall be at the cost of the Indemnifying Party. After the Indemnifying Party has notified the Indemnified Party of its intention to undertake to defend or settle any such asserted liability, and for so long as the Indemnifying Party diligently pursues such defense, the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any additional legal expenses incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection with any defense or settlement of such asserted liability; provided, however, that the Indemnified Party shall be entitled (i) at its expense, to participate in the defense of such asserted liability and the negotiations of the settlement thereof and (ii) if (A) the Indemnifying Party has, within ten (10) Business Days of when the Indemnified Party provides written notice of a claim, failed (y) to assume the defense or settlement of such claim and employ counsel or (z) to notify the Indemnified Party of such assumption, or (B) if the defendants in any such action include both the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party and counsel to the Indemnified Party shall have concluded that there may be reasonable defenses available to the Indemnified Party that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Party or if the interests of the Indemnified Party reasonably may be deemed to conflict with the interests of the Indemnifying Party, then the Indemnified Party shall have the right to select a separate counsel and to assume such legal defense and otherwise to participate in the defense of such action, with the expenses and fees of such separate counsel and other expenses related to such participation to be reimbursed by the Indemnifying Party as incurred. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Indemnifying Party shall not settle any indemnified claim without the consent of the Indemnified Party, unless the settlement thereof imposes no liability or obligation on, and includes a complete release from liability of, and does not contain any admission of wrong doing by, the Indemnified Party.

Section 5.04 Tax Treatment of Indemnification Payments. Any indemnification payments made under this Article V shall be treated for all tax purposes as an adjustment to the relevant Purchaser’s Allocated Purchase Price except as otherwise required by applicable Law.

ARTICLE VI

TERMINATION

Section 6.01 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time:

(a) by mutual written consent of Contango and the Purchasers; and

 

12


(b) by either Contango or the Purchasers if any court of competent jurisdiction in the United States or other United States Governmental Authority shall have issued a final order, decree or ruling or taken any other final action restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the transactions contemplated hereby and such order, decree, ruling or other action is or shall have become final and nonappealable.

Section 6.02 Certain Effects of Termination. If this Agreement is terminated as provided in Section 6.01, except as set forth in Section 7.03, this Agreement shall become null and void and have no further force or effect, but the parties shall not be released from any liability arising from or in connection with any breach hereof occurring prior to such termination.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 7.01 Expenses. All other costs and expenses, including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel, financial advisors and accountants, incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses, whether or not the Closing shall have occurred.

Section 7.02 Interpretation. Article, Section, Schedule and Exhibit references in this Agreement are references to the corresponding Article, Section, Schedule or Exhibit to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. All Exhibits and Schedules to this Agreement are hereby incorporated and made a part hereof as if set forth in full herein and are an integral part of this Agreement. All references to instruments, documents, contracts and agreements are references to such instruments, documents, contracts and agreements as the same may be amended, supplemented and otherwise modified from time to time, unless otherwise specified. The word “including” shall mean “including but not limited to” and shall not be construed to limit any general statement that it follows to the specific or similar items or matters immediately following it. Whenever Contango has an obligation under the Basic Documents, the expense of complying with that obligation shall be an expense of Contango unless otherwise specified. Any reference in this Agreement to $ shall mean U.S. dollars. Whenever any determination, consent or approval is to be made or given by any Purchaser, such action shall be in such Purchaser’s sole discretion, unless otherwise specified in this Agreement. If any provision in the Basic Documents is held to be illegal, invalid, not binding or unenforceable, (i) such provision shall be fully severable and the Basic Documents shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid, not binding or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part of the Basic Documents, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect and (ii) the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify the Basic Documents so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible. When calculating the period of time before which, within which or following which any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to the Basic Documents, the date that is the reference date in calculating such period shall be excluded. If the last day of such period is a non-Business Day, the period in question shall end on the next succeeding Business Day. Any words imparting the singular number only shall include

 

13


the plural and vice versa. The words such as “herein,” “hereinafter,” “hereof” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not merely to a subdivision in which such words appear unless the context otherwise requires. The provision of a Table of Contents, the division of this Agreement into Articles, Sections and other subdivisions and the insertion of headings are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect or be utilized in construing or interpreting this Agreement.

Section 7.03 Survival of Provisions. The representations and warranties set forth in Sections 3.02, 3.03, 3.06, 4.02, 4.04 and 4.05 hereunder shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement indefinitely, and the other representations and warranties set forth herein shall survive for a period of six (6) months following the final Closing Date regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of Contango or the Purchasers. The covenants made in this Agreement or any other Basic Document shall survive the final Closing and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of acceptance of any of the Purchased Securities and payment therefor and repayment, conversion or repurchase thereof. Regardless of any purported general termination of this Agreement, the provisions of Article V and all indemnification rights and obligations of Contango and the Purchasers thereunder, Section 6.02 and this Article VII shall remain operative and in full force and effect as between Contango and the Purchasers, unless Contango and the Purchasers execute a writing that expressly (with specific references to the applicable Section or subsection of this Agreement) terminates such rights and obligations as between Contango and the Purchasers.

Section 7.04 No Waiver; Modifications in Writing.

(a) Delay. No failure or delay on the part of any party in exercising any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or remedy preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy. The remedies provided for herein are cumulative and are not exclusive of any remedies that may be available to a party at law or in equity or otherwise.

(b) Specific Waiver. Except as otherwise provided herein, no amendment, waiver, consent, modification or termination of any provision of this Agreement or any other Basic Document shall be effective unless signed by each of the parties hereto or thereto affected by such amendment, waiver, consent, modification or termination. Any amendment, supplement or modification of or to any provision of this Agreement or any other Basic Document, any waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Basic Document and any consent to any departure by Contango from the terms of any provision of this Agreement or any other Basic Document shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which made or given. Except where notice is specifically required by this Agreement, no notice to or demand on Contango in any case shall entitle Contango to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances. Any investigation by or on behalf of any party shall not be deemed to constitute a waiver by the party taking such action of compliance with any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained herein. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, any amendment, waiver, consent or modification of, or supplement to, this Agreement or any other Basic Document shall require approval of a majority of the members of the board of directors of Contango not affiliated with John C. Goff.

 

14


Section 7.05 Binding Effect; Assignment.

(a) Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon Contango, each Purchaser and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, this Agreement shall not be construed so as to confer any right or benefit upon any Person other than the parties to this Agreement and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

(b) Assignment of Rights. Without the written consent of Contango, no portion of the rights and obligations of any Purchaser under this Agreement may be assigned or transferred by such Purchaser. No portion of the rights and obligations of Contango under this Agreement may be transferred or assigned without the prior written consent of the Purchasers.

Section 7.06 Communications. All notices and demands provided for hereunder shall be (i) in writing and shall be given by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery or personal delivery, and (ii) via e-mail, to the following addresses:

(a) If to the Purchasers:

At such address indicated on Schedule A attached hereto.

(b) If to Contango:

Contango Oil & Gas Company

717 Texas Avenue, Suite 2900

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Wilkie S. Colyer, Jr.

E-mail: WColyer@contango.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

811 Main Street, Suite 3000

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Hillary H. Holmes

E-mail: HHolmes@gibsondunn.com

or to such other address as Contango or such Purchaser may designate in writing. All notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; upon actual receipt if sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or regular mail, if mailed; upon actual receipt if sent by overnight courier copy; when receipt is acknowledged, if sent via e-mail; and upon actual receipt when delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.

 

15


Section 7.07 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, the other Basic Documents and the other agreements and documents referred to herein are intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein and therein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein or the other Basic Documents with respect to the rights granted by Contango or any of its Affiliates or the Purchasers or any of their Affiliates set forth herein or therein. This Agreement, the other Basic Documents and the other agreements and documents referred to herein or therein supersede all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

Section 7.08 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction. This Agreement, and all claims or causes of action (whether in contract or tort) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement), will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Texas without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. Any action against any party relating to the foregoing shall be brought in any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction located within the State of Texas, and the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any federal or state court located within the State of Texas over any such action. The parties hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, any objection which they may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such dispute brought in such court or any defense of inconvenient forum for the maintenance of such dispute. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a judgment in any such dispute may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by Law.

Section 7.09 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY WAIVES, AND AGREES TO CAUSE ITS AFFILIATES TO WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION (i) ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR (ii) IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY OR OTHERWISE. EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

Section 7.10 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which counterparts, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original and all of which counterparts, taken together, shall constitute but one and the same Agreement. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, portable document format (PDF) or other means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement; provided, however, that each party hereto shall deliver an original signed copy of this Agreement executed by such party to any other party hereto promptly upon the request of any such other party.

 

16


Section 7.11 Recapitalizations, Exchanges, Etc. Affecting the Purchased Securities. The provisions of this Agreement shall apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to any and all equity interests of Contango or any successor or assign of Contango (whether by merger, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for or in substitution of, the Purchased Securities.

Section 7.12 Certain Tax Matters. Contango agrees that, provided that each Purchaser delivers to Contango a properly executed IRS Form W-9, or similar form sufficient to cause under current Law Contango (including any paying agent of Contango) to avoid a requirement to withhold on any payments or deemed payments to any such Purchaser, Contango (including any paying agent of Contango) will not withhold on any payments or deemed payments to any such Purchaser.

[Remainder of Page Left Intentionally Blank]

 

17


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

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:   /s/ E. Joseph Grady
Name:   E. Joseph Grady
Title:   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

[Signatures continued on following page.]

 

[Signature Page to Purchase Agreement]


GOFF MCF PARTNERS, LP
By:   /s/ John C. Goff
Name:   John C. Goff
Title:   Chief Executive Officer
JOHN C. GOFF SEP IRA
By:   /s/ John C. Goff
  John C. Goff

[Signature Page to Purchase Agreement]


SCHEDULE A

 

Purchaser

   Number of Shares
of Preferred Stock
     Allocated Purchase Price  

Goff MCF Partners, LP

     694,737      $ 6,600,001.50  

John C. Goff SEP IRA

     94,737      $ 900,001.50  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     789,474      $ 7,500,003.00  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Notice Address:

500 Commerce St., Suite 700,

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Attention Jennifer Terrell

jterrell@Goffcp.com

With a copy to

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

1200 Seventeenth Street NW

Washington, DC 20036-3006

Attention Robert Robbins

robert.robbins@pillsburylaw.com


EXHIBIT A

STATEMENT OF RESOLUTION

ESTABLISHING SERIES OF SHARES

DESIGNATED

SERIES A CONTINGENT CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK

OF CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY

Pursuant to Section 21.155 and Section 21.156 of the Texas Business Organizations Code (the “Code”):

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY, a Texas corporation (the “Corporation”), certifies that pursuant to the authority contained in Article IV of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Formation (the “Certificate of Formation”), and in accordance with the provisions of Section 21.155 and Section 21.156 of the Code, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) duly approved and adopted on September 9, 2019, and a duly authorized Pricing Committee of the Board has duly approved and adopted on September 12, 2019, the following resolution creating and providing for the establishment and issuance of a series of shares of Series A Preferred Stock (defined below) as hereinafter described, providing for the designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights, voting, redemption and other rights thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, in addition to those set forth in the Certificate of Formation, all in accordance with the provisions of Section 21.155 and Section 21.156 of the Code, which resolution remains in full force and effect on the date hereof:

RESOLVED, that the rights, powers and preferences, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions, of the Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock as set forth in the Statement of Resolution are hereby approved and adopted by the Board and the Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock is hereby authorized out of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock, par value $0.04 per share; and the form, terms and provisions of the Statement of Resolution are hereby approved, adopted, ratified and confirmed in all respects as follows:

Section 1. Designation and Amount; Ranking.

(a) The shares of such series shall be designated the “Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”).

(b) Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects with the other shares of Series A Preferred Stock.

(c) The authorized number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall initially be 789,474, which number may from time to time be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board as permitted by the Code.

(d) For purposes of this Statement of Resolution, “Capital Stock” of any person means any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents however designated of corporate stock or other equity participations, including partnership interests, whether general or limited, of such person and any rights (other than debt securities convertible or exchangeable into an equity interest), warrants or options to acquire an equity interest in such person. The Series A Preferred Stock shall, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon a liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation, rank:


(i) senior to any class or series of Capital Stock of the Corporation, the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series ranks senior to or on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon a liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation (collectively, together with any warrants, rights, calls or options exercisable for or convertible into such Capital Stock, the “Junior Stock”);

(ii) on parity with the Common Stock, par value $0.04 per share, of the Corporation (“Common Stock”) and any class or series of Capital Stock of the Corporation, the terms of which provide that such class or series ranks on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon a liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation (collectively, together with any warrants, rights, calls or options exercisable for or convertible into such Capital Stock, the “Parity Stock”); and

(iii) junior to any class or series of Capital Stock of the Corporation (other than Common Stock), the terms of which expressly provide that such class or series ranks senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividend rights or rights upon a liquidation, winding-up or dissolution of the Corporation (collectively, together with any warrants, rights, calls or options exercisable for or convertible into such Capital Stock, the “Senior Stock”).

Section 2. Definitions.

For purposes of this Statement of Resolution, the following terms have meanings set forth in the Section indicated:

 

Term

  

Section

Board    Preamble
Business Day    Section 11(c)
Capital Stock    Section 1(d)
Certificate of Formation    Preamble
Common Stock    Section 1(d)(ii)
Code    Preamble
Conversion Ratio    Section 8(a)
Conversion Requirements    Section 8(a)
Corporation    Preamble
Junior Stock    Section 1(d)(i)
Liquidation    Section 4(a)
Liquidation Distribution    Section 4(a)
National Securities Exchange    Section 8(a)
Original Issue Date    Section 3(a)
Original Issue Price    Section 3(a)
Parity Stock    Section 1(d)(ii)
Transfer Agent    Section 7(b)
Senior Stock    Section 1(d)(iii)
Series A Preferred Stock    Section 1(a)

 

2


Section 3. Dividends.

(a) Holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board and declared by the Corporation, out of funds that are legally available therefor, cash dividends of ten percent (10%) of the Original Issue Price per annum on each outstanding share of Series A Preferred Stock. Such dividends shall accrue from the first anniversary of the Original Issue Date of the Series A Preferred Stock and shall cease to accrue on the date immediately preceding the date on which the Conversion Requirements described in Section 8 are satisfied. The “Original Issue Price” means $9.50 per share (as adjusted for any stock split, combination or similar event or transaction directly affecting the Series A Preferred Stock but not by any accrued dividends). The “Original Issue Date” means September 17, 2019.

(b) Following the first anniversary of the Original Issue Date, dividends pursuant to this Section 3 shall be payable quarterly in cash, on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year, beginning September 30, 2020, when, as and if declared by the Board, until the time at which the Conversion Requirements are satisfied; provided, however, that when the Preferred Stock is no longer outstanding, no dividends shall be payable to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock or the holders of the Common Stock into which the Series A Preferred Stock converts. Payments of any dividends pursuant to this Section 3 shall be payable only if the Corporation has surplus income and such payment is permissible under the Corporation’s debt instruments then in effect.

(c) No dividends or distributions shall be paid with respect to the Common Stock (i) prior to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock having received all accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock or (ii) unless and until all shares of Series A Preferred Stock have been converted to shares of Common Stock.

(d) Holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall fully participate, on an as-converted basis, in any dividends declared and paid or distributions on Common Stock as if the Series A Preferred Stock were converted into shares of Common Stock as of the record date for such dividend or distribution at the Conversion Ratio.

Section 4. Liquidation.

(a) Prior to conversion pursuant to Section 8, in the event of a liquidation (complete or partial), dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary (a “Liquidation”), after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, in respect of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by them, out of assets of the Corporation available for distribution to shareholders of the Corporation or their assignees, and subject to the rights of any outstanding shares of Senior Stock and before any amount shall be distributed to the holders of Junior Stock, a liquidating distribution (the “Liquidation Distribution”) in an amount equal to the amount such holder of Series A Preferred Stock would have been entitled to receive had such holder converted its shares of Series A Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock at the Conversion Ratio immediately prior to such Liquidation.

 

3


(b) If, upon any Liquidation, the amount payable with respect to the Liquidation Distribution is not paid in full, the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and any Parity Stock shall share equally and ratably in any distribution of the Corporation’s assets in proportion to the respective liquidation distributions to which they are entitled.

(c) After the payment in cash or proceeds to the holders of shares of the Series A Preferred Stock of the full amount of the Liquidation Distribution with respect to outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the holders of outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no right or claim, based on their ownership of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, to the remaining assets of the Corporation, if any. Whenever any such distribution shall be paid in property other than cash, the value of such distribution shall be the fair market value of such property as determined in the good faith reasonable discretion of the Board or liquidating trustee, as the case may be.

Section 5. Voting.

The holders of outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

(a) Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to voting power equal to 8.71 shares of Common Stock on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Corporation; provided that, to eliminate fractional votes, the votes cast by the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in the aggregate “for” or “against” a matter will be rounded down to the nearest whole vote.

(b) In the event the Corporation shall at any time after declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein or by the Code or other applicable law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Corporation.

(d) Except as set forth herein or as otherwise required by the Code or other applicable law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with the holders of shares of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

 

4


Section 6. Reservation of Common Stock.

(a) Subject to the Conversion Requirements set forth in Section 8, at any time that any Series A Preferred Stock is outstanding, the Corporation shall from time to time take all lawful action within its control to cause the authorized capital stock of the Corporation to include a number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock equal to 7,894,740 shares (for the avoidance of doubt, taking into account any other obligations of the Corporation to reserve Common Stock upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of other securities of the Corporation such that any other reservation may not be counted toward the reservation of Common Stock hereunder) (such authorized but unissued shares, the “Reserved Shares”). If, at any time, the Corporation lacks a sufficient number of Reserved Shares, the Corporation shall use its reasonable best efforts to take all lawful action within its control to effect an amendment to the Certificate of Formation to increase the authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation to provide for a sufficient number of Reserved Shares.

(b) If any shares of Common Stock to be reserved for the purpose of conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock require registration or listing with or approval of any governmental authority, stock exchange or other regulatory body under any federal or state law or regulation or otherwise before such shares may be validly issued or delivered upon conversion, the Corporation shall, at its sole cost and expense, in good faith and as expeditiously as possible following satisfaction of the Conversion Requirements set forth in Section 8, endeavor to secure such registration, listing or approval, as the case may be.

Section 7. Form.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and any shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion thereof shall be in uncertificated, book-entry form as permitted by the Bylaws of the Corporation and the Code, and shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, REGISTRATION.”

(b) The duly appointed transfer agent for the Series A Preferred Stock shall be Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Transfer Agent”). The Corporation may, in its sole discretion, remove the Transfer Agent in accordance with the agreement between the Corporation and the Transfer Agent; provided that if the Corporation removes Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the Corporation shall appoint a successor transfer agent who shall accept such appointment prior to the effectiveness of such removal.

(c) Transfers of Series A Preferred Stock or any shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion thereof held in uncertificated, book-entry form shall be made only upon the transfer books of the Corporation kept at an office of the Transfer Agent upon receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered owner of such uncertificated shares, or from a duly authorized attorney or from an individual presenting proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer the stock. The Corporation may refuse any requested transfer until furnished evidence satisfactory to it that such transfer is proper.

 

5


Section 8. Conversion.

(a) Following (i) effectiveness of an amendment to the Certificate of Formation to increase the number of authorized shares of Common Stock by at least 50,000,000 shares and (ii) approval by the shareholders of the Corporation, in accordance with applicable law and the applicable rules and regulations of the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading (the “National Securities Exchange”), of the issuance of the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 8 (the “Conversion Requirements”), each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall automatically convert into 10 shares of Common Stock (the “Conversion Ratio”).

(b) Any Common Stock delivered as a result of conversion pursuant to this Section 8 following satisfaction of the Conversion Requirements shall be validly issued, fully paid and non- assessable, free and clear of any preemptive right, liens, claims, rights or encumbrances other than those arising under the Code or the Bylaws of the Corporation. Immediately following the settlement of conversion, the rights of the holders of converted Series A Preferred Stock shall cease and the persons entitled to receive shares of Common Stock upon the conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be treated for all purposes as having become the owners of such shares of Common Stock. Concurrently with such conversion, the converted shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall cease to be outstanding, shall be canceled and the shares of Series A Preferred Stock formerly designated pursuant to this Statement of Resolution shall be restored to authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock.

(c) If, after the Original Issue Date, the Corporation (i) makes a distribution on its Common Stock in cash, securities (including Common Stock) or other property or assets, (ii) subdivides or splits its outstanding Common Stock into a greater number of Common Stock, (iii) combines or reclassifies its Common Stock into a smaller number of Common Stock or (iv) issues by reclassification of its Common Stock any securities (including any reclassification in connection with a merger, consolidation or business combination in which the Corporation is the surviving person), then the Conversion Ratio in effect at the time of the record date for such distribution or of the effective date of such subdivision, split, combination, or reclassification shall be proportionately adjusted so that the conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock after such time shall entitle the holder to receive the aggregate number of Common Stock (or shares of any securities into which such shares of Common Stock would have been combined, consolidated, merged or reclassified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) above) that such holder would have been entitled to receive if the Series A Preferred Stock had been converted into Common Stock immediately prior to such record date or effective date, as the case may be, and in the case of a merger, consolidation or business combination in which the Corporation is the surviving person, the Corporation shall provide effective provisions to ensure that the provisions in this Statement of Resolution relating to the Series A Preferred Stock shall not be abridged or amended and that the Series A Preferred Stock shall thereafter retain the same powers, preferences and relative participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereon, that the Series A Preferred Stock had immediately prior to such transaction or event. An adjustment made pursuant to this Section 8(c) shall become effective immediately after the record date in the case of a distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination, reclassification (including any reclassification in connection with a merger, consolidation or business combination in which the Corporation is the surviving person) or split. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever any event described above shall occur.

 

6


(d) Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this Section 8, no adjustment shall be made to the Conversion Ratio pursuant to Section 8(c) as a result of any of the following:

(i) the grant of Common Stock or options, warrants or rights to purchase Common Stock to employees, officers or directors of the Corporation or its subsidiaries, under compensation plans and agreements approved in good faith by the Board; provided, that in the case of options, warrants or rights to purchase Common Stock, the exercise price per Common Stock shall not be less than the closing price of the Common Stock (as reported by the National Securities Exchange) on the date such option, warrant or other right is issued;

(ii) the issuance of any Common Stock as all or part of the consideration to effect (A) the closing of any acquisition by the Corporation of assets of a third party or (B) the consummation of a merger, consolidation or other business combination of the Corporation with another entity in which the Corporation survives and the Common Stock remain outstanding to the extent such transaction(s) is or are validly approved by the vote or consent of the Board;

(iii) without duplication of Section 8(d)(i) above, the issuance of options, warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock, or securities exercisable or convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock (or options, warrants or other rights to purchase any such securities that are exercisable or convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, in each case, that are outstanding on the date of first issuance of shares of Series A Preferred Stock); and

(iv) the issuance of securities for which an adjustment is made under another provision of this Section 8.

(e) The Corporation shall pay any and all issue, documentary, stamp and other taxes, excluding any income, franchise, property or similar taxes, that may be payable in respect of any issue or delivery of Common Stock on conversion of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant hereto. However, the holder of any Series A Preferred Stock shall pay any tax that is due because Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof are issued in a name other than such holder’s name.

(f) No fractional Common Stock shall be issued upon the conversion of any Series A Preferred Stock. All Common Stock (including fractions thereof) issuable upon conversion of more than one share of Series A Preferred Stock by a holder thereof shall be aggregated for purposes of determining whether the conversion would result in the issuance of any fractional stock. If, after the aforementioned aggregation, the conversion would result in the issuance of a fraction of a Common Stock, the Corporation shall not issue a fractional Common Stock but shall round the fractional Common Stock to the nearest whole Common Stock (and a 0.5 of a share of Common Stock shall be rounded up to the next higher share of Common Stock).

 

7


Section 9. Additional Procedures.

(a) In connection with any conversion pursuant to Section 8, the holder of Series A Preferred Stock must deliver transfer instruments reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation, at the principal office of the Corporation (or such other place mutually acceptable to the holder of Series A Preferred Stock and the Corporation), in accordance with Section 7(c).

(b) On the date of conversion pursuant to Section 8, the number of shares of Common Stock into which the applicable shares of Series A Preferred Stock are converted shall be promptly issued in uncertificated, book-entry form and evidence thereof shall be delivered to the holder of Series A Preferred Stock thereof or such holder’s designee upon the furnishing of appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the payment of all transfer and similar taxes, if any, allocable to such holder.

Section 10. No Other Rights.

The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not have any powers, designations, preferences or relative, participating, optional, or other special rights, nor shall there be any qualifications, limitations or restrictions or any powers, designations, preferences or rights of such shares, other than as set forth herein or in the Certificate of Formation, or as may be provided by law.

Section 11. Other Provisions.

(a) The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be subject to the operation of any retirement or sinking fund.

(b) In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Statement of Resolution shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision, there shall be added automatically as a part of this Statement of Resolution a provision as similar in terms to such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be legal, valid and enforceable, unless the requisite parties separately agree to a replacement provision that is valid, legal and enforceable.

(c) Any amendment, modification, waiver or alteration of, or supplement to, this Statement of Resolution shall require approval of a majority of the members of the Board not affiliated with John C. Goff.

(d) Any payments, issuances or distributions required to be made hereunder on any day that is not a Business Day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day without interest or additional payment for such delay. For the purposes of this Statement of Resolution, “Business Day” shall mean each day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in Houston, Texas are authorized or required by law to close. All payments required hereunder shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds in United States Dollars to the holders in accordance with the payment instructions as such holders may deliver by written notice to the Corporation from time to time.

 

8


Section 12. Effective Date.

This Statement of Resolution shall become effective on September 17, 2019.

[The Remainder of this Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

9


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Contango Oil & Gas Company has caused this Statement of Resolution to be duly executed on the date first written above.

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

    

Name: E. Joseph Grady
Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to Statement of Resolution]


EXHIBIT B

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

by and among

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY

and

THE PURCHASERS PARTY HERETO


Table of Contents

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.1

  Definitions      1  

Section 1.2

  Registrable Securities      3  

ARTICLE II REGISTRATION RIGHTS

     3  

Section 2.1

  Shelf Registration      3  

Section 2.2

  Sale Procedures      4  

Section 2.3

  Cooperation by Holders      6  

Section 2.4

  Expenses      7  

Section 2.5

  Indemnification      7  

Section 2.6

  Transfer or Assignment of Registration Rights      9  

Section 2.7

  Aggregation of Registrable Securities      9  

ARTICLE III MISCELLANEOUS

     10  

Section 3.1

  Communications      10  

Section 3.2

  Successors and Assigns      10  

Section 3.3

  Assignment of Rights      10  

Section 3.4

  Recapitalization (Exchanges, etc. Affecting the Registrable Securities)      10  

Section 3.5

  Specific Performance      11  

Section 3.6

  Counterparts      11  

Section 3.7

  Headings      11  

Section 3.8

  Governing Law, Submission to Jurisdiction      11  

Section 3.9

  Waiver of Jury Trial      11  

Section 3.10

  Severability of Provisions      12  

Section 3.11

  Entire Agreement      12  

Section 3.12

  Term; Amendment      12  

Section 3.13

  No Presumption      12  

Section 3.14

  Obligations Limited to Parties to Agreement      12  

Section 3.15

  Interpretation      13  

Section 3.16

  No Inconsistent Agreements; Additional Rights      13  

 

i


REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of September 17, 2019 by and between Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (“Contango”), and the parties set forth on Schedule A hereto (each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”).

WHEREAS, this Agreement is made in connection with the closing of the issuance and sale of the Purchased Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2019, by and between Contango and the Purchasers (the “Purchase Agreement”);

WHEREAS, Contango has agreed to provide the registration and other rights set forth in this Agreement for the benefit of the Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement; and

WHEREAS, it is a condition to the obligations of the Purchasers and Contango under the Purchase Agreement that this Agreement be executed and delivered.

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

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Definitions. The terms set forth below are used herein as so defined:

Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, any other Person, directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, “controlling,” “controlled by,” and “under common control with”) means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agreement” has the meaning specified therefor in the introductory paragraph.

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

Statement of Resolution” means the statement of resolution setting forth the terms of the Preferred Stock.

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.04 per share, of Contango.


Contango” has the meaning specified therefor in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Effective Date” means the initial date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement.

Effectiveness Period” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.1(a) of this Agreement.

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 the record holder of any Registrable Securities.

Law” shall have the meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

Losses” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.5(a) of this Agreement.

Person” means any individual, corporation, company, voluntary association, partnership, joint venture, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, government or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision thereof, or any other form of entity.

Preferred Stock” means the Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock of Contango and having the rights and obligations specified in the Statement of Resolution.

Purchase Agreement” has the meaning specified therefor in the Recitals of this Agreement.

Purchased Securities” means the Preferred Stock to be issued and sold to the Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

Purchaser” or “Purchasers” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Registration” means any registration pursuant to this Agreement, including pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.

Registrable Securities” means, subject to Section 1.2 of this Agreement, the shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion of the Purchased Securities in accordance with the terms of the Statement of Resolution.

Registration Expenses” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.4(a) of this Agreement.

Resale Opt-Out Notice” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.1(b) of this Agreement.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

2


Selling Expenses” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.4(a) of this Agreement.

Selling Holder” means a Holder who is selling Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration.

Shelf Registration Statement” means a registration statement under the Securities Act to permit the public resale of the Registrable Securities from time to time as permitted by Rule 415 of the Securities Act (or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act).

Section 1.2 Registrable Securities. Any Registrable Security will cease to be a Registrable Security at the earliest of the following: (a) when a registration statement covering such Registrable Security has been declared effective by the Commission and such Registrable Security has been sold or disposed of pursuant to such effective registration statement; (b) when such Registrable Security is held by Contango or one of its subsidiaries; (c) when such Registrable Security has been sold in a private transaction in which the transferor’s rights under this Agreement are not assigned to the transferee of such securities; and (d) the date on which such Registrable Security has been sold pursuant to any section of Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, “Rule 144”) or any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act as a result of which the legend on any certificate or book-entry notation representing such Registrable Security restricting transfer of such Registrable Security has been removed.

ARTICLE II

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

Section 2.1 Shelf Registration.

(a) Shelf Registration. Contango shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file an initial Shelf Registration Statement under the Securities Act covering all Registrable Securities at such time of filing within 30 days of the conversion of the Preferred Stock. Contango shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such initial Shelf Registration Statement to become effective no later than 120 days from its initial filing. Contango will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such initial Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) to be continuously effective under the Securities Act until the earliest of (i) all Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been distributed in the manner set forth and as contemplated in such Shelf Registration Statement, (ii) there are no longer any Registrable Securities outstanding and (iii) three years from the Effective Date (the “Effectiveness Period”). A Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 2.l(a) shall be on such appropriate registration form of the Commission as shall be selected by Contango. A Shelf Registration Statement when declared effective (including the documents incorporated therein by reference) will comply as to form in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and will not 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 not misleading (in the case of any prospectus contained in such Shelf Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which a statement is made). As soon as practicable following the date that a Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective, but in any event within five Business Days of such date, Contango shall provide the Holders with written notice of the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement.

 

3


(b) Resale Registration Opt-Out. At least three Business Days before the initial filing of the Shelf Registration Statement required by Section 2.1(a), Contango shall provide advance written notice to each Holder that it plans to file a Shelf Registration Statement. Any Holder may deliver advance written notice (a “Resale Opt-Out Notice”) to Contango requesting that such Holder not be included in a Shelf Registration Statement prior to its initial filing. Following receipt of a Resale Opt-Out Notice from a Holder, Contango shall not be required to include the Registrable Securities of such Holder in such Shelf Registration Statement.

(c) Delay Rights. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Contango may, upon written notice to any Selling Holder whose Registrable Securities are included in the Shelf Registration Statement, suspend such Selling Holder’s use of any prospectus which is a part of the Shelf Registration Statement (in which event the Selling Holder shall discontinue sales of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement) if (i) Contango is pursuing an acquisition, merger, reorganization, disposition or other similar transaction and Contango determines in good faith that Contango’s ability to pursue or consummate such a transaction would be materially and adversely affected by any required disclosure of such transaction in the Shelf Registration Statement or (ii) Contango has experienced some other material non-public event the disclosure of which at such time, in the good faith judgment of Contango, would materially and adversely affect Contango; provided, however, that in no event shall the Selling Holders be suspended from selling Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement for a period of 60 consecutive days or an aggregate of 180 days in any 365-day period. Upon disclosure of such information or the termination of the condition described above, Contango shall provide prompt notice to the Selling Holders whose Registrable Securities are included in the Shelf Registration Statement, and shall promptly terminate any suspension of sales it has put into effect and shall take such other actions necessary or appropriate to permit registered sales of Registrable Securities as contemplated in this Agreement.

Section 2.2 Sale Procedures.

(a) In connection with its obligations under this Article II, Contango will, as expeditiously as possible:

(i) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and supplements to the Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep a Shelf Registration Statement effective for the Effectiveness Period and as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement;

(ii) furnish to each Selling Holder (A) as far in advance as reasonably practicable before filing a Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement or any supplement or amendment thereto, upon request, copies of reasonably complete drafts of all such documents proposed to be filed (including exhibits and each document incorporated by reference therein to the extent then required

 

4


by the rules and regulations of the Commission), and provide each such Selling Holder the opportunity to object to any information pertaining to such Selling Holder and its plan of distribution that is contained therein and make the corrections reasonably requested by such Selling Holder with respect to such information prior to filing such Shelf Registration Statement or such other registration statement and the prospectus included therein or any supplement or amendment thereto, and (B) such number of copies of such Shelf Registration Statement or such other registration statement and the prospectus included therein and any supplements and amendments thereto as such Persons may reasonably request in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement or other registration statement;

(iii) if applicable, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Selling Holders shall reasonably request, provided that Contango will not be required to qualify generally to transact business in any jurisdiction where it is not then required to so qualify or to take any action which would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

(iv) promptly notify each Selling Holder, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of (A) the filing of a Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement or any prospectus included therein or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than any amendment or supplement resulting from the filing of a document incorporated by reference therein), and, with respect to such Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become effective; and (B) the receipt of any written comments from the Commission with respect to any filing referred to in clause (A) and any written request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to such Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement or any prospectus or prospectus supplement thereto;

(v) immediately notify each Selling Holder, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of (A) the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus contained in a Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement or any supplemental amendment thereto, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing; (B) the issuance or threat of issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement, or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; or (C) the receipt by Contango of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale under the applicable securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction. Following the provision of such notice, Contango agrees to as promptly as practicable amend or supplement the prospectus or prospectus supplement or take other appropriate action so that the prospectus or prospectus supplement does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing and to take such other action as is necessary to remove a stop order, suspension, threat thereof or proceedings related thereto;

 

5


(vi) otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least 12 months, but not more than 18 months, beginning with the first full calendar month after the effective date of such registration statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 promulgated thereunder;

(vii) cause all such Registrable Securities registered pursuant to this Agreement to be listed or quoted on each securities exchange or nationally recognized quotation system on which similar securities issued by Contango are then listed or quoted, and cause to be satisfied all requirements and conditions of such securities exchange or nationally recognized quotation system to the listing or quoting of such Registrable Securities that are reasonably within the control of Contango, including, without limitation, registering the Registrable Securities under the Exchange Act, if appropriate, and using commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration to become effective pursuant to the rule of the Commission;

(viii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registrable Securities to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of Contango to enable the Selling Holders to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;

(ix) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement; and

(x) enter into customary agreements and take such other actions as are reasonably requested by the Selling Holders in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.

(b) Each Selling Holder, upon receipt of notice from Contango of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 2.2(b)(v), shall forthwith discontinue disposition of the Registrable Securities until such Selling Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 2.2(b)(v) or until it is advised in writing by Contango that the use of the prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings incorporated by reference in the prospectus, and, if so directed by Contango, such Selling Holder will deliver to Contango (at Contango’s expense) all copies in their possession or control, other than permanent file copies then in such Selling Holder’s possession, of the prospectus and any prospectus supplement covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.

Section 2.3 Cooperation by Holders. Contango shall have no obligation to include Registrable Securities of a Holder in the Shelf Registration Statement if such Selling Holder has failed to timely furnish such information which, in the opinion of counsel to Contango, is reasonably required in order for the registration statement or prospectus supplement, as applicable, to comply with the Securities Act.

 

6


Section 2.4 Expenses.

(a) Certain Definitions. “Registration Expenses” means all expenses incident to Contango’s performance under or compliance with this Agreement to effect the registration of Registrable Securities in a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.1 and the disposition of such securities, including, without limitation, all registration, filing, securities exchange listing and fees, all registration, filing, qualification and other fees and expenses of complying with securities or blue sky laws, fees of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, transfer taxes and fees of transfer agents and registrars, all word processing, duplicating and printing expenses, and the fees and disbursements of Contango’s independent public accountants and counsel for Contango. Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.5 hereof, Contango shall not be responsible for legal fees incurred by Holders in connection with the exercise of such Holders’ rights hereunder. In addition, Contango shall not be responsible for any “Selling Expenses,” which means all underwriting fees, discounts and selling commissions, transfer taxes and fees of counsel allocable to the sale of the Registrable Securities.

(b) Expenses. Contango will pay all reasonable Registration Expenses in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement, whether or not any sale is made pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement.

Section 2.5 Indemnification.

(a) By Contango. In the event of a registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, to the extent permitted by applicable law, Contango will indemnify and hold harmless each Selling Holder thereunder, its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives and managers, and each Person, if any, who controls such Selling Holder within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives and managers, against any losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses), including any of the foregoing incurred in settlement of any litigation commenced or threatened by any party other than a Selling Holder (collectively, “Losses”), joint or several, to which such Selling Holder or controlling Person or directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives or managers may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such Losses (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact (in the case of any prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which such statement is made) contained in the Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement, any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein, or any free writing prospectus related thereto, or any amendment or supplement thereof, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and will reimburse each such Selling Holder, its directors and officers, and each such controlling Person and each such director, officer, employee, agent, representatives or manager for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred

 

7


by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Loss or actions or proceedings; provided, however, that Contango will not be liable in any such case if and to the extent that any such Loss arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission so made in conformity with information furnished by such Selling Holder or such controlling Person in writing specifically for use in the Shelf Registration Statement or such other registration statement, or prospectus supplement, as applicable. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Selling Holder or any such director, officer, employee, agent, representatives, manager or controlling Person, and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such Selling Holder.

(b) By Each Selling Holder. Each Selling Holder agrees severally and not jointly to indemnify and hold harmless Contango, its directors, officers, employees, representatives and agents and each Person, if any, who controls Contango within the meaning of the Securities Act or of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from Contango to the Selling Holders, but only with respect to information regarding such Selling Holder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Holder expressly for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement or prospectus supplement relating to the Registrable Securities, or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(c) Notice. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party hereunder of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party hereunder, notify the indemnifying party in writing thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party other than under this Section 2.5(c) except to the extent that the indemnifying party is materially prejudiced by such failure. In any action brought against any indemnified party, it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in and, to the extent it shall wish, to assume and undertake the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume and undertake the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 2.5 for any legal expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation and of liaison with counsel so selected; provided, however, that, (i) if the indemnifying party has failed to assume the defense and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or (ii) if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and counsel to the indemnified party shall have concluded that there may be reasonable defenses available to the indemnified party that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, or if the interests of the indemnified party reasonably may be deemed to conflict with the interests of the indemnifying party or representation by both parties by the same counsel is otherwise inappropriate under the applicable standards of professional conduct, then the indemnified party shall have the right to select a separate counsel and to assume such legal defense and otherwise to participate in the defense of such action, with the reasonable expenses and fees of such separate counsel and other reasonable expenses related to such participation to be reimbursed by the indemnifying party as incurred. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the indemnifying party shall not settle any indemnified claim without the consent of the indemnified party, unless the settlement thereof imposes no liability or obligation on, includes a complete release from liability of, and does not contain any admission of wrong doing by, the indemnified party.

 

8


(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 2.5 is held by a court or government agency of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to Contango or any Selling Holder or is insufficient to hold them harmless in respect of any Losses, then each such indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall 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 Contango on the one hand and of such Selling Holder on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided, however, that in no event shall such Selling Holder be required to contribute an aggregate amount in excess of the dollar amount of proceeds (net of Selling Expenses) received by such Selling Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification less the amount of any damages that such Selling Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. The relative fault of Contango on the one hand and each Selling Holder on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact has been made by, or relates to, information supplied by such party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this paragraph were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the Losses referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph shall be deemed to include any legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any Loss which is the subject of this paragraph. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who is not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

(e) Other Indemnification. The provisions of this Section 2.5 shall be in addition to any other rights to indemnification or contribution which an indemnified party may have pursuant to law, equity, contract or otherwise.

Section 2.6 Transfer or Assignment of Registration Rights. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, without the prior written consent of Contango, the rights to cause Contango to register Registrable Securities granted to the Purchasers by Contango under this Article II may not be transferred or assigned by the Purchasers.

Section 2.7 Aggregation of Registrable Securities. All Registrable Securities held or acquired by Persons who are Affiliates of one another shall be aggregated together for the purpose of determining the availability of any rights under this Agreement. In addition, all other shares of Common Stock held by a Person and for which such Person has similar registration rights pursuant to an agreement between such Person and Contango shall be aggregated together for the purpose of determining such Person’s rights under this Agreement solely as such shares relate to minimum quantity requirements contemplated herein; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, such Common Stock shall not otherwise be deemed Registrable Securities for any other purpose under this Agreement.

 

9


ARTICLE III

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 3.1 Communications. All notices and demands provided for hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, facsimile, air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery or personal delivery to the following addresses:

 

  (a)

If to a Purchaser, to such addresses indicated on Schedule A attached hereto.

 

  (b)

If to Contango:

Contango Oil & Gas Company

717 Texas Avenue, Suite 2900

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Wilkie S. Colyer, Jr.

Facsimile:

E-mail: WColyer@contango.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

811 Main Street, Suite 3000

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Hillary H. Holmes

Facsimile: (346) 718-6902

E-mail: HHolmes@gibsondunn.com

or, if to a transferee of a Purchaser, to the transferee at the address provided pursuant to Section 2.6 above. All notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; upon actual receipt if sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or regular mail, if mailed; upon actual receipt of the facsimile copy or e-mail, if sent via facsimile or e-mail; and upon actual receipt when delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.

Section 3.2 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties, including subsequent Holders of Registrable Securities to the extent permitted herein.

Section 3.3 Assignment of Rights. All or any portion of the rights and obligations of any Purchaser under this Agreement may be transferred or assigned by such Purchaser in accordance with Section 2.6 hereof.

Section 3.4 Recapitalization (Exchanges, etc. Affecting the Registrable Securities). The provisions of this Agreement shall apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to any and all shares of capital stock of Contango or any successor or assign of Contango (whether by merger, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for or in substitution of, the Registrable Securities, and shall be appropriately adjusted for combinations, recapitalizations and the like occurring after the date of this Agreement.

 

10


Section 3.5 Specific Performance. Damages in the event of breach of this Agreement by a party hereto would be difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain, and it is therefore agreed that each such Person, in addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it may have, will have the right to an injunction or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, enjoining any such breach, and enforcing specifically the terms and provisions hereof, and each of the parties hereto hereby waives (a) any and all defenses it may have on the ground of lack of jurisdiction or competence of the court to grant such an injunction or other equitable relief or that a remedy at law would be adequate and (b) any requirement under any law to post securities as a prerequisite to obtaining equitable relief. The existence of this right will not preclude any such Person from pursuing any other rights and remedies at law or in equity which such Person may have.

Section 3.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which counterparts, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original and all of which counterparts, taken together, shall constitute but one and the same Agreement.

Section 3.7 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

Section 3.8 Governing Law, Submission to Jurisdiction. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PLACE WHERE THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE EXECUTED BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO, THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably agrees that any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or the Transactions shall be brought and determined by courts of the State of Texas located in Houston, Texas and the federal courts of the United States of America located in Houston, Texas, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts solely in respect of any legal proceeding arising out of or related to this Agreement.

Section 3.9 Waiver of Jury Trial. THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY WAIVE, AND AGREE TO CAUSE THEIR AFFILIATES TO WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION (i) ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR (ii) IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY OR OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

11


Section 3.10 Severability of Provisions. Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof or affecting or impairing the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 3.11 Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Purchase Agreement are intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein or therein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein with respect to the rights granted by Contango set forth herein or therein. This Agreement and the Purchase Agreement supersede all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

Section 3.12 Term; Amendment. This Agreement shall automatically terminate and be of no further force and effect on the date on which there are no Registrable Securities. This Agreement may be amended only by means of a written amendment signed by Contango and the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities; provided, however, that no such amendment shall materially and adversely affect the rights of any Holder hereunder without the consent of such Holder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment, waiver, consent or modification of, or supplement to, this Agreement shall require approval of a majority of the members of the board of directors of Contango not affiliated with John C. Goff.

Section 3.13 No Presumption. In the event any claim is made by a party relating to any conflict, omission, or ambiguity in this Agreement, no presumption or burden of proof or persuasion shall be implied by virtue of the fact that this Agreement was prepared by or at the request of a particular party or its counsel.

Section 3.14 Obligations Limited to Parties to Agreement. Each of the parties hereto covenants, agrees and acknowledges that no Person other than the Purchasers, Selling Holders, their respective permitted assignees and Contango shall have any obligation hereunder and that, notwithstanding that one or more of Contango and the Purchasers may be a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, no recourse under this Agreement or under any documents or instruments delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be had against any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of Contango, the Purchasers, Selling Holders or their respective permitted assignees, or any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of the foregoing, whether by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, or by virtue of any applicable law, it being expressly agreed and acknowledged that no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, be imposed on or otherwise by incurred by any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of Contango, the Purchasers, Selling Holders or any of their respective assignees,

 

12


or any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of the foregoing, as such, for any obligations of Contango, the Purchasers, Selling Holders or their respective permitted assignees under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection herewith or therewith or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligation or its creation, except in each case for any assignee of the Purchasers or a Selling Holder hereunder.

Section 3.15 Interpretation. Article and Section references in this Agreement are references to the corresponding Article and Section to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. All references to instruments, documents, contracts and agreements are references to such instruments, documents, contracts and agreements as the same may be amended, supplemented and otherwise modified from time to time, unless otherwise specified. The word “including” shall mean “including but not limited to.” Whenever any determination, consent or approval is to be made or given by a Purchaser under this Agreement, such action shall be in such Purchaser’s sole discretion unless otherwise specified.

Section 3.16 No Inconsistent Agreements; Additional Rights. If Contango hereafter enters into a registration rights agreement with a third party with terms more favorable than those set forth herein with respect to Holders of shares of Common Stock, this Agreement shall, to the extent so requested by any such Holders, be amended so as to provide such Holders with substantially the same material terms as provided to such other third party.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

13


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

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

     

Name: E. Joseph Grady
Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

[Signatures continue on following page.]

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


Goff MCF Partners, LP
By:  

     

Name:   John C. Goff
Title:   Chief Executive Officer
John C. Goff SEP IRA
By:  

     

  John C. Goff

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


Schedule A

Purchasers

Goff MCF Partners, LP

John C. Goff SEP IRA

Notice Address:

500 Commerce St., Suite 700,

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Attention Jennifer Terrell

jterrell@Goffcp.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

1200 Seventeenth Street NW

Washington, DC 20036-3006

Attention Robert Robbins

robert.robbins@pillsburylaw.com

Schedule A


EXHIBIT C

VOTING AND SUPPORT AGREEMENT

THIS VOTING AND SUPPORT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of September 17, 2019, by and Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (“Contango”), and John C. Goff (“Goff”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, Contango and Goff MCF Partners, LP and John C. Goff SEP IRA, entities affiliated with Goff (the “Affiliated Entities”), entered into a Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2019 (the “Purchase Agreement”), which provides for the purchase and sale by Contango of an aggregate $7.5 million in gross proceeds of shares of Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.04 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), to the Affiliated Entities;

WHEREAS, the Preferred Stock to be issued to the Affiliated Entities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement will automatically convert into shares of common stock, par value $0.04 per share (“Common Stock”), of Contango upon (i) effectiveness of an amendment to the Certificate of Formation of Contango (the “Charter Amendment”) to increase the number of authorized shares of Common Stock by at least 50,000,000 shares following approval by the shareholders of Contango of such amendment (the “Amendment Proposal”) and (ii) if necessary, approval by the shareholders of Contango, in accordance with applicable law and stock exchange rules and regulations, of the issuance of the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock and the issuance of such shares of Common Stock at a discount to an insider of the Company (the “Conversion Proposal” and, together with the Amendment Proposal, the “Proposals”);

WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, Goff is the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of 25,304,325 shares of Common Stock; and

WHEREAS, as a condition and inducement to the willingness of Contango to enter into the Purchase Agreement, Goff has agreed to enter into this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.    Certain Definitions. All capitalized terms that are used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement. For all purposes of and under this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following respective meanings:

(a)    “Expiration Date” shall mean the earlier of (i) the first date upon which both shareholder approval of the Proposals has been obtained and the Charter Amendment has become effective and (ii) the date that is six months after the date hereof.

(b)    “Subject Shares” shall mean, without duplication, (i) all shares of Common Stock of which Goff is the record or beneficial owner as of the date hereof, which total 25,304,325 shares of Common Stock, (ii) all shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion, exercise or exchange of options, warrants and/or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock of which Goff is the record or beneficial owner as of the date hereof, (iii) all additional shares of Common


Stock, and all additional shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion, exercise or exchange of options, warrants and/or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock, in each case of which Goff acquires record or beneficial ownership during the period from the date of this Agreement through the Expiration Date (including by way of share dividend or distribution, split-up, recapitalization, combination, exchange of shares and the like and including the shares of Common Stock acquired by Goff in an underwritten public offering concurrent with the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (the “Public Offering”)), and (iv) all shares of Preferred Stock acquired by the Affiliated Entities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement to the extent such shares of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote on any of the Proposals or any of the other matters set forth in Section 3(a).

(c)    “Transfer.” A Person shall be deemed to have effected a “Transfer” of Subject Shares if such Person directly or indirectly (i) sells, pledges, assigns, grants an option with respect to, transfers, tenders or disposes (by merger, by testamentary disposition, by operation of Law or otherwise) of such Subject Shares or any interest in such Subject Shares, (ii) creates or permits to exist any Liens, other than restrictions imposed by applicable Law or pursuant to this Agreement, (iii) deposits any Subject Shares into a voting trust or enters into a voting agreement or arrangement or grants any proxy, power of attorney or other authorization with respect thereto that is inconsistent with this Agreement, or (iv) agrees or commits (whether or not in writing) to take any of the actions referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii).

2.     Transfer Restrictions. From the date hereof until the Expiration Date, Goff shall not Transfer (or cause or permit the Transfer of) any of his Subject Shares, or enter into any agreement relating thereto, except with Contango’s prior written consent and in Contango’s sole discretion.

3.    Agreement to Vote Subject Shares.

(a)    At every meeting of the shareholders of Contango, however called, and at every adjournment or postponement thereof (each, a “Meeting”), and on every action or approval by written consent of the shareholders of Contango, Goff agrees, unconditionally and irrevocably, to the extent not voted by the Person(s) named (or otherwise appointed in the manner set forth in) in any proxy statement or information statement, as applicable, or to cause the holder of record on any applicable record date to, vote (or cause to be voted) all Subject Shares that are then beneficially owned by Goff and entitled to vote or act by written consent:

(i)    in favor of the approval of the Amendment Proposal, and in favor of any other matters presented or proposed as to approval of the Amendment Proposal;

(ii)    in favor of the approval of the Conversion Proposal, and in favor of any other matters presented or proposed as to approval of the Conversion Proposal;

(iii)    in favor of the approval of any proposal to adjourn or postpone the Meeting to a later date, if there are not sufficient votes for the approval of the Proposals on the date on which such Meeting is held;

(iii)    against approval of any proposal made in opposition to, in competition with, or inconsistent with, the Proposals; and

 

2


(iv)    in favor of any other matter necessary or appropriate to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement.

Goff agrees, unconditionally and irrevocably, to deliver or cause to be delivered such written consent immediately following consummation of the Public Offering. Goff acknowledges that, pursuant to the applicable rules and regulations of the NYSE American, the shares of Preferred Stock acquired by the Affiliated Entities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement shall not be entitled to vote with respect to the Conversion Proposal.

(b)    Any vote required to be cast pursuant to this Section 3 shall be cast by Goff or at the direction of Goff, as applicable, in accordance with such procedures relating thereto so as to ensure that it is duly counted, including for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present.

(c)    Except as provided herein, Goff shall not (i) enter into any agreement or understanding with any Person to vote or give instructions in any manner inconsistent with the terms of this Section 3, (ii) grant at any time while this Agreement remains in effect, a proxy, consent or power of attorney with respect to the Subject Shares inconsistent with the terms of this Section 3 or (iii) take any action that would make any representation or warranty of Goff contained herein untrue or incorrect or have the effect of preventing or disabling Goff from performing any of his obligations under this Agreement.

(d)    The obligations of Goff specified in Section 3(a) shall apply whether or not any action described above is recommended by the Contango board of directors (or any committee thereof) (the “Board”), for so long as this Agreement is in effect.

4.    Irrevocable Proxy.

(a)    Solely in the event of a failure by Goff to act in accordance with Goff’s obligations as to voting pursuant to Section 3(a) prior to the termination of this Agreement and without in any way limiting any of Goff’s right to vote the Subject Shares in his sole discretion on any other matters that may be submitted to a shareholder vote, consent or other approval, Goff hereby grants an irrevocable proxy (the “Proxy”) appointing Contango as Goff’s attorney-in-fact and proxy, with full power of substitution, for and in Goff’s name, to vote, express consent or dissent, or otherwise to utilize such voting power in the manner contemplated by Section 3 above as Contango or its proxy or substitute shall, in Contango’s sole discretion, deem proper with respect to the Subject Shares.

(b)    Goff hereby represents that any proxies heretofore given in respect of the Subject Shares, if any, are revocable, and hereby revokes such proxies.

(c)    Goff hereby affirms that his Proxy set forth in this Section 4 is given in connection with the execution of the Purchase Agreement, and that such Proxy is given to secure the performance of the duties of Goff under this Agreement. Goff hereby further affirms that his Proxy is coupled with an interest in consideration of Contango entering into this Agreement and the Purchase Agreement and incurring certain related fees and expenses and, except as set forth in Section 4(d) or in Section 12 hereof, is intended to be irrevocable. All authority conferred hereby shall survive the death, incapacity of or the appointment of any liquidator, receiver, trustee, special

 

3


manager or any other court appointed officer for Goff and shall be binding upon the heirs, estate, administrators, receivers, liquidators, trustees, special managers, personal representatives, successors and assigns of Goff.

(d)    Contango hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Proxy set forth in this Section 4 shall not be exercised to vote, consent or act on any matter except as specifically contemplated by Section 3 above and Contango agrees not to exercise the Proxy granted herein for any purpose other than the purposes described in Section 3. The Proxy set forth in this Section 4 shall be revoked, terminated and of no further force or effect automatically without further action upon the termination of this Agreement.

5.    Update of Beneficial Ownership Information. Goff shall promptly (and in any event within two Business Days after such acquisition) notify Contango of the number of Subject Shares acquired by Goff following the date hereof and prior to the Expiration Date and the updated number of Subject Shares beneficially owned by Goff as of immediately following such acquisition.

6.    Representations and Warranties of Goff. Goff hereby represents and warrants to Contango as follows:

(a)    Power; Organization; Binding Agreement. Goff has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and his Proxy, to perform Goff’s obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Goff, and, assuming this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of Contango, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of Goff, enforceable against Goff in accordance with its terms, except that such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity.

(b)    No Conflicts. None of the execution and delivery by Goff of this Agreement, the performance by Goff of his obligations hereunder or the consummation by Goff of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) result in a violation or breach of any agreement to which Goff is a party or by which Goff may be bound, including any voting agreement or voting trust or (ii) violate any applicable Law.

(c)    Ownership of Subject Shares. Goff (i) is the beneficial owner of the Subject Shares, all of which are free and clear of any Liens (except any Liens arising under securities Laws or Liens that are not material to Goff’s performance of his obligations under this Agreement) and (ii) no Person (other than Goff) has a right to acquire any of the Subject Shares held by Goff.

(d)    Voting Power. Goff has sole voting power, power of disposition, power to issue instructions with respect to the matters set forth herein, and power to agree to all of the matters set forth in this Agreement, in each case with respect to all of the Subject Shares, with no limitations, qualifications or restrictions on such rights, subject to applicable federal securities laws and those arising under the terms of this Agreement.

 

4


(e)    Reliance by Contango. Goff understands and acknowledges that the Contango is entering into the Purchase Agreement in reliance upon Goff’s execution and delivery of this Agreement.

(f)    Consents and Approvals. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by Goff does not, and the performance by Goff of his obligations under this Agreement and the consummation by him of the transactions contemplated hereby will not, require Goff to obtain any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or to make any filing with or notification to, any Governmental Entity, except in each case for filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) by Goff or where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or permits, or to make such filings and notifications, would not, either individually or in the aggregate, prevent or delay the performance by Goff of any of his obligations hereunder.

(g)    Absence of Litigation. As of the date hereof, there is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of Goff, threatened against or affecting Goff or any of his Affiliates before or by any Governmental Entity that would reasonably be expected to impair the ability of Goff to perform his obligations hereunder or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby on a timely basis.

7.    Certain Restrictions. Goff agrees that Goff will not (in Goff’s capacity as a shareholder of Contango) bring, commence, institute, maintain, prosecute or voluntarily aid any legal action or proceeding, which (i) challenges the validity of or seeks to enjoin the operation of any provision of this Agreement, (ii) alleges that the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Goff or the approval of the Purchase Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Charter Amendment, by the Board, breaches any fiduciary duty of the Board or any member thereof or (iii) would reasonably be expected to restrict or otherwise affect Goff’s legal power, authority and ability to comply with and perform the covenants and obligations of Goff under this Agreement.

8.    Shareholder Capacity. The parties hereto acknowledge that this Agreement is being entered into by Goff solely in his capacity as a beneficial owner of the Subject Shares, and nothing in this Agreement shall restrict or limit the ability of Goff, who is a director of Contango, to exercise his duties attendant to such position by taking any action whatsoever in such capacity, including with respect to the Purchase Agreement or this Agreement.

9.    Disclosure. Goff shall permit Contango to publish and disclose in all documents and schedules filed with the SEC, and any press release or other disclosure document that Contango determines to be necessary or desirable in connection with the Purchase Agreement and any transactions related thereto, Goff’s identity and ownership of Subject Shares and the nature of Goff’s commitments, arrangements and understandings under this Agreement.

10.    No Ownership Interest. Except as provided in this Agreement, nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to vest in Contango any direct or indirect ownership or incidence of ownership of or with respect to any Subject Shares. Except as provided in this Agreement, all rights, ownership and economic benefits relating to the Subject Shares shall remain vested in and belong to Goff.

 

5


11.    Further Assurances. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, upon request of Contango, Goff shall use commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary to fulfill Goff’s obligations under this Agreement.

12.    Termination. This Agreement and Goff’s Proxy, and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder and thereunder, shall terminate and shall have no further force or effect as of the Expiration Date. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, nothing set forth in this Section 12 or elsewhere in this Agreement shall relieve any party hereto from liability, or otherwise limit the liability of any party hereto, for any willful breach of this Agreement prior to such termination.

13.    Miscellaneous.

(a)    Amendment or Supplement; Waiver. This Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented in any manner, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, except by an instrument in writing specifically designated as an amendment hereto, signed on behalf of each of the parties in interest at the time of the amendment. At any time prior to the Expiration Date, any party may, to the extent permitted by and subject to applicable Law, waive compliance with any of the agreements or conditions of the other parties contained herein. Any agreement on the part of a party to any such waiver shall be valid only if set forth in a written instrument executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer on behalf of such party. No failure or delay of any party in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such right or power, or any course of conduct, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the parties hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies which they would otherwise have hereunder. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, any amendment, waiver, consent or modification of, or supplement to, this Agreement shall require approval of a majority of the members of the board of directors of Contango not affiliated with Goff.

(b)    Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) on the date of delivery if delivered personally, or if by e-mail, upon written confirmation of receipt by e-mail or otherwise, (ii) on the first Business Day following the date of dispatch if delivered utilizing a next-day service by a recognized next-day courier or (iii) on the earlier of confirmed receipt or the fifth Business Day following the date of mailing if delivered by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. All notices hereunder shall be delivered to the addresses set forth below, or pursuant to such other instructions as may be designated in writing by the party to receive such notice:

If to Contango:

Contango Oil & Gas Company

717 Texas Avenue, Suite 2900

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: E. Joseph Grady

E-mail: jgrady@contango.com

 

6


with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

811 Main Street, Suite 3000

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Hillary Holmes

E-mail: hholmes@gibsondunn.com

If to Goff:

500 Commerce St., Suite 700,

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Attention Jennifer Terrell

jterrell@Goffcp.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

1200 Seventeenth Street NW

Washington, DC 20036-3006

Attention Robert Robbins

robert.robbins@pillsburylaw.com

(c)    Interpretation. When a reference is made in this Agreement to a Section, such reference shall be to a Section of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for convenience of reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. All words used in this Agreement will be construed to be of such gender or number as the circumstances require. The word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement will mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to the Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision in this Agreement. The term “or” is not exclusive. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” References to days mean calendar days unless otherwise specified.

(d)    Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Proxy constitute the entire agreement, and supersede all prior written agreements, arrangements, communications and understandings and all prior and contemporaneous oral agreements, arrangements, communications and understandings, among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

(e)    No Third Party Beneficiaries. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any Person other than the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

7


(f)    Governing Law. This Agreement and all disputes or controversies arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Texas, without regard to the laws of any other jurisdiction that might be applied because of the conflicts of laws principles of the State of Texas.

(g)    Submission to Jurisdiction. Each of the parties irrevocably agrees that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement brought by any party or its Affiliates against any other party or its Affiliates shall be brought and determined in the state courts located in Harris County, Texas; provided, however, that if jurisdiction is not then available in the state courts located in Harris County, Texas, then any such legal action or proceeding may be brought in any federal court located in the State of Texas. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts for itself and with respect to its property, generally and unconditionally, with regard to any such action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Each of the parties agrees not to commence any action, suit or proceeding relating thereto except in the courts described above in Texas, other than actions in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce any judgment, decree or award rendered by any such court in Texas as described herein. Each of the parties further agrees that notice as provided herein shall constitute sufficient service of process and the parties further waive any argument that such service is insufficient. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion or as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, (i) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in Texas as described herein for any reason, (ii) that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (iii) that (A) the suit, action or proceeding in any such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (B) the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper or (C) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts.

(h)    Assignment; Successors. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations under this Agreement may be assigned or delegated, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise, by Goff without the prior written consent of Contango, and any such assignment without such prior written consent shall be null and void. 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.

(i)    Specific Performance. The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that the parties hereto do not perform the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with its terms or otherwise breach such provisions. Accordingly, prior to the Expiration Date, the parties acknowledge and agree that each party shall be entitled to an injunction, specific performance and other equitable relief to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof in the state courts located in Harris County, Texas; provided, however, that if jurisdiction is not then available in the state courts of the State of Texas, then in any federal court located in the State of Texas, this being in addition to any other remedy to which such party is entitled at law or in equity. Each of the parties hereby further waives (i) any defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate and (ii) any requirement under any law to post security as a prerequisite to obtaining equitable relief.

 

8


(j)    Severability. Whenever possible, each provision or portion of any provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable Law, but if any provision or portion of any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable Law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or portion of any provision in such jurisdiction, and this Agreement shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision or portion of any provision had never been contained herein.

(k)    Fees and Expenses. All fees and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such fees or expenses.

(l)    Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.

(m)    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same instrument and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other party.

(n)    Facsimile or .pdf Signature. This Agreement may be executed by facsimile or .pdf signature and a facsimile or .pdf signature shall constitute an original for all purposes.

(o)    No Presumption Against Drafting Party. Each party hereto acknowledges that each party to this Agreement has been represented by counsel in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Accordingly, any rule of law or any legal decision that would require interpretation of any claimed ambiguities in this Agreement against the drafting party has no application and is expressly waived.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Pages Follow]

 

9


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed and caused to be effective this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

 

 

Name: John C. Goff

[Signatures continued on following page.]

 

 

 

[Signature Page to Voting and Support Agreement]


CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:    
Name:   E. Joseph Grady
Title:   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

[Signature Page to Voting and Support Agreement]

Exhibit 10.2

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

by and among

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY

and

THE PURCHASERS PARTY HERETO


Table of Contents

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.1

  Definitions      1  

Section 1.2

  Registrable Securities      3  

ARTICLE II REGISTRATION RIGHTS

     3  

Section 2.1

  Shelf Registration      3  

Section 2.2

  Sale Procedures      4  

Section 2.3

  Cooperation by Holders      6  

Section 2.4

  Expenses      7  

Section 2.5

  Indemnification      7  

Section 2.6

  Transfer or Assignment of Registration Rights      9  

Section 2.7

  Aggregation of Registrable Securities      9  

ARTICLE III MISCELLANEOUS

     10  

Section 3.1

  Communications      10  

Section 3.2

  Successors and Assigns      10  

Section 3.3

  Assignment of Rights      10  

Section 3.4

  Recapitalization (Exchanges, etc. Affecting the Registrable Securities)      10  

Section 3.5

  Specific Performance      11  

Section 3.6

  Counterparts      11  

Section 3.7

  Headings      11  

Section 3.8

  Governing Law, Submission to Jurisdiction      11  

Section 3.9

  Waiver of Jury Trial      11  

Section 3.10

  Severability of Provisions      12  

Section 3.11

  Entire Agreement      12  

Section 3.12

  Term; Amendment      12  

Section 3.13

  No Presumption      12  

Section 3.14

  Obligations Limited to Parties to Agreement      12  

Section 3.15

  Interpretation      13  

Section 3.16

  No Inconsistent Agreements; Additional Rights      13  

 

i


REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of September 17, 2019 by and between Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (“Contango”), and the parties set forth on Schedule A hereto (each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”).

WHEREAS, this Agreement is made in connection with the closing of the issuance and sale of the Purchased Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2019, by and between Contango and the Purchasers (the “Purchase Agreement”);

WHEREAS, Contango has agreed to provide the registration and other rights set forth in this Agreement for the benefit of the Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement; and

WHEREAS, it is a condition to the obligations of the Purchasers and Contango under the Purchase Agreement that this Agreement be executed and delivered.

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

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Definitions. The terms set forth below are used herein as so defined:

Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, any other Person, directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, “controlling,” “controlled by,” and “under common control with”) means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agreement” has the meaning specified therefor in the introductory paragraph.

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

Statement of Resolution” means the statement of resolution setting forth the terms of the Preferred Stock.

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.04 per share, of Contango.

 

1


Contango” has the meaning specified therefor in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Effective Date” means the initial date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement.

Effectiveness Period” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.1(a) of this Agreement.

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 the record holder of any Registrable Securities.

Law” shall have the meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

Losses” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.5(a) of this Agreement.

Person” means any individual, corporation, company, voluntary association, partnership, joint venture, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, government or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision thereof, or any other form of entity.

Preferred Stock” means the Series A Contingent Convertible Preferred Stock of Contango and having the rights and obligations specified in the Statement of Resolution.

Purchase Agreement” has the meaning specified therefor in the Recitals of this Agreement.

Purchased Securities” means the Preferred Stock to be issued and sold to the Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

Purchaser” or “Purchasers” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Registration” means any registration pursuant to this Agreement, including pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.

Registrable Securities” means, subject to Section 1.2 of this Agreement, the shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion of the Purchased Securities in accordance with the terms of the Statement of Resolution.

Registration Expenses” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.4(a) of this Agreement.

Resale Opt-Out Notice” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.1(b) of this Agreement.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

2


Selling Expenses” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.4(a) of this Agreement.

Selling Holder” means a Holder who is selling Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration.

Shelf Registration Statement” means a registration statement under the Securities Act to permit the public resale of the Registrable Securities from time to time as permitted by Rule 415 of the Securities Act (or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act).

Section 1.2 Registrable Securities. Any Registrable Security will cease to be a Registrable Security at the earliest of the following: (a) when a registration statement covering such Registrable Security has been declared effective by the Commission and such Registrable Security has been sold or disposed of pursuant to such effective registration statement; (b) when such Registrable Security is held by Contango or one of its subsidiaries; (c) when such Registrable Security has been sold in a private transaction in which the transferor’s rights under this Agreement are not assigned to the transferee of such securities; and (d) the date on which such Registrable Security has been sold pursuant to any section of Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, “Rule 144”) or any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act as a result of which the legend on any certificate or book-entry notation representing such Registrable Security restricting transfer of such Registrable Security has been removed.

ARTICLE II

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

Section 2.1 Shelf Registration.

(a) Shelf Registration. Contango shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and file an initial Shelf Registration Statement under the Securities Act covering all Registrable Securities at such time of filing within 30 days of the conversion of the Preferred Stock. Contango shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such initial Shelf Registration Statement to become effective no later than 120 days from its initial filing. Contango will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such initial Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) to be continuously effective under the Securities Act until the earliest of (i) all Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been distributed in the manner set forth and as contemplated in such Shelf Registration Statement, (ii) there are no longer any Registrable Securities outstanding and (iii) three years from the Effective Date (the “Effectiveness Period”). A Shelf Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 2.l(a) shall be on such appropriate registration form of the Commission as shall be selected by Contango. A Shelf Registration Statement when declared effective (including the documents incorporated therein by reference) will comply as to form in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and will not 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 not misleading (in the case of any prospectus contained in such Shelf Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which a statement is made). As soon as practicable following the date that a Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective, but in any event within five Business Days of such date, Contango shall provide the Holders with written notice of the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement.

 

3


(b) Resale Registration Opt-Out. At least three Business Days before the initial filing of the Shelf Registration Statement required by Section 2.1(a), Contango shall provide advance written notice to each Holder that it plans to file a Shelf Registration Statement. Any Holder may deliver advance written notice (a “Resale Opt-Out Notice”) to Contango requesting that such Holder not be included in a Shelf Registration Statement prior to its initial filing. Following receipt of a Resale Opt-Out Notice from a Holder, Contango shall not be required to include the Registrable Securities of such Holder in such Shelf Registration Statement.

(c) Delay Rights. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Contango may, upon written notice to any Selling Holder whose Registrable Securities are included in the Shelf Registration Statement, suspend such Selling Holder’s use of any prospectus which is a part of the Shelf Registration Statement (in which event the Selling Holder shall discontinue sales of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement) if (i) Contango is pursuing an acquisition, merger, reorganization, disposition or other similar transaction and Contango determines in good faith that Contango’s ability to pursue or consummate such a transaction would be materially and adversely affected by any required disclosure of such transaction in the Shelf Registration Statement or (ii) Contango has experienced some other material non-public event the disclosure of which at such time, in the good faith judgment of Contango, would materially and adversely affect Contango; provided, however, that in no event shall the Selling Holders be suspended from selling Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement for a period of 60 consecutive days or an aggregate of 180 days in any 365-day period. Upon disclosure of such information or the termination of the condition described above, Contango shall provide prompt notice to the Selling Holders whose Registrable Securities are included in the Shelf Registration Statement, and shall promptly terminate any suspension of sales it has put into effect and shall take such other actions necessary or appropriate to permit registered sales of Registrable Securities as contemplated in this Agreement.

Section 2.2 Sale Procedures.

(a) In connection with its obligations under this Article II, Contango will, as expeditiously as possible:

(i) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and supplements to the Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep a Shelf Registration Statement effective for the Effectiveness Period and as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement;

(ii) furnish to each Selling Holder (A) as far in advance as reasonably practicable before filing a Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement or any supplement or amendment thereto, upon request, copies of reasonably complete drafts of all such documents proposed to be filed (including exhibits and each document incorporated by reference therein to the extent then required

 

4


by the rules and regulations of the Commission), and provide each such Selling Holder the opportunity to object to any information pertaining to such Selling Holder and its plan of distribution that is contained therein and make the corrections reasonably requested by such Selling Holder with respect to such information prior to filing such Shelf Registration Statement or such other registration statement and the prospectus included therein or any supplement or amendment thereto, and (B) such number of copies of such Shelf Registration Statement or such other registration statement and the prospectus included therein and any supplements and amendments thereto as such Persons may reasonably request in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement or other registration statement;

(iii) if applicable, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Selling Holders shall reasonably request, provided that Contango will not be required to qualify generally to transact business in any jurisdiction where it is not then required to so qualify or to take any action which would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

(iv) promptly notify each Selling Holder, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of (A) the filing of a Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement or any prospectus included therein or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than any amendment or supplement resulting from the filing of a document incorporated by reference therein), and, with respect to such Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become effective; and (B) the receipt of any written comments from the Commission with respect to any filing referred to in clause (A) and any written request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to such Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement or any prospectus or prospectus supplement thereto;

(v) immediately notify each Selling Holder, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of (A) the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus contained in a Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement or any supplemental amendment thereto, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing; (B) the issuance or threat of issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement, or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; or (C) the receipt by Contango of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale under the applicable securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction. Following the provision of such notice, Contango agrees to as promptly as practicable amend or supplement the prospectus or prospectus supplement or take other appropriate action so that the prospectus or prospectus supplement does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing and to take such other action as is necessary to remove a stop order, suspension, threat thereof or proceedings related thereto;

 

5


(vi) otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least 12 months, but not more than 18 months, beginning with the first full calendar month after the effective date of such registration statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 promulgated thereunder;

(vii) cause all such Registrable Securities registered pursuant to this Agreement to be listed or quoted on each securities exchange or nationally recognized quotation system on which similar securities issued by Contango are then listed or quoted, and cause to be satisfied all requirements and conditions of such securities exchange or nationally recognized quotation system to the listing or quoting of such Registrable Securities that are reasonably within the control of Contango, including, without limitation, registering the Registrable Securities under the Exchange Act, if appropriate, and using commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration to become effective pursuant to the rule of the Commission;

(viii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registrable Securities to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of Contango to enable the Selling Holders to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;

(ix) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement; and

(x) enter into customary agreements and take such other actions as are reasonably requested by the Selling Holders in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities.

(b) Each Selling Holder, upon receipt of notice from Contango of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 2.2(b)(v), shall forthwith discontinue disposition of the Registrable Securities until such Selling Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 2.2(b)(v) or until it is advised in writing by Contango that the use of the prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings incorporated by reference in the prospectus, and, if so directed by Contango, such Selling Holder will deliver to Contango (at Contango’s expense) all copies in their possession or control, other than permanent file copies then in such Selling Holder’s possession, of the prospectus and any prospectus supplement covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.

Section 2.3 Cooperation by Holders. Contango shall have no obligation to include Registrable Securities of a Holder in the Shelf Registration Statement if such Selling Holder has failed to timely furnish such information which, in the opinion of counsel to Contango, is reasonably required in order for the registration statement or prospectus supplement, as applicable, to comply with the Securities Act.

 

6


Section 2.4 Expenses.

(a) Certain Definitions. “Registration Expenses” means all expenses incident to Contango’s performance under or compliance with this Agreement to effect the registration of Registrable Securities in a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.1 and the disposition of such securities, including, without limitation, all registration, filing, securities exchange listing and fees, all registration, filing, qualification and other fees and expenses of complying with securities or blue sky laws, fees of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, transfer taxes and fees of transfer agents and registrars, all word processing, duplicating and printing expenses, and the fees and disbursements of Contango’s independent public accountants and counsel for Contango. Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.5 hereof, Contango shall not be responsible for legal fees incurred by Holders in connection with the exercise of such Holders’ rights hereunder. In addition, Contango shall not be responsible for any “Selling Expenses,” which means all underwriting fees, discounts and selling commissions, transfer taxes and fees of counsel allocable to the sale of the Registrable Securities.

(b) Expenses. Contango will pay all reasonable Registration Expenses in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement, whether or not any sale is made pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement.

Section 2.5 Indemnification.

(a) By Contango. In the event of a registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, to the extent permitted by applicable law, Contango will indemnify and hold harmless each Selling Holder thereunder, its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives and managers, and each Person, if any, who controls such Selling Holder within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives and managers, against any losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses), including any of the foregoing incurred in settlement of any litigation commenced or threatened by any party other than a Selling Holder (collectively, “Losses”), joint or several, to which such Selling Holder or controlling Person or directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives or managers may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such Losses (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact (in the case of any prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which such statement is made) contained in the Shelf Registration Statement or any other registration statement contemplated by this Agreement, any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained therein, or any free writing prospectus related thereto, or any amendment or supplement thereof, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and will reimburse each such Selling Holder, its directors and officers, and each such controlling Person and each such director, officer, employee, agent, representatives or manager for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred

 

7


by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Loss or actions or proceedings; provided, however, that Contango will not be liable in any such case if and to the extent that any such Loss arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission so made in conformity with information furnished by such Selling Holder or such controlling Person in writing specifically for use in the Shelf Registration Statement or such other registration statement, or prospectus supplement, as applicable. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Selling Holder or any such director, officer, employee, agent, representatives, manager or controlling Person, and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such Selling Holder.

(b) By Each Selling Holder. Each Selling Holder agrees severally and not jointly to indemnify and hold harmless Contango, its directors, officers, employees, representatives and agents and each Person, if any, who controls Contango within the meaning of the Securities Act or of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from Contango to the Selling Holders, but only with respect to information regarding such Selling Holder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Holder expressly for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement or prospectus supplement relating to the Registrable Securities, or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(c) Notice. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party hereunder of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party hereunder, notify the indemnifying party in writing thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party other than under this Section 2.5(c) except to the extent that the indemnifying party is materially prejudiced by such failure. In any action brought against any indemnified party, it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in and, to the extent it shall wish, to assume and undertake the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume and undertake the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 2.5 for any legal expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation and of liaison with counsel so selected; provided, however, that, (i) if the indemnifying party has failed to assume the defense and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or (ii) if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and counsel to the indemnified party shall have concluded that there may be reasonable defenses available to the indemnified party that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, or if the interests of the indemnified party reasonably may be deemed to conflict with the interests of the indemnifying party or representation by both parties by the same counsel is otherwise inappropriate under the applicable standards of professional conduct, then the indemnified party shall have the right to select a separate counsel and to assume such legal defense and otherwise to participate in the defense of such action, with the reasonable expenses and fees of such separate counsel and other reasonable expenses related to such participation to be reimbursed by the indemnifying party as incurred. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the indemnifying party shall not settle any indemnified claim without the consent of the indemnified party, unless the settlement thereof imposes no liability or obligation on, includes a complete release from liability of, and does not contain any admission of wrong doing by, the indemnified party.

 

8


(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 2.5 is held by a court or government agency of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to Contango or any Selling Holder or is insufficient to hold them harmless in respect of any Losses, then each such indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall 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 Contango on the one hand and of such Selling Holder on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided, however, that in no event shall such Selling Holder be required to contribute an aggregate amount in excess of the dollar amount of proceeds (net of Selling Expenses) received by such Selling Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification less the amount of any damages that such Selling Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. The relative fault of Contango on the one hand and each Selling Holder on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact has been made by, or relates to, information supplied by such party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this paragraph were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the Losses referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph shall be deemed to include any legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any Loss which is the subject of this paragraph. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who is not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

(e) Other Indemnification. The provisions of this Section 2.5 shall be in addition to any other rights to indemnification or contribution which an indemnified party may have pursuant to law, equity, contract or otherwise.

Section 2.6 Transfer or Assignment of Registration Rights. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, without the prior written consent of Contango, the rights to cause Contango to register Registrable Securities granted to the Purchasers by Contango under this Article II may not be transferred or assigned by the Purchasers.

Section 2.7 Aggregation of Registrable Securities. All Registrable Securities held or acquired by Persons who are Affiliates of one another shall be aggregated together for the purpose of determining the availability of any rights under this Agreement. In addition, all other shares of Common Stock held by a Person and for which such Person has similar registration rights pursuant to an agreement between such Person and Contango shall be aggregated together for the purpose of determining such Person’s rights under this Agreement solely as such shares relate to minimum quantity requirements contemplated herein; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, such Common Stock shall not otherwise be deemed Registrable Securities for any other purpose under this Agreement.

 

9


ARTICLE III

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 3.1 Communications. All notices and demands provided for hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, facsimile, air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery or personal delivery to the following addresses:

 

  (a)

If to a Purchaser, to such addresses indicated on Schedule A attached hereto.

 

  (b)

If to Contango:

Contango Oil & Gas Company

717 Texas Avenue, Suite 2900

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Wilkie S. Colyer, Jr.

Facsimile:

E-mail: WColyer@contango.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

811 Main Street, Suite 3000

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Hillary H. Holmes

Facsimile: (346) 718-6902

E-mail: HHolmes@gibsondunn.com

or, if to a transferee of a Purchaser, to the transferee at the address provided pursuant to Section 2.6 above. All notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; upon actual receipt if sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or regular mail, if mailed; upon actual receipt of the facsimile copy or e-mail, if sent via facsimile or e-mail; and upon actual receipt when delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.

Section 3.2 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties, including subsequent Holders of Registrable Securities to the extent permitted herein.

Section 3.3 Assignment of Rights. All or any portion of the rights and obligations of any Purchaser under this Agreement may be transferred or assigned by such Purchaser in accordance with Section 2.6 hereof.

Section 3.4 Recapitalization (Exchanges, etc. Affecting the Registrable Securities). The provisions of this Agreement shall apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to any and all shares of capital stock of Contango or any successor or assign of Contango (whether by merger, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for or in substitution of, the Registrable Securities, and shall be appropriately adjusted for combinations, recapitalizations and the like occurring after the date of this Agreement.

 

10


Section 3.5 Specific Performance. Damages in the event of breach of this Agreement by a party hereto would be difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain, and it is therefore agreed that each such Person, in addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it may have, will have the right to an injunction or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, enjoining any such breach, and enforcing specifically the terms and provisions hereof, and each of the parties hereto hereby waives (a) any and all defenses it may have on the ground of lack of jurisdiction or competence of the court to grant such an injunction or other equitable relief or that a remedy at law would be adequate and (b) any requirement under any law to post securities as a prerequisite to obtaining equitable relief. The existence of this right will not preclude any such Person from pursuing any other rights and remedies at law or in equity which such Person may have.

Section 3.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which counterparts, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original and all of which counterparts, taken together, shall constitute but one and the same Agreement.

Section 3.7 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

Section 3.8 Governing Law, Submission to Jurisdiction. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PLACE WHERE THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE EXECUTED BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO, THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably agrees that any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or the Transactions shall be brought and determined by courts of the State of Texas located in Houston, Texas and the federal courts of the United States of America located in Houston, Texas, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts solely in respect of any legal proceeding arising out of or related to this Agreement.

Section 3.9 Waiver of Jury Trial. THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY WAIVE, AND AGREE TO CAUSE THEIR AFFILIATES TO WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION (i) ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR (ii) IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY OR OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

11


Section 3.10 Severability of Provisions. Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof or affecting or impairing the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 3.11 Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Purchase Agreement are intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein or therein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein with respect to the rights granted by Contango set forth herein or therein. This Agreement and the Purchase Agreement supersede all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

Section 3.12 Term; Amendment. This Agreement shall automatically terminate and be of no further force and effect on the date on which there are no Registrable Securities. This Agreement may be amended only by means of a written amendment signed by Contango and the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities; provided, however, that no such amendment shall materially and adversely affect the rights of any Holder hereunder without the consent of such Holder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment, waiver, consent or modification of, or supplement to, this Agreement shall require approval of a majority of the members of the board of directors of Contango not affiliated with John C. Goff.

Section 3.13 No Presumption. In the event any claim is made by a party relating to any conflict, omission, or ambiguity in this Agreement, no presumption or burden of proof or persuasion shall be implied by virtue of the fact that this Agreement was prepared by or at the request of a particular party or its counsel.

Section 3.14 Obligations Limited to Parties to Agreement. Each of the parties hereto covenants, agrees and acknowledges that no Person other than the Purchasers, Selling Holders, their respective permitted assignees and Contango shall have any obligation hereunder and that, notwithstanding that one or more of Contango and the Purchasers may be a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, no recourse under this Agreement or under any documents or instruments delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be had against any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of Contango, the Purchasers, Selling Holders or their respective permitted assignees, or any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of the foregoing, whether by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, or by virtue of any applicable law, it being expressly agreed and acknowledged that no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, be imposed on or otherwise by incurred by any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of Contango, the Purchasers, Selling Holders or any of their respective assignees,

 

12


or any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of the foregoing, as such, for any obligations of Contango, the Purchasers, Selling Holders or their respective permitted assignees under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection herewith or therewith or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligation or its creation, except in each case for any assignee of the Purchasers or a Selling Holder hereunder.

Section 3.15 Interpretation. Article and Section references in this Agreement are references to the corresponding Article and Section to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. All references to instruments, documents, contracts and agreements are references to such instruments, documents, contracts and agreements as the same may be amended, supplemented and otherwise modified from time to time, unless otherwise specified. The word “including” shall mean “including but not limited to.” Whenever any determination, consent or approval is to be made or given by a Purchaser under this Agreement, such action shall be in such Purchaser’s sole discretion unless otherwise specified.

Section 3.16 No Inconsistent Agreements; Additional Rights. If Contango hereafter enters into a registration rights agreement with a third party with terms more favorable than those set forth herein with respect to Holders of shares of Common Stock, this Agreement shall, to the extent so requested by any such Holders, be amended so as to provide such Holders with substantially the same material terms as provided to such other third party.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

13


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

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

/s/ E. Joseph Grady

Name: E. Joseph Grady
Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

[Signatures continue on following page.]

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


Goff MCF Partners, LP
By:  

/s/ John C. Goff

Name:   John C. Goff
Title:   Chief Executive Officer
John C. Goff SEP IRA
By:  

/s/ John C. Goff

  John C. Goff

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


Schedule A

Purchasers

Goff MCF Partners, LP

John C. Goff SEP IRA

Notice Address:

500 Commerce St., Suite 700,

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Attention Jennifer Terrell

jterrell@Goffcp.com

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

1200 Seventeenth Street NW

Washington, DC 20036-3006

Attention Robert Robbins

robert.robbins@pillsburylaw.com

Schedule A

Exhibit 10.3

Execution Version

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

DATED AS OF

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

AMONG

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY,

AS BORROWER,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ISSUING BANK AND SWINGLINE LENDER

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA AND CADENCE BANK, N.A.,

AS CO-SYNDICATION AGENTS,

AND

THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO

 

 

JOINT LEAD ARRANGERS AND JOINT BOOKRUNNERS

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, AND

CADENCE BANK, N.A.

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

       Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS

     1  

Section 1.01

  Terms Defined Above      1  

Section 1.02

  Certain Defined Terms      1  

Section 1.03

  Classification of Loans and Borrowings      31  

Section 1.04

  Terms Generally; Rules of Construction      31  

Section 1.05

  Accounting Terms and Determinations; GAAP      32  

Section 1.06

  Interest Rates; LIBOR Notification      33  

Section 1.07

  Letter of Credit Amounts      33  

Section 1.08

  Divisions      33  

ARTICLE II THE CREDITS

     33  

Section 2.01

  Commitments      33  

Section 2.02

  Loans and Borrowings      34  

Section 2.03

  Requests for Revolving Borrowings      35  

Section 2.04

  Interest Elections      36  

Section 2.05

  Funding of Borrowings      37  

Section 2.06

  Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts      38  

Section 2.07

  Borrowing Base      38  

Section 2.08

  Letters of Credit      43  

Section 2.09

  Swingline Loans      49  

ARTICLE III PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST; PREPAYMENTS; FEES

     51  

Section 3.01

  Repayment of Loans      51  

Section 3.02

  Interest      51  

Section 3.03

  Alternate Rate of Interest      52  

Section 3.04

  Prepayments      53  

Section 3.05

  Fees      56  

ARTICLE IV PAYMENTS; PRO RATA TREATMENT; SHARING OF SET-OFFS

     57  

Section 4.01

  Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs      57  

Section 4.02

  Presumption of Payment by the Borrower      58  

Section 4.03

  Defaulting Lenders      58  

Section 4.04

  Disposition of Proceeds      61  

ARTICLE V INCREASED COSTS; BREAK FUNDING PAYMENTS; TAXES; ILLEGALITY

     62  

Section 5.01

  Increased Costs      62  

Section 5.02

  Break Funding Payments      63  

Section 5.03

  Taxes      63  

Section 5.04

  Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders      67  

Section 5.05

  Illegality      68  

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

Page

 

ARTICLE VI CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     69  

Section 6.01

  Effective Date      69  

Section 6.02

  Each Credit Event      72  

ARTICLE VII REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     73  

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      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 Counterparty      80  

Section 7.21

  Use of Loans and Letters of Credit      80  

Section 7.22

  Solvency      80  

Section 7.23

  International Operations      81  

Section 7.24

  USA PATRIOT; AML Laws; Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions      81  

Section 7.25

  Accounts      81  

Section 7.26

  EEA Financial Institution      81  

ARTICLE VIII AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     81  

Section 8.01

  Financial Statements; Other Information      82  

Section 8.02

  Notices of Material Events      85  

Section 8.03

  Existence; Conduct of Business      86  

Section 8.04

  Payment of Obligations      86  

Section 8.05

  [Reserved]      86  

Section 8.06

  Operation and Maintenance of Properties      86  

Section 8.07

  Insurance      87  

Section 8.08

  Books and Records; Inspection Rights      87  

Section 8.09

  Compliance with Laws      87  

Section 8.10

  Environmental Matters      88  

Section 8.11

  Further Assurances      88  

 

ii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

Page

 

Section 8.12

  Reserve Reports      89  

Section 8.13

  Title Information      90  

Section 8.14

  Additional Collateral; Additional Guarantors      91  

Section 8.15

  ERISA Event      92  

Section 8.16

  Marketing Activities      92  

Section 8.17

  Accounts      92  

Section 8.18

  Minimum Hedging      92  

ARTICLE IX NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     93  

Section 9.01

  Financial Covenants      93  

Section 9.02

  Debt      93  

Section 9.03

  Liens      95  

Section 9.04

  Restricted Payments      95  

Section 9.05

  Investments, Loans and Advances      96  

Section 9.06

  Nature of Business; International Operations      97  

Section 9.07

  Limitation on Leases      97  

Section 9.08

  Proceeds of Loans; OFAC      98  

Section 9.09

  ERISA Compliance      98  

Section 9.10

  Sale or Discount of Receivables      98  

Section 9.11

  Mergers, Etc.      98  

Section 9.12

  Sale of Properties      99  

Section 9.13

  Environmental Matters      99  

Section 9.14

  Transactions with Affiliates      99  

Section 9.15

  Subsidiaries      100  

Section 9.16

  Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions      100  

Section 9.17

  Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments      100  

Section 9.18

  Swap Agreements      100  

Section 9.19

  Amendments to Material Agreements; Amendment to Fiscal Year      101  

Section 9.20

  New Accounts      101  

Section 9.21

  Repayment of Permitted Additional Debt; Amendment to Terms of Permitted Additional Debt      101  

ARTICLE X EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

     102  

Section 10.01

  Events of Default      102  

Section 10.02

  Remedies      104  

ARTICLE XI THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     106  

Section 11.01

  Appointment; Powers      106  

Section 11.02

  Duties and Obligations of Administrative Agent      106  

Section 11.03

  Action by Administrative Agent      107  

Section 11.04

  Reliance by Administrative Agent      107  

Section 11.05

  Subagents      108  

Section 11.06

  Resignation of Administrative Agent      108  

Section 11.07

  Administrative Agent Individually      109  

 

iii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

Page

 

Section 11.08

  No Reliance      109  

Section 11.09

  Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim      110  

Section 11.10

  Withholding Tax      110  

Section 11.11

  Authority of Administrative Agent to Release Collateral and Liens      111  

Section 11.12

  The Arrangers      112  

Section 11.13

  Credit Bidding      112  

Section 11.14

  Certain ERISA Matters      113  

ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS

     114  

Section 12.01

  Notices      114  

Section 12.02

  Waivers; Amendments      117  

Section 12.03

  Expenses, Indemnity; Damage Waiver      119  

Section 12.04

  Successors and Assigns      122  

Section 12.05

  Survival; Revival; Reinstatement      126  

Section 12.06

  Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness      126  

Section 12.07

  Severability      127  

Section 12.08

  Right of Setoff      127  

Section 12.09

  GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS      128  

Section 12.10

  Headings      129  

Section 12.11

  Confidentiality      129  

Section 12.12

  Interest Rate Limitation      130  

Section 12.13

  EXCULPATION PROVISIONS      131  

Section 12.14

  Collateral Matters; Swap Agreements; Cash Management Agreements      131  

Section 12.15

  No Third Party Beneficiaries      132  

Section 12.16

  USA PATRIOT Act Notice      132  

Section 12.17

  No Fiduciary Duty; etc.      132  

Section 12.18

  Flood Insurance Provisions      133  

Section 12.19

  Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions      133  

Section 12.20

  Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs      134  

Section 12.21

  Material Non-Public Information      134  

 

iv


ANNEXES, EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES

 

Annex I    List of Maximum Credit Amounts
Exhibit A    Form of Note
Exhibit B    Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit C    Form of Interest Election Request
Exhibit D    Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit E    Security Instruments
Exhibit F    Form of Guarantee and Collateral Agreement
Exhibit G    Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibits H-1 – 4    Forms of Tax Certificate
Schedule 7.05    Litigation
Schedule 7.14    Subsidiaries and Partnerships
Schedule 7.18    Gas Imbalances; Take or Pay; Other Prepayments
Schedule 7.19    Marketing Agreements
Schedule 7.20    Swap Agreements
Schedule 7.25    Accounts
Schedule 9.05    Investments

 

v


THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of September 17, 2019 is among Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”); each of the Lenders from time to time party hereto; JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (in its individual capacity, “JPMorgan”), as Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender (each as defined below); and Royal Bank of Canada and Cadence Bank, N.A., as co-syndication agents for the Lenders (in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the “Syndication 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, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

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 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan in its capacity as administrative agent hereunder, or any successor administrative agent as provided in Section 11.06.

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

Affected Loans” has the meaning assigned to 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.

 

1


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

Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts” 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. The initial Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts of the Lenders is $500,000,000.

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 NYFRB Rate in effect on such day plus 12 of 1.0% 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 1.0%; provided that, for the purpose of this definition, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Screen Rate (or if the LIBO Screen Rate is not available for such one month Interest Period, the Interpolated Rate) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively. If the Alternate Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 3.03, then the Alternate Base Rate shall be the greater of clauses (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Alternate Base Rate as determined pursuant to the foregoing would be less than 1.00%, such rate shall be deemed to be 1.00% for purposes of this Agreement.

AML Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to any Lender, the Borrower, the Borrower’s Subsidiaries or any Guarantor from time to time concerning or relating to anti-money laundering.

Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

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

 

Borrowing Base Utilization Grid  

Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage

     <25%      

³25%, but

<50%

 

 

   

³50%, but

<75%

 

 

   

³75%, but

<90%

 

 

    ³90%  

ABR Loan Margin

     1.250     1.500     1.750     2.000     2.250

Eurodollar Loan Margin

     2.250     2.500     2.750     3.000     3.250

Commitment Fee Rate

     0.500     0.500     0.500     0.500     0.500

 

2


Each change in the Applicable Margin and the Commitment Fee Rate shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change in the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change; provided, however, that if at any time the Borrower fails to deliver a Reserve Report pursuant to Section 8.12(a), then the “Applicable Margin” and the “Commitment Fee Rate” shall mean the rate per annum set forth on the grid when the Borrowing Base Utilization Percentage is at its highest level, beginning on the date of such failure until such Reserve Report is delivered.

Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts represented by such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount; provided that if the Commitments have terminated or expired, each Lender’s Applicable Percentage shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect.

Approved Electronic Platform” means IntraLinks, DebtDomain, SyndTrak, ClearPar or any other electronic platform chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system.

Approved Counterparty” means (a) any Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender and (b) any other Person whose long term senior unsecured debt rating is A/A2 by S&P or Moody’s (or their equivalent) or higher.

Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 12.04(b).

Approved Petroleum Engineers” means (a) Ryder Scott Company, (b) Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc., (c) William Cobb & Associates and (d) any other independent petroleum engineers reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

Arrangers” means the collective reference to JPMorgan, RBC Capital Markets and Cadence Bank, N.A., each in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner hereunder.

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 G or any other form (including electronic records generated by the use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.

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.

 

3


Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code entitled “Bankruptcy”, as now and hereafter in effect, or any successor statute.

Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment or has had any order for relief in such proceeding entered in respect thereof; provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, unless such ownership interest results in or provides such Person 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 permits such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership or control as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in Section 4975 of the Code to which Section 4975 of the Code applies, and (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of the Plan Asset Regulations or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.

BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate’ (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.

Borrowing” means (a) Revolving 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 or (b) a Swingline Loan.

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 2.07(e), Section 2.07(f), Section 2.07(g) or Section 8.13(c).

Borrowing Base Deficiency” occurs if at any time the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base then in effect. The amount of the Borrowing Base Deficiency is the amount by which the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the Borrowing Base then in effect.

 

4


Borrowing Base Properties” means the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries included in the most recently delivered Reserve Report hereunder.

Borrowing Base 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 Borrowing Base in effect on such day.

Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

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; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not 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 (whether contingent or otherwise) for the payment of rent thereunder.

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

Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement to provide cash management services, including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit or debit card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management services.

Cash Receipts” means all cash received by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, including without limitation: (a) any amounts payable under or in connection with any Oil and Gas Properties; (b) cash representing operating revenue earned or to be earned by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; (c) proceeds from Loans; and (d) any other cash received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries from whatever source (including, without limitation, amounts received in respect of the Liquidation of any Swap Agreement).

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 its Subsidiaries.

Change in Control” means (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 the Permitted Holders, 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) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were not (i) directors of the Borrower on the date of this Agreement or nominated or appointed by the board of directors of the Borrower or (ii) appointed by directors so nominated or appointed; or (c) a “Change of Control” (or similar event howsoever described) occurs under any Permitted Additional Debt.

 

5


Change in Law” means the occurrence after the date of this Agreement of (a) the adoption of or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority 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, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith (whether or not having the force of law) or in implementation thereof and (y) 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 or foreign 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, promulgated, issued or implemented.

Class” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans.

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

Collateral” means all Property now owned or hereafter acquired which is subject to a Lien created or purported to be created under one or more 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 and Swingline Loans 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 lesser of such Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the then effective Borrowing Base.

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

Commodity Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in UCC.

Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to Section 12.01(e), including through an Approved Electronic Platform.

 

6


Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

Consolidated Net Income” means with respect to the Borrower and the Consolidated Subsidiaries, for any period, the aggregate of the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and the Consolidated Subsidiaries 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 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 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 Subsidiary, as the case may be; (b) the net income (but not loss) during such period of any Consolidated Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions or transfers or loans by that Consolidated 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 Subsidiary or is otherwise restricted or prohibited, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; (c) the net income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Consolidated Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries; (d) any extraordinary gains or losses during such period; (e) any gains or losses attributable to writeups or writedowns of assets; and (f) any non-cash gains or losses or positive or negative adjustments under FASB ASC 815 as a result of changes in the fair market value of derivatives.

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 Total Assets” means the total assets of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as shown on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower.

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 20% or more of the 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.

Control Agreement” means a control agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, providing for the Administrative Agent’s exclusive control of a Deposit Account or Securities Account, after notice, executed and delivered by the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as applicable, and the applicable securities intermediary (with respect to a Securities Account) or bank (with respect to a Deposit Account), in each case at which such relevant account is maintained.

 

7


Control Agreement Delivery Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.17.

Covered Entity” means any of the following:

 

  (a)

a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

 

  (b)

a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

 

  (c)

a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

Covered Party” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 12.20.

Credit Party” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender.

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 (excluding accounts payable and accrued expenses, liabilities or other obligations of such Person 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 sixty (60) 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); (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 or to purchase the Debt or Property of others; (i) obligations to deliver commodities, goods or services, 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 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

 

8


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.

Decommissioning Financial Responsibility” means a surety bond, guaranty, or other form of financial security required under OSCLA for Outer Continental Shelf facilities to demonstrate financial ability to pay for decommissioning activities to remove all facilities and restore the site to its pre-lease state.

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.

Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

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 Swingline Loans or (iii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Borrower or any Credit 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 (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by a Credit 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 (and is financially able to meet such obligations as of the date of certification) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans under this Agreement; provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has, or whose Lender Parent has, become the subject of (i) a Bankruptcy Event or (ii) a Bail-In Action.

Deposit Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in the UCC.

Disposition” means any conveyance, sale, lease, sale and leaseback, assignment, farm-out, transfer or other disposition of any Property, and includes, for the avoidance of doubt, any Casualty Event. “Dispose” has a correlative meaning thereto.

 

9


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.

EBITDAX” means, for any period, the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (b) the following expenses or charges to the extent deducted from Consolidated Net Income in such period: (i) interest expense, (ii) income tax expense, (iii) depreciation, depletion, amortization, exploration expenses and other similar noncash charges and (iv) losses on asset Dispositions, disposals and abandonments, minus (c) to the extent included in the statement of Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (1) interest income, (2) income tax credits (to the extent not netted from income tax expense), (3) all noncash income added to Consolidated Net Income, (4) any cash payments made during such period in respect of items described in clause (b)(iii) above subsequent to the fiscal quarter in which the relevant non-cash expenses or charges were reflected as a charge in the statement of Consolidated Net Income and (5) gains on asset Dispositions, disposals and abandonments. For the purposes of calculating EBITDAX for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters (each, a “Reference Period”), (i) if during such Reference Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made a Material Disposition, EBITDAX for such Reference Period shall be calculated on a pro forma basis as if such Material Disposition occurred on the first day of such Reference Period, and (ii) if during such Reference Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made a Material Acquisition, EBITDAX for such Reference Period shall be calculated on a pro forma basis as if such Material Acquisition occurred on the first day of such Reference Period.

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any institution established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) 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 any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

 

10


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

Electronic Signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

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

Environmental Financial Responsibility” means Decommissioning Financial Responsibility and Oil Spill Financial Responsibility.

Environmental Laws” means any and all Governmental Requirements pertaining in any way to health, safety, the environment, 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 Subsidiary is conducting, or at any time has conducted business, or where any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary is located, including the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”), as amended, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (“OCSLA”), as amended, the Clean Air Act, as amended, the Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”), as amended, 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 (“RCRA”), as amended, 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 Law, 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 from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and any successor statute.

ERISA Affiliate” means each trade or business (whether or not incorporated) which together with the Borrower or a Subsidiary 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.

 

11


ERISA Event” means any of the following: (a) a reportable event described in Section 4043(b) of ERISA (or, unless the 30-day notice requirement has been duly waived under the applicable regulations, Section 4043(c) of ERISA) with respect to a Plan; (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate from a Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer, as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA; (c) the incurrence by the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate of liability due to the complete or partial withdrawal from any Multiemployer Plan; (d) with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the receipt by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of a notice of insolvency or termination under Section 4041A of ERISA; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of a notice of intent to terminate a Plan under Section 4041 of ERISA; (f) the receipt by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any notice of the institution of proceedings to terminate a Plan by the PBGC; (g) the failure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or ERISA Affiliate to make by its due date any required contribution under Section 430(j) of the Code to any Plan; (h) the imposition of a Lien (other than an Excepted Lien) under Section 412 or 430(k) of the Code or Section 303 or 4068 of ERISA on any property (or rights to property, whether real or personal) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

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

Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, 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 to 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’, 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

 

12


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 Subsidiary 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 Federal Reserve Board and no such deposit account is intended by the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries to provide collateral to the depository institution; (f) easements, restrictions, servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions or reservations in any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary for the purpose of roads, pipelines, transmission lines, transportation lines, distribution lines 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 Subsidiary 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; and (h) 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 (x) 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 not stayed) 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 (y) in no event shall “Excepted Liens” secure Debt for borrowed money.

Excluded Accounts” means (a) each account for which all of the deposits consist of amounts utilized to fund payroll, employee benefit or tax obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, (b) fiduciary accounts that are contractually obligated to be segregated from the other assets of any Loan Party for the benefit of unaffiliated third parties, (c) “zero balance” accounts, (d) royalty suspense accounts for which all of the deposits consist of amounts due and owing to unaffiliated third parties in connection with the Borrower’s and the Subsidiaries’ royalty, overriding royalty or net profits interest payment obligations owing to such third parties and (e) other accounts so long as the aggregate daily balance in any such other account does not at any time exceed $100,000; provided that, the aggregate daily maximum balance for all such bank accounts excluded pursuant to this clause (e) on any day shall not exceed $250,000.

Excluded Swap Obligations” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

 

13


Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 5.04(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 5.03, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 5.03(e), and (d) any withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2013, among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto and Royal Bank of Canada, as administrative agent, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the Effective Date.

Existing Letter of Credit” means that certain Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit No. 1185/S25311 issued by Royal Bank of Canada, as Issuing Bank, for the benefit of Apache Corporation, in an aggregate face amount equal to $1,881,876.00.

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, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities and implementing such Sections of the Code.

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the NYFRB based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depositary institutions, as determined in such manner as the NYFRB shall set forth on its public website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as the effective federal funds rate; provided that if the Federal Funds Effective Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.

Fee Letter” means that certain Fee Letter, dated as of September 6, 2019, between the Borrower and JPMorgan, related to the payment of certain fees by the Borrower.

 

14


Financial Officer” means, for any Person, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of such Person (or in the case of any Person that is a partnership, of such Person’s general partner). 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 of the Borrower and the Consolidated Subsidiaries referred to in Section 7.04(a).

Foreign Lender” means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.

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

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 each Subsidiary that is a party to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement as a “Guarantor” and “Grantor” (as such terms are defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) and guarantees the Obligations (including pursuant to Section 6.01 and Section 8.14(b)). On the Effective Date, the following Subsidiaries are Guarantors: Crimson Exploration Inc., a Delaware corporation, Crimson Exploration Operating, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Contango Energy Company, a Delaware corporation, Contango Rocky Mountain Inc., a Delaware corporation, Contango Operators, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Contango Mining Company, a Delaware corporation, Conterra Company, a Delaware corporation, Contaro Company, a Delaware corporation, Contango Alta Investments, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and Contango Venture Capital Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

Guarantee and Collateral Agreement” means the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement executed by the Borrower and the Guarantors in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit F, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

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.

 

15


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 Obligations 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 Borrower and/or the Subsidiaries, as the context requires.

Hydrocarbons” means oil, gas, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all products refined or separated therefrom.

IBA” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.06.

Immaterial Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Material Subsidiary.

Impacted Interest Period” has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of “LIBO Rate.”

Ineligible Institution” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 12.04(b).

Information” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 12.11.

Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower or any Guarantor under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a) hereof, Other Taxes.

Initial Reserve Report” means the Reserve Report prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower evaluating the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the Guarantors as of June 30, 2019.

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit C or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

16


Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and December and the Termination Date, (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of each 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, and the Termination Date and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid and the Termination Date.

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 (or, with the consent of each Lender, twelve months) thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such 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 (ii) 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 to 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).

Interpolated Rate means, at any time, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum (rounded to the same number of decimal places as the LIBO Screen Rate) determined by the Administrative Agent (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) to be equal to the rate that results from interpolating on a linear basis between: (a) the LIBO Screen Rate for the longest period (for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available) that is shorter than the Impacted Interest Period; and (b) the LIBO Screen Rate for the shortest period (for which that LIBO Screen Rate is available) that exceeds the Impacted Interest Period, in each case, at such time.

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 ninety (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

 

17


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.

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Issuing Bank” means (a) solely with respect to the Existing Letter of Credit, Royal Bank of Canada it its capacity as the issuer of the Existing Letter of Credit and (b) JPMorgan, 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. Each reference herein to the “Issuing Bank” in connection with a Letter of Credit or other matter shall be deemed to be a reference to the relevant Issuing Bank with respect thereto.

LC Commitment” means the commitment of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder. The amount of the LC Commitment is $10,000,000. The LC Commitment may be modified from time to time by agreement between the Issuing Bank and the Borrower, and notified to the Administrative Agent.

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

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 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 Article 29(a) of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time) or Rule 3.13 or Rule 3.14 of the International Standby Practices, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 590 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time) or similar terms of the Letter of Credit itself, or if compliant documents have been presented but not yet honored, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” and “undrawn” in the amount so remaining available to be paid, and the obligations of the Borrower and each Lender shall remain in full force and effect until the Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall have no further obligations to make any payments or disbursements under any circumstances with respect to any Letter of Credit.

Lender Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.

Lenders” means the Persons listed on Annex I and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or otherwise, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or otherwise. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank.

 

18


Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement and shall include the Existing Letter of Credit.

Letter of Credit Agreement” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.08(b).

Leverage Ratio” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01(a).

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the LIBO Screen Rate at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that if the LIBO Screen Rate shall not be available at such time for such Interest Period (an “Impacted Interest Period”) then the LIBO Rate shall be the Interpolated Rate.

LIBO Screen Rate” means, for any day and time, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for U.S. Dollars for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on such day and time on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen that displays such rate (or, in the event such rate does not appear on a Reuters page or screen, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion); provided that if the LIBO Screen Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

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. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries 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” means, with respect to any Swap Agreement, the sale, assignment, novation, unwind or early termination of all or any part of such Swap Agreement or the creation of an offsetting position against all or any part of such Swap Agreement. The terms “Liquidated” and “Liquidation” have correlative meanings thereto.

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Notes, the Letter of Credit Agreements, the Letters of Credit, the Security Instruments, the Fee Letter, the Will BB Increase Fee Letter and any certificate required to be delivered under this Agreement by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

 

19


Loan Parties” means the collective reference to the Borrower and each Guarantor.

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

Majority Lenders” means, at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Non-Defaulting Lenders having more than fifty percent (50%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts of all Non-Defaulting Lenders; and at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Non-Defaulting Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans, participation interests in Letters of Credit and Swingline Exposure of all Non-Defaulting Lenders (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section 12.04(c)). For purposes of the foregoing, the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender that is the Swingline Lender shall be deemed to exclude any amount of its Swingline Exposure in excess of its Applicable Percentage of all outstanding Swingline Loans, adjusted to give effect to any reallocation under Section 4.03(c) of the Swingline Exposures of Defaulting Lenders in effect at such time.

Material Acquisition” means any acquisition of Property or series of related acquisitions of Property that involves the payment of consideration by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in excess of 10% of the Borrowing Base then in effect.

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse change in, or material adverse effect on (a) the business, Property, operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower or any Guarantor to perform any of its 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, the Issuing Bank or any Lender under any Loan Document.

Material Debt” 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 Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $5,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Debt, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the Swap Termination Value of such Swap Agreement.

Material Disposition” means any Disposition of Property or series of related Dispositions of Property that yields gross proceeds to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (valued at the initial principal amount thereof in the case of non-cash proceeds consisting of notes or other debt securities and valued at fair market value in the case of other non-cash proceeds) in excess of 10% of the Borrowing Base then in effect.

Material Subsidiary” means, as of any date: (a) any Subsidiary that owns, or has an interest in, any Borrowing Base Property, as determined by the Administrative Agent; (b) any Subsidiary that incurs or guarantees any Debt for borrowed money (including any Permitted Additional Debt) in excess of $1,000,000; (c) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, which,

 

20


individually, or together with its subsidiaries, as of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Borrower, for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters then ended for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(a) or Section 8.01(b), contributed greater than (i) two and one-half percent (2.5%) of EBITDAX for such period or (ii) two and one-half percent (2.5%) of Consolidated Total Assets as of the last day of such period; provided that, if at any time the aggregate amount of EBITDAX or Consolidated Total Assets attributable to all Immaterial Subsidiaries, taken together, exceeds five percent (5%) of EBITDAX for any such period or five percent (5%) of Consolidated Total Assets as of the end of any such fiscal quarter, then the Borrower shall designate in the compliance certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(c) for such fiscal quarter or fiscal year, as applicable, one or more Immaterial Subsidiaries as “Material Subsidiaries” as may be necessary to eliminate such excess, and upon the delivery of such compliance certificate to the Administrative Agent, such designated Subsidiaries shall for all purposes of this Agreement constitute Material Subsidiaries, and the Borrower shall cause such designated Material Subsidiaries to comply with Section 8.14(b). In the event the Borrower fails to so designate sufficient additional Subsidiaries as “Material Subsidiaries” in the compliance certificate as aforesaid, the Administrative Agent may, by written notice to the Borrower, designate sufficient additional Subsidiaries as “Material Subsidiaries” on the Borrower’s behalf, whereupon such Subsidiaries, effective as of the date of such designation, shall constitute “Material Subsidiaries” for all purposes of this Agreement.

Maturity Date” means September 17, 2024.

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 Amounts pursuant to Section 2.06(b) or (b) modified from time to time pursuant to any assignment permitted by Section 12.04(b).

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

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 the Security Instruments.

Multiemployer Plan” means any multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, which (a) is currently or hereafter contributed to by the Borrower, a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate or (b) was at any time during the six calendar years preceding the date hereof contributed to by the Borrower, a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate.

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

Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment to any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document requested by the Borrower (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Borrowing Base increase) that (i) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 12.02(b) and (ii) has been approved by the Majority Lenders.

Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

 

21


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

NYFRB” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

NYFRB Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day (or for any day that is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day); provided that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “NYFRB Rate” means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates as so determined be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Obligations” means (a) any and all amounts owing or to be owing by the Borrower or any Guarantor (whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising) to the Administrative Agent, any other Agent, the Arrangers, the Issuing Bank, any Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing under any Loan Document; (b) all Secured Swap Obligations; (c) all Secured Cash Management Obligations; and (d) all renewals, extensions and/or rearrangements of any of the above. Without limitation of the foregoing, the term “Obligations” shall include the unpaid principal of and interest on the Loans and LC Exposure (including, without limitation, interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in this Agreement after the maturity of the Loans and LC Exposure and interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in this Agreement after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any Guarantor, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding), reimbursement obligations (including, without limitation, to reimburse LC Disbursements), obligations to post cash collateral in respect of Letters of Credit, payments in respect of an early termination of Secured Swap Obligations and unpaid amounts, fees, expenses, indemnities, costs, and all other obligations and liabilities of every nature of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Guarantor, whether absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, any Secured Swap Agreement or any Secured Cash Management Agreement; provided that the Obligations of any Loan Party shall not include any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Loan Party.

OFAC” means the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control.

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 agreements, 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

 

22


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, 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, 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. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each reference to the term “Oil and Gas Properties” shall mean Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and/or the Subsidiaries, as the context requires.

Oil Spill Financial Responsibility” means an indemnity, insurance policy, or surety bond required by OPA for covered off shore facilities to demonstrate financial ability to pay for cleanup and damages that could be caused by oil discharges from the facility.

Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan, Letter of Credit or Loan Document).

Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 5.04).

Overnight Bank Funding Rate” means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight Eurodollar borrowings by U.S.-managed banking offices of depository institutions, as such composite rate shall be determined by the NYFRB as set forth on its public website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as an overnight bank funding rate.

Participant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 12.04(c).

 

23


Participant Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 12.04(c).

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

Permitted Additional Debt” means unsecured senior notes or unsecured senior subordinated notes of the Borrower incurred after the Effective Date under Section 9.02(g).

Permitted Additional Debt Documents” means any credit agreement, notes, indenture, agreement, instrument or other definitive document governing, evidencing or related to, or securing, guaranteeing or otherwise providing credit support for, any Permitted Additional Debt, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented to the extent permitted by Section 9.21.

Permitted Existing Secured Swap Agreements” means the commodity transactions entered into between Crimson Exploration Inc. (“Crimson”) and Citibank, N.A. evidenced by the Confirmations identified on Schedule 1.02, and entered into under that certain 2002 ISDA Master Agreement, dated as of December 23, 2013, between Citibank, N.A. and Crimson, as amended by that certain First Amendment to 2002 ISDA Master Agreement dated as of March 7, 2014, in each case as such transactions are in effect on the Effective Date, without giving effect to any amendments, modifications or supplements thereto entered into after the Effective Date and, for the avoidance of doubt, excluding any other Swap Agreements or other transactions entered into between the Borrower or any Subsidiary and Citibank, N.A.

Permitted Holders” means, individually or collectively, (a) John C. Goff, (b) any immediate family member of John C. Goff, (c) the estate or legal representative of the estate of John C. Goff and/or any of his immediate family members (acting in the capacity of such legal representative) and (d) trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations or other entities that are Controlled by one or more Persons in clauses (a), (b) and/or (c) of this definition.

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

Petroleum Industry Standards” shall mean the Definitions for Oil and Gas Reserves promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (or any generally recognized successor) as in effect at the time in question.

Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan, as defined in section 3(2) of ERISA subject to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 or Title IV of ERISA (other than a Multiemployer Plan), which (a) is currently or hereafter sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Borrower, a Subsidiary 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, a Subsidiary or an ERISA Affiliate.

Plan Asset Regulations” means 29 CFR § 2510.3-101 et seq., as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, as amended from time to time.

 

24


Prime Rate” means the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” in the U.S. or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Federal Reserve Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the “bank prime loan” rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as determined by the Administrative Agent) or any similar release by the Federal Reserve Board (as determined by the Administrative Agent). Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced or quoted as being effective.

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).

PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

Public-Sider” means a Lender whose representatives may trade in securities of the Borrower or its Controlling person or any of its Subsidiaries while in possession of the financial statements provided by the Borrower under the terms of this Agreement.

QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).

QFC Credit Support” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 12.20.

Qualified ECP Counterparty” means, in respect of any Swap Agreement, the Borrower and each Subsidiary and each Guarantor that (a) has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time any guarantee of obligations under such Swap Agreement or grant of the relevant security interest to secure such Swap Agreement becomes effective or (b) otherwise constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another Person 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.

Recipient” means (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) the Issuing Bank, as applicable.

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

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).

 

25


Reference Period” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of EBITDAX.

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

Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents 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 to such term in Section 8.10(a).

Required Lenders” means, at any time while no Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Non-Defaulting Lenders having at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts of all Non-Defaulting Lenders; and at any time while any Loans or LC Exposure is outstanding, Non-Defaulting Lenders holding at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Loans, participation interests in Letters of Credit and Swingline Exposure of all Non-Defaulting Lenders (without regard to any sale by a Lender of a participation in any Loan under Section 12.04(c)). For purposes of the foregoing, the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender that is the Swingline Lender shall be deemed to exclude any amount of its Swingline Exposure in excess of its Applicable Percentage of all outstanding Swingline Loans, adjusted to give effect to any reallocation under Section 4.03(c) of the Swingline Exposures of Defaulting Lenders in effect at such time.

Reserve Report” means a report, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth, as of each January 1st or July 1st (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 Subsidiaries, 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 the pricing assumptions consistent with the Administrative Agent’s lending requirements at the time.

Responsible Officer” means, as to any Person, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Financial Officer or any Vice President of such Person or of such Person’s manager, managing member, general partner or such other Person having authority to bind that Person (or in the case of any Person that is a partnership, of such Person’s general partner). Unless otherwise specified, all references to a Responsible Officer herein means a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

 

26


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 its Subsidiaries, 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 its Subsidiaries or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

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

Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business.

Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country, (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b) or (d) any Person otherwise the subject of any Sanctions.

Sanctions” means all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. 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, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority.

Scheduled Redetermination” has the meaning assigned to 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 of the United States of America or any successor Governmental Authority.

Secured Cash Management Agreement” means a Cash Management Agreement between (a) the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (b) a Secured Cash Management Provider.

Secured Cash Management Obligations” means any and all amounts and other obligations owing by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to any Secured Cash Management Provider under any Secured Cash Management Agreement.

 

27


Secured Cash Management Provider” means a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent.

Secured Parties” means the Administrative Agent, each Lender, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender, each Secured Cash Management Provider and each Secured Swap Party, and “Secured Party” shall mean any one of them.

Secured Swap Agreement” means (a) any Swap Agreement between the Borrower or any Subsidiary and any Person that is entered into prior to the time, or during the time, that such Person was, a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender (including any such Swap Agreement in existence prior to the date hereof), even if such Person subsequently ceases to be a Lender (or an Affiliate of a Lender) for any reason (any such Person, a “Secured Swap Party”); provided that, the term “Secured Swap Agreement” shall not include any Swap Agreement or transactions under any Swap Agreement entered into after the time that such Secured Swap Party ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender and (b) any Permitted Existing Secured Swap Agreement.

Secured Swap Obligations” means all amounts and other obligations, owing to any Secured Swap Party under any Secured Swap Agreement (other than Excluded Swap Obligations).

Secured Swap Party” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of Secured Swap Agreement; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, Citibank, N.A. shall also be a “Secured Swap Party” solely with respect to the Permitted Existing Secured Swap Agreements.

Securities Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in the UCC.

Security Instruments” means the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, mortgages, deeds of trust, Control Agreements and other agreements, instruments or certificates described or referred to in Exhibit E, and any and all other agreements, instruments, consents or certificates now or hereafter executed and delivered by the Borrower or any other Person (other than Secured Swap Agreements or participation or similar agreements between any Lender and any other lender or creditor with respect to any Obligations pursuant to this Agreement) in connection with, or as security for the payment or performance of the Obligations, 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.

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 Federal Reserve 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.

 

28


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 (a) 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, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.

Supported QFC” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 12.20.

Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction 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, 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; 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 Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Agreements, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Agreements, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Agreements have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s) payable by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, as applicable, and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Agreements, with respect to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary, as applicable, is “out-of-the-money”, as determined by the counterparties to such Swap Agreements (including, without duplication, any unpaid amounts due on the date of calculation).

Swingline Commitment” means, as to the Swingline Lender, $10,000,000.

Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be the sum of (a) its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time (excluding, in the case of any Lender that is the Swingline Lender, Swingline Loans made by it that are outstanding at such time to the extent that the other Lenders shall not have funded their participations in such Swingline Loans), adjusted to give effect to any reallocation under Section 4.03 of the Swingline Exposure of Defaulting Lenders in effect at such time, and (b) in the case of any Lender that is the Swingline Lender, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans made by such Lender outstanding at such time, less the amount of participations funded by the other Lenders in such Swingline Loans.

 

29


Swingline Lender” means JPMorgan, in its capacity as a lender of Swingline Loans hereunder, together with its successors in such capacity.

Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.09.

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 all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), value added taxes, or any other goods and services, use or sales taxes, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

Termination Date” means the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.

Total Debt” means, at any date, all Debt of the Borrower and the Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, excluding non-cash obligations under FASB ASC 815.

Transactions” means, (a) with respect to (i) the Borrower, the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is a party, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, and the grant of Liens by the Borrower on Mortgaged Properties and other Properties pursuant to the Security Instruments and (ii) each Guarantor, the execution, delivery and performance by such Guarantor of each Loan Document to which it is a party, the guaranteeing of the Obligations and the other obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement by such Guarantor, and the grant of Liens by such Guarantor on Mortgaged Properties pursuant to the Security Instruments and (b) the payment of fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing.

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 or the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

U.S. Person” means a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Special Resolution Regime” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 12.20.

 

30


U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.03(e)(ii)(B)(3).

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York.

USA PATRIOT Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56), as amended.

Will Acquisition” means the acquisition by the Borrower of certain Oil and Gas Properties from Will Energy pursuant to the Will Acquisition Agreement.

Will Acquisition Agreement” means that certain Contribution and Purchase Agreement by and between Will Energy, as seller, and the Borrower, as buyer, dated September 12, 2019.

Will Acquisition Documents” means (a) the Will Acquisition Agreement and (b) all bills of sale, assignments, agreements, instruments and documents executed and delivered in connection therewith, as amended.

Will BB Increase Fee Letter” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07(g)(vii).

Will Energy” means Will Energy Corporation, a Texas corporation.

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.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such 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 Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “ABR Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “ABR Revolving 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 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

 

31


construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented 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.

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 the Borrower’s independent certified public accountants concur and which are disclosed to the Administrative Agent on the next date on which financial statements are required to be delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 8.01(a); 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 set forth in Section 9.01 are computed such that all such computations shall be conducted utilizing financial information presented consistently with prior periods. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (a) all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to (i) any election under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 825 (or any other Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Debt or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein and (ii) any treatment of Debt under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 or 2015-03 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Debt in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Debt shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof; and (b) in the event that the Borrower adopts ASC 842 (requiring all leases to be capitalized), only those leases (assuming for purposes hereof that such leases were in existence prior to the date of the Borrower’s adoption of ASC 842) that would constitute Capital Leases prior to the date of the Borrower’s adoption of ASC 842 shall be considered Capital Leases and all calculations and deliverables under this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be made or delivered, as applicable, in accordance therewith.

 

32


Section 1.06 Interest Rates; LIBOR Notification. The interest rate on Eurodollar Loans is determined by reference to the LIBO Rate, which is derived from the London interbank offered rate. The London interbank offered rate is intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings from each other in the London interbank market. In July 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority announced that, after the end of 2021, it would no longer persuade or compel contributing banks to make rate submissions to the ICE Benchmark Administration (together with any successor to the ICE Benchmark Administrator, the “IBA”) for purposes of the IBA setting the London interbank offered rate. As a result, it is possible that commencing in 2022, the London interbank offered rate may no longer be available or may no longer be deemed an appropriate reference rate upon which to determine the interest rate on Eurodollar Loans. In light of this eventuality, public and private sector industry initiatives are currently underway to identify new or alternative reference rates to be used in place of the London interbank offered rate. In the event that the London interbank offered rate is no longer available or in certain other circumstances as set forth in Section 3.03(b) of this Agreement, such Section 3.03(b) provides a mechanism for determining an alternative rate of interest. The Administrative Agent will notify the Borrower, pursuant to Section 3.03, in advance of any change to the reference rate upon which the interest rate on Eurodollar Loans is based. However, the Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission or any other matter related to the London interbank offered rate or other rates in the definition of “LIBO Rate” or with respect to any alternative or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate thereof, including without limitation, whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement reference rate, as it may or may not be adjusted pursuant to Section 3.03(b), will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, the LIBO Rate or have the same volume or liquidity as did the London interbank offered rate prior to its discontinuance or unavailability.

Section 1.07 Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the amount of such Letter of Credit available to be drawn at such time; provided that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Letter of Credit Agreement related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the available amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum amount is available to be drawn at such time.

Section 1.08 Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized and acquired on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Equity Interests at such time.

ARTICLE II

THE CREDITS

Section 2.01 Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower from time to time 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, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

 

33


Section 2.02 Loans and Borrowings.

(a) Borrowings; Several Obligations. Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving 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, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan. 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.

(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 $100,000 and not less than $500,000. At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $500,000; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, an ABR Revolving 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). Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $500,000. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of ten (10) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.

(d) 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.

(e) Notes. Any Lender may request that Loans made by it 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, or (ii) any Lender that becomes a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, as of the effective date of the Assignment and Assumption, payable to such Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount as in effect on such date, and otherwise duly completed. In the event that any Lender’s Maximum Credit Amount increases or decreases for any reason (whether pursuant to Section 2.06, Section 12.04(b) or otherwise), upon the request of such Lender, the Borrower shall deliver or cause to be delivered on the effective date of such increase or decrease, a new Note payable to such Lender in a principal amount equal to its Maximum Credit Amount after giving effect to such increase or decrease, and otherwise duly

 

34


completed and, upon request by the Borrower, such Lender shall promptly return to the Borrower the previously issued Note held by such Lender. 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 Revolving Borrowings. To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, Houston, Texas time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, Houston, Texas time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that no such notice shall be required for any deemed request of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.08(e). Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, facsimile or electronic communication to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;

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

(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;

(iv) 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”;

(v) the amount of the then effective Borrowing Base, 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); and

(vi) 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 Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving 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 lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing Base).

 

35


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 Revolving 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. This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

(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 telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, facsimile or electronic communication to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

(c) Information in Interest Election Requests. Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request 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 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.

 

36


(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 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 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.

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., Houston, Texas time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.09. 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 subject, from and after the Control Agreement Delivery Date, to a Control Agreement and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Revolving 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 NYFRB 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.

 

37


Section 2.06 Termination and Reduction of Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts.

(a) Scheduled Termination of Commitments. Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date. If at any time the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts or the Borrowing Base 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 Credit Amounts.

(i) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts; provided that (A) each such partial reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $1,000,000 and (B) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 3.04(c)(i), the total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments.

(ii) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts 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 such a notice may state that it is conditioned upon the occurrence of one or more specified events (including the effectiveness of other credit facilities), in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by at least one (1) Business Days’ notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such specified event(s) do not occur. Any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be permanent and may not be reinstated. Each reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with each Lender’s Applicable Percentage.

Section 2.07 Borrowing Base.

(a) 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 $65,000,000. 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), Section 2.07(g) or Section 8.13(c).

(b) Scheduled and Interim Redeterminations. The Borrowing Base shall be redetermined on or about December 1, 2019 (the “December 2019 Redetermination” and such date, the “December 2019 Redetermination Date”), and thereafter, semi-annually in accordance with this Section 2.07 (each such scheduled redetermination, a “Scheduled Redetermination”), and, subject to Section 2.07(d), such redetermined Borrowing Base shall become effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders on May 1st and November 1st of each year, commencing May 1, 2020 (and, in the case of the December 2019 Redetermination, on the December 2019 Redetermination Date). In addition, (i) the

 

38


Borrower may, by notifying the Administrative Agent thereof, one time between successive Scheduled Redeterminations and (ii) the Administrative Agent may, at the direction of the Required Lenders, by notifying the Borrower thereof, one time between successive Scheduled Redeterminations, each elect to cause the Borrowing Base to be redetermined (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 good faith, 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) as the Administrative Agent deems appropriate in its sole discretion and consistent with its normal oil and gas lending criteria as they exist at the particular time.

(ii) The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Proposed Borrowing Base (the “Proposed Borrowing Base Notice”):

(A) in the case of a Scheduled Redetermination (1) 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 before April 15th and October 15th of such year following the date of delivery (or, in the case of the December 2019 Redetermination, on or before November 15, 2019) or (2) 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 promptly 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

(B) in the case of an Interim Redetermination, promptly, and in any event, within fifteen (15) days after the Administrative Agent has received the required Engineering Reports.

(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 or be deemed to have been approved by the Required Lenders as provided in this Section 2.07(c)(iii). All decisions regarding the Borrowing Base

 

39


hereunder shall be made by each Lender in good faith based upon such information as such Lender deems appropriate in its sole discretion and consistent with such Lender’s normal oil and gas lending criteria as they exist at the particular time. Upon receipt of the Proposed Borrowing Base Notice, each Lender shall have fifteen (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 fifteen (15) days, any Lender has not communicated its approval or disapproval in writing to the Administrative Agent, such silence shall be deemed to be (A) in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would increase the Borrowing Base then in effect, a disapproval of the Proposed Borrowing Base or (B) in the case of a Proposed Borrowing Base that would decrease or maintain the Borrowing Base then in effect, an approval of the Proposed 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 or deemed to 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 or been deemed to have approved the Proposed Borrowing Base, 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 or (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 or is deemed to have been 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 Sections 8.12(a) and (c) in a timely and complete manner, then on May 1st or November 1st, as applicable, following such notice (or, in the case of the December 2019 Redetermination, on the December 2019 Redetermination Date, 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 Sections 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.

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), Section 2.07(g) 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.

 

40


(e) Reduction of Borrowing Base Related to Dispositions of Oil and Gas Properties and/or Liquidation of Swap Agreements. If (i) any Swap Agreement in respect of commodities to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is a party is Liquidated or (ii) the Borrower or any Subsidiary Disposes of any Borrowing Base Property or Equity Interests in any Subsidiary owning Borrowing Base Properties, and the Borrowing Base value assigned to the Liquidated portion of such Swap Agreement (after giving effect to any other Swap Agreements executed by the Borrower or any Guarantor contemporaneously with the Liquidation of such Swap Agreements or subsequent to the most recent Scheduled Redetermination Date) or the fair market value of such Borrowing Base Property (or in the case of any Disposition of Equity Interests in any Subsidiary owning Borrowing Base Properties, the fair market value of the Borrowing Base Properties owned by such Subsidiary), as applicable, in each case as determined by the Administrative Agent, when combined with the sum of (A) the fair market value of all other Borrowing Base Properties Disposed of (including, in the case of any Disposition of Equity Interests in any Subsidiary owning Borrowing Base Properties, the fair market value of such Borrowing Base Properties owned by such Subsidiary), in each case since the most recent Scheduled Redetermination Date and (B) the Borrowing Base value of the Liquidated portion of other Swap Agreements Liquidated since the most recent Scheduled Redetermination Date, exceeds five percent (5%) of the Borrowing Base as then in effect (as determined by the Administrative Agent), individually or in the aggregate, then the Borrowing Base then in effect shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Borrowing Base value, if any, assigned to the Liquidated portion of such Swap Agreement or such Disposed Borrowing Base Property in the then effective Borrowing Base, as the case may be, in each case as determined by the Administrative Agent and approved by the Required Lenders. The Borrowing Base as so reduced shall become the new Borrowing Base immediately upon the date of such Disposition or Liquidation, as the case may be, effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders on such date until the next redetermination or adjustment thereof hereunder. For purposes of this Section 2.07(e), until the first Scheduled Redetermination Date occurs hereunder, the phrase “the most recent Scheduled Redetermination Date” shall mean “the Effective Date”.

(f) Reduction of Borrowing Base Upon Incurrence of Permitted Additional Debt. If the Borrower incurs any Permitted Additional Debt in accordance with Section 9.02(g) (other than any Permitted Additional Debt incurred to refinance then-outstanding Permitted Additional Debt, but only to the extent that the aggregate principal amount of the new Permitted Additional Debt incurred to refinance such outstanding Permitted Additional Debt does not result in an increase in the principal amount thereof), the Borrowing Base then in effect shall be reduced by an amount equal to the product of 0.25 multiplied by the stated principal amount of such Permitted Additional Debt (for the avoidance of doubt, without regard to any original issue discount). The Borrowing Base as so reduced shall become the new Borrowing Base immediately upon the date of such incurrence, effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders on such date until the next redetermination or adjustment thereof hereunder.

 

41


(g) Automatic Increase of Borrowing Base Upon Will Acquisition. If the Will Acquisition is consummated on or before November 30, 2019, then, subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 2.07(g), the Borrowing Base then in effect shall be automatically increased by an amount equal to $15,000,000 (the “Will BB Increase”) without any further action by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, effective and applicable to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders on the Business Day on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 12.02(b)):

(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received (A) true and correct fully-executed copies of the Will Acquisition Documents, which shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (B) lease operating statements and production reports with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties of Will Energy and its subsidiaries evaluated in the reserve report dated July 12, 2019 and prepared by Haas Petroleum Engineering Services, Inc. (the “Will Acquisition Reserve Report”), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 and for each fiscal quarter thereafter ending at least 45 days prior to the date of the Will BB Increase.

(ii) The Will Acquisition shall have been (or contemporaneously with the Will BB Increase shall be) consummated in accordance with the terms of the Will Acquisition Agreement, and in connection therewith the Borrower (or its Subsidiaries) shall have acquired at least 95% of the total value of the proved Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Will Acquisition Reserve Report.

(iii) The Administrative Agent shall have received an officer’s certificate from the Borrower, certifying that (A) the Will Acquisition has been consummated in accordance with applicable law and the terms described in the Will Acquisition Agreement without giving effect to any waiver, modification or consent thereunder that is materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders (in their capacities as such), and in connection therewith, the Borrower (or one or more of its Subsidiaries) has acquired the Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Will Acquisition Reserve Report, (B) as to the adjustments to the purchase price and the final purchase price for the Will Acquisition after giving effect to all adjustments as of the closing date contemplated by the Will Acquisition Agreement; (C) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of the Oil and Gas Properties which have been excluded from the Will Acquisition; (D) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of the Oil and Gas Properties for which Will Energy has elected to cure a title defect; (E) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of the Oil and Gas Properties for which Will Energy has elected to remediate an adverse environmental condition; (F) that attached thereto is a true and complete list of the Oil and Gas Properties which are currently pending final decision by a third party regarding purchase of such property in accordance with any preferential right or consent right; (G) that attached thereto is a true and complete executed copy of the Will Acquisition Agreement, which shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and the closing settlement statement; and (H) that true and complete executed copies of all other Will Acquisition Documents have been delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

42


(iv) The Administrative Agent shall have received title information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent setting forth the status of title to not less than 85% of the total value of the proved Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Will Acquisition Reserve Report.

(v) The Administrative Agent shall have received from the Loan Parties fully executed mortgages and/or deeds of trust creating first priority Liens on at least 85% of the total value of the proved Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Will Acquisition Reserve Report.

(vi) No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of the Will BB Increase.

(vii) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees due and payable in connection with the Will BB Increase as set forth in that certain fee letter, dated as of the date hereof, between the Borrower and JPMorgan (the “Will BB Increase Fee Letter”).

(viii) After giving effect to the Will BB Increase and any extension of credit hereunder on the date thereof, the unused Commitments shall be greater than or equal to $15,000,000.

Section 2.08 Letters of Credit.

(a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit as the applicant thereof for the support of its or its Subsidiaries’ obligations, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the period from and including the Effective Date until the day which is five (5) Business Days prior to the Termination Date; 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.

(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 (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, but in any event no less than three Business Days (or such shorter time as such Issuing Bank may agree in a particular instance in its sole discretion)) 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));

 

43


(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 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).

In addition, as a condition to any such Letter of Credit issuance, the Borrower shall have entered into a continuing agreement (or other letter of credit agreement) for the issuance of letters of credit and/or shall submit a letter of credit application, in each case, as required by the Issuing Bank and using the Issuing Bank’s standard form (each, a “Letter of Credit Agreement”). In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any Letter of Credit Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to the requested issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, as applicable, (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed the LC Commitment, (ii) no Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure shall exceed its Commitment and (iii) the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments (i.e., the lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing Base). The Borrower may, at any time and from time to time, reduce the LC Commitment with the consent of the Issuing Bank; provided that the Borrower shall not reduce the LC Commitment if, after giving effect of such reduction, the conditions set forth in clauses (i) through (iii) above shall not be satisfied.

The Issuing Bank shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if: (i) 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 such Letter of Credit, or any law applicable to the Issuing Bank shall prohibit, or require that the Issuing Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the Issuing Bank with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such 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 that was not applicable on the Effective Date and that the Issuing Bank in good faith deems material to it; or (ii) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally.

 

44


(c) Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination by notice from the Issuing Bank to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date fifteen months after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension of the expiration date thereof, fifteen months after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date (or such later date as consented to by the Issuing Bank in its sole discretion and provided that such Letter of Credit is cash collateralized or backstopped in such amounts and pursuant to such arrangements as are satisfactory to the Issuing Bank in its sole discretion).

(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, including after the Maturity Date. Each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. 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.

(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, Houston, Texas time, 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., Houston, Texas time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 12:00 noon, Houston, Texas time, on 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 Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan 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 Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan. 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

 

45


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 Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan 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, any error in translation or any consequence 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 special, indirect, consequential or punitive 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, within the time allowed by applicable law or the specific terms of the Letter of Credit following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under such Letter of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall promptly after such examination notify the Administrative

 

46


Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by facsimile or electronic communication) 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, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, 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 reimbursement is due and payable at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans and such interest shall be due and payable on the date when such reimbursement is payable; provided that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to Section 2.08(e), then Section 3.02(c) shall apply. 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 and Resignation of the Issuing Bank.

(i) 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, (A) 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 by it thereafter and (B) 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 Bank, 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 or extend or otherwise amend any existing Letter of Credit.

(ii) Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Issuing Bank, the Issuing Bank may resign as the Issuing Bank at any time upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders, in which case, the resigning Issuing Bank shall be replaced in accordance with Section 2.08(i)(i) above.

(j) Cash Collateralization. If (i) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on any Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Majority Lenders demanding that the Borrower cash collateralize the outstanding LC Exposure, (ii) the Borrower is required to cash collateralize the excess attributable to an LC Exposure in connection with any prepayment pursuant to Section 3.04(c), or (iii) the Borrower is required to cash collateralize a Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to Section 4.03(d)(ii), then the Borrower shall pledge and deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent in the

 

47


name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders (as a first priority, perfected security interest), at a location and pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, an amount in cash in dollars equal to 105% of such LC Exposure or excess attributable to such LC Exposure, as the case may be, 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 described in Section 10.01(h) or Section 10.01(i). The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent 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 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 Subsidiary 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 by the Administrative Agent as collateral securing the payment and performance of the Borrower’s and the Guarantors’ obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. In addition, and without limiting the foregoing or Section 2.08(c), if any LC Exposure remain outstanding after the expiration date specified in Section 2.08(c), the Borrower shall immediately deposit into such account an amount in cash equal to 105% of such LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon. 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 sole 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, together with related fees, costs and customary processing charges, 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 and 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 or pursuant to Section 4.03(d)(ii) as a result of a Defaulting Lender, and the Borrower is not otherwise required to cash collateralize 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 aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived or the events giving rise to such cash collateralization pursuant to Section 4.03(d)(ii) have been satisfied or resolved.

 

48


(k) Letters of Credit Issued for Account of Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder supports any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, or states that a Subsidiary is the “account party,” “applicant,” “customer,” “instructing party,” or the like of or for such Letter of Credit, and without derogating from any rights of the Issuing Bank (whether arising by contract, at law, in equity or otherwise) against such Subsidiary in respect of such Letter of Credit, the Borrower (i) shall reimburse, indemnify and compensate the Issuing Bank hereunder for such Letter of Credit (including to reimburse any and all drawings thereunder) as if such Letter of Credit had been issued solely for the account of the Borrower and (ii) irrevocably waives any and all defenses that might otherwise be available to it as a guarantor or surety of any or all of the obligations of such Subsidiary in respect of such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of such Letters of Credit for its Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

(l) Existing Letter of Credit. On the Effective Date, the Existing Letter of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued as a Letter of Credit under this Agreement by Royal Bank of Canada in its capacity as an Issuing Bank, without payment of any fees otherwise due upon the issuance of a Letter of Credit, and such Issuing Bank shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have sold to each Lender, and each Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have purchased from such Issuing Bank, a participation, to the extent of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage, in such Letter of Credit. For the avoidance of doubt, the terms and provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement shall have no force or effect with respect to the Existing Letter of Credit.

Section 2.09 Swingline Loans.

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, from time to time during the Availability Period, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans to the Borrower in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans made by the Swingline Lender exceeding the Swingline Commitment, (ii) any Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding its Commitment, or (iii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments (i.e., the lesser of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts and the then effective Borrowing Base); provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.

(b) To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall submit a written notice to the Administrative Agent by telecopy or electronic mail not later than 1:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan. Each such notice shall be in a form approved by the Administrative Agent, shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan. The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from the Borrower. The Swingline Lender shall make the requested Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a credit to an account of the Borrower with the Administrative Agent designated for such purpose (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.08(e), by remittance to the Issuing Bank) by 4:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

 

49


(c) The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent require the Lenders to acquire participations in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loans. Each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, promptly upon receipt of such notice from the Administrative Agent (and in any event, if such notice is received by 1:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on a Business Day no later than 4:00 p.m. Houston, Texas time on such Business Day and if received after 1:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on a Business Day no later than 9:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time on the immediately succeeding Business Day), to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loans. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, 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 Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender. Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrower (or other party on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof.

(d) The Swingline Lender may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Swingline Lender and the successor Swingline Lender. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Swingline Lender. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid interest accrued for the account of the replaced Swingline Lender pursuant to Section 3.02(a). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (x) the successor Swingline Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of the replaced Swingline Lender under this Agreement with respect to Swingline Loans made thereafter and (y) references herein

 

50


to the term “Swingline Lender” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Swingline Lender, or to such successor and all previous Swingline Lenders, as the context shall require. After the replacement of the Swingline Lender hereunder, the replaced Swingline Lender shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of a Swingline Lender under this Agreement with respect to Swingline Loans made by it prior to its replacement, but shall not be required to make additional Swingline Loans.

(e) Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Swingline Lender, the Swingline Lender may resign as Swingline Lender at any time upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders, in which case, the Swingline Lender shall be replaced in accordance with Section 2.09(d) above.

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 (a) for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Termination Date and (b) for the account of the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Termination Date and the fifth Business Day after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding and the proceeds of any such Borrowing shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to repay any Swingline Loans outstanding.

Section 3.02 Interest.

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

(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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i)(A) automatically, if an Event of Default under Section 10.01(h) or Section 10.01(i) has occurred and is continuing, or if any principal of or interest on any Loan 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 to the extent that such failure to pay constitutes an Event of Default under Section 10.01(a) or Section 10.01(b), and (B) upon the election of the Majority Lenders, if any Event of Default (other than an Event of Default under Section 10.01(a), Section 10.01(b), Section 10.01(h) or Section 10.01(i)) has occurred and is continuing, then in each case of the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), (x) all Loans outstanding shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) plus the rate that would otherwise be applicable thereto pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.02, and (y) 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

 

51


(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 and (ii) during any Borrowing Base Deficiency, Loans outstanding in an amount equal to the positive difference between (x) the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding and (y) the then-effective Borrowing Base shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) plus the rate that would otherwise be applicable thereto pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.02, 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 Revolving 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, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and shall be binding upon the parties hereto.

Section 3.03 Alternate Rate of Interest.

(a) If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

(i) 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, as applicable (including because the LIBO Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis), for such Interest Period; or

(ii) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Majority Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the 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;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone, facsimile or electronic communication 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 Revolving 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 as an ABR Borrowing.

 

52


(b) If at any time the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that (i) the circumstances set forth in clause (a)(i) have arisen and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary or (ii) the circumstances set forth in clause (a)(i) have not arisen but either (w) the supervisor for the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate has made a public statement that the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate is insolvent (and there is no successor administrator that will continue publication of the LIBO Screen Rate), (x) the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the LIBO Screen Rate will permanently or indefinitely cease to be published by it (and there is no successor administrator that will continue publication of the LIBO Screen Rate), (y) the supervisor for the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the LIBO Screen Rate will permanently or indefinitely cease to be published or (z) the supervisor for the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the LIBO Screen Rate may no longer be used for determining interest rates for loans, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall endeavor to establish an alternate rate of interest to the LIBO Rate that gives due consideration to the then prevailing market convention for determining a rate of interest for syndicated loans in the United States at such time, and shall enter into an amendment to this Agreement to reflect such alternate rate of interest and such other related changes to this Agreement as may be applicable (but for the avoidance of doubt, such related changes shall not include a reduction of the Applicable Margin); provided that, if such alternate rate of interest as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 12.02(b), such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement so long as the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date notice of such alternate rate of interest is provided to the Lenders, a written notice from the Majority Lenders stating that such Majority Lenders object to such amendment. Until an alternate rate of interest shall be determined in accordance with this Section 3.03(b) (but, in the case of the circumstances described in clause (ii)(w), clause (ii)(x) or clause (ii)(y) of the first sentence of this Section 3.03(b), only to the extent the LIBO Screen Rate for such Interest Period is not available or published at such time on a current basis), (x) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and (y) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.

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).

 

53


(b) Notice and Terms of Optional Prepayment. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of Swingline Loans, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by facsimile or electronic communication) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, on the date of prepayment and (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or email to the Administrative Agent of a written notice of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts 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 Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Revolving 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 and any payments to the extent required by Section 5.02.

(c) Mandatory Prepayments.

(i) If, after giving effect to any termination or reduction of the Aggregate Maximum Credit Amounts pursuant to Section 2.06(b), 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, cash collateralize such excess as provided in Section 2.08(j).

(ii) Upon any redetermination or adjustment to the amount of the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.07 (other than pursuant to Section 2.07(e) or Section 2.07(f)) or Section 8.13(c), if the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeds the redetermined or adjusted Borrowing Base, then after receiving a New Borrowing Base Notice in accordance with Section 2.07(d) or a notice of adjustment pursuant to Section 8.13(c), as the case may be (the date of receipt of any such notice, the “Deficiency Notification Date”), the Borrower shall (i) at its option take one of the following actions: (A) prepay the Borrowings in an aggregate principal amount equal to such Borrowing Base Deficiency (and to the extent that any excess remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, cash collateralize such excess as provided in Section 2.08(j)) within thirty (30) days following the Deficiency Notification Date; (B) prepay the Borrowings in six consecutive equal monthly installments, the first installment being due and payable on the 30th day after the Deficiency Notification Date and each subsequent installment being due and payable on the same day in each of the subsequent calendar months, with each payment being equal to one-sixth (1/6th) of such Borrowing Base Deficiency, so that the Borrowing Base Deficiency is reduced to zero within six months of the Deficiency Notification Date; (C) grant, within thirty (30) days following the Deficiency Notification Date, to the Administrative Agent as security for the Obligations a first-priority Lien on additional Oil and Gas Properties acceptable to the Required

 

54


Lenders in their sole discretion not evaluated in the most recently delivered Reserve Report (and not already subject to a Lien of the Security Instruments) pursuant to Security Instruments acceptable to the Administrative Agent with sufficient Borrowing Base value (as determined by the Required Lenders) to cure the Borrowing Base Deficiency; or (D) deliver, within 10 days after the Deficiency Notification Date, written notice to the Administrative Agent indicating the Borrower’s election to combine the options provided in clauses (A), (B) and/or (C) above, and also indicating the amount to be prepaid and the amount to be provided as additional Collateral, and (ii) make such payment and deliver such additional Collateral within the time required under clauses (A), (B) and/or (C) above; provided that, notwithstanding the options set forth above, in all cases, the Borrowing Base Deficiency must be eliminated on or prior to the Termination Date. The Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent, within ten (10) days following its receipt of the New Borrowing Base Notice in accordance with Section 2.07(d) or the date the adjustment occurs pursuant to Section 8.13(c), as applicable, an irrevocable written notice indicating which of the options specified in clauses (A), (B), (C) or (D) the Borrower elects to take in order to eliminate the Borrowing Base Deficiency. Such notice shall be irrevocable and, in the event the Borrower fails to provide such written notice to the Administrative Agent within the ten (10) day period referred to above, the Borrower shall be deemed to have irrevocably elected the option set forth in clause (A) above. The failure of the Borrower to comply with any of the options elected (including any deemed election) pursuant to the provisions of this Section 3.04(c)(ii) and specified in such notice (or relating to such deemed election) shall constitute an Event of Default.

(iii) Upon any adjustment to the Borrowing Base pursuant to Section 2.07(e) or Section 2.07(f) (each such adjustment, a “Specified Adjustment”), 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 (1) if a Borrowing Base Deficiency existed immediately prior to the occurrence of such Specified Adjustment, the positive difference, if any, between (x) the aggregate amount of such Borrowing Base Deficiency immediately after giving effect to such Specified Adjustment minus (y) the aggregate amount of such Borrowing Base Deficiency immediately prior to such Specified Adjustment or (2) if no Borrowing Base Deficiency existed immediately prior to such Specified Adjustment, the aggregate amount of such Borrowing Base Deficiency (the applicable amount from clause (1) or (2), the “Specified Borrowing Base Deficiency”), and (B) if any Specified Borrowing Base Deficiency remains after prepaying all of the Borrowings as a result of an LC Exposure, cash collateralize such excess as provided in Section 2.08(j). The Borrower shall be obligated to make such prepayment and/or cash collateralize such excess within one Business Day after the date the adjustment occurs; 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. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 3.04(c)(iii) shall prejudice the Borrower’s right to utilize the options described in Section 3.04(c)(ii) with respect to any portion of a Borrowing Base Deficiency existing prior to the occurrence of a Specified Adjustment.

(iv) Each prepayment of Borrowings pursuant to this Section 3.04(c) shall be applied, first, ratably to any Swingline Loans then outstanding, second, ratably to any ABR Revolving Borrowings then outstanding, and, third, to any Eurodollar Borrowings then outstanding, and if more than one Eurodollar Borrowing is then outstanding, to each such Eurodollar Borrowing in order of priority beginning with the Eurodollar Borrowing with the least number of days remaining in the Interest Period applicable thereto and ending with the Eurodollar Borrowing with the most number of days remaining in the Interest Period applicable thereto.

 

55


(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 a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the applicable Commitment Fee Rate on the average daily amount of the unused amount of the Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date 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 such 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 Effective Date 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 0.25% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date 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 Effective Date; 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. During the continuation of an Event of Default, the fees payable pursuant to this Section 3.05(b) shall increase by 2.00% per annum over the then-applicable rate. Any other fees

 

56


payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section 3.05(b) shall be payable within 10 days after demand. All participation fees and fronting 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 such 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 set forth in the Fee Letter.

(d) Borrowing Base Increase Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender then party to this Agreement, ratably in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a Borrowing Base increase fee in an amount to be agreed by the Lenders and the Borrower, in respect of any increase to the Borrowing Base, payable on the effective date of any such increase.

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 noon, Houston, Texas 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 absent manifest error. 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 or the Swingline Lender 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 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.

 

57


(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 or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans 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 and Swingline Loans 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 and Swingline Loans; 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 or Swingline Loans 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 NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

Section 4.03 Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

(a) fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 3.05(a).

 

58


(b) any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Section 10.02(c) or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 12.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder; third, to cash collateralize LC Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with this Section 4.03; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default, Event of Default or Borrowing Base Deficiency exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) cash collateralize future LC Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with this Section; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or LC Disbursements in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 6.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and LC Disbursements owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or LC Disbursements owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure and Swingline Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments without giving effect to clause (d) below. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this Section 4.03 shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(c) The Commitment, the Maximum Credit Amount and the Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Majority Lenders or the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 12.02); provided that this clause (c) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender affected thereby; and provided, further, that any redetermination or affirmation of the Borrowing

 

59


Base shall occur without the participation of a Defaulting Lender, but the Commitment (i.e., the Applicable Percentage of the Borrowing Base of a Defaulting Lender) may not be increased without the consent of such Defaulting Lender; provided, that, subject to Section 12.19, no such reallocation will constitute a waiver or release of any claim the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have against such Defaulting Lender or cause such Defaulting Lender to be a Non-Defaulting Lender.

(d) if any Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure exists at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

(i) all or any part of the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender (other than the portion of such Swingline Exposure referred to in clause (b) of the definition of such term) shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent that such reallocation does not, as to any Non-Defaulting Lender, cause such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure to exceed its Commitment; provided that, subject to Section 12.19, no such reallocation will constitute a waiver or release of any claim the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any Lender may have against such Defaulting Lender or cause such Defaulting Lender to be a Non-Defaulting Lender;

(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, then the Borrower shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (x) first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y) second, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Bank only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.08(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

(iii) if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, then 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;

(iv) if the LC Exposure of the Non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, 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; and

(v) if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Bank or any other 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) 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 and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and

 

60


(e) so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding LC 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 4.03(a), and Swingline Exposure related to any newly made Swingline Loan or LC Exposure related to any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among Non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 4.03(d)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

If (i) a Bankruptcy Event or a Bail-In Action with respect to a Lender Parent shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender, satisfactory to the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

In the event that each of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Swingline Exposure and the LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) and/or participations in Letters of Credit of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans and/or participations in Letters of Credit in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

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 and/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 Obligations 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 Secured Parties 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 Secured Parties, but the Secured Parties will instead permit such proceeds to be paid to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (b) the Secured Parties 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 Subsidiaries.

 

61


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, liquidity or similar requirement (including any compulsory loan requirement, insurance charge or other assessment) 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) or the Issuing Bank;

(ii) impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or

(iii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, continuing, converting or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(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 and 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.

 

62


(c) Certificates. A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth in reasonable detail 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 ten (10) 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 180 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 180-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 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, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. 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 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 in reasonable detail 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 days after receipt 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 without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable withholding agent) requires the

 

63


deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a withholding agent, then the applicable withholding agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the Borrower or such Guarantor shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 5.03) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. The Borrower and each Guarantor shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for, Other Taxes.

(c) Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower and each Guarantor shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified 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 the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower or any Guarantor to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 5.03, the Borrower or such Guarantor 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.

(e) 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 Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative 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 Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative 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(e)(ii)(A), Section 5.03(e)(ii)(B) and Section 5.03(e)(ii)(D) 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.

 

64


(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative 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 Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 (or any successor form) 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 Borrower and the Administrative 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 Borrower or the Administrative 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 copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any successor form) 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 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) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming that its extension of credit will generate U.S. effectively connected income, executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor form);

(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 H-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 881(c)(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 copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any successor form); or

(4) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor form), accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor form), IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or any successor form), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H-2 or Exhibit H-3, IRS Form W-9 (or any successor form), 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 H-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

 

65


(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative 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 Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies 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 Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(D) if a payment made to a Recipient under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. Federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Recipient were to fail 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 Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative 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 Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Recipient has complied with such Recipient’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

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 Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(f) Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower or any Guarantor has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower and each Guarantor 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 (f).

 

66


(g) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 5.03 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 5.03), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 5.03 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

(h) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 5.03 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

(i) Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 5.03, the term “Lender” includes the Issuing Bank and the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

Section 5.04 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) Mitigation Obligations. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 5.01, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts 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 judgment of such Lender, such 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.

 

67


(b) Replacement of Lenders. If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 5.01, (ii) the Borrower or any Guarantor is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or indemnify any Lender pursuant to Section 5.03, (iii) any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender or (iv) any Lender is a Non-Consenting Lender, then in any such case, 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 (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 5.01 or Section 5.03) and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (A) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (B) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees 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), (C) 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 and (D) in the case of any assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent. 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. Each party hereto agrees that (i) an assignment required pursuant to this Section 5.04(b) may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee (or, to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and such parties are participants), and (ii) the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto in order for such assignment to be effective and shall be deemed to have consented to an be bound by the terms thereof; provided that, following the effectiveness of any such assignment, the other parties to such assignment agree to execute and deliver such documents necessary to evidence such assignment as reasonably requested by the applicable Lender; provided that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.

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.

 

68


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, arrangement, upfront and agency fees and all other fees and amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including pursuant to the Fee Letter, and to the extent invoiced at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Effective Date, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of Paul Hastings LLP, counsel to the Administrative Agent).

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower and each Guarantor, each setting forth (i) resolutions of the members, board of directors, board of managers or other appropriate 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, or of the manager, managing member, general partner or such other Person having authority to bind the Borrower or such Guarantor, (A) who are authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which the Borrower or such Guarantor is a party and (B) 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 articles or certificate of incorporation, by-laws, the limited liability company agreement, operating agreement, partnership agreement, certificate of formation or other applicable organizational documents of the Borrower and such Guarantor (in each case, together with all amendments thereto, if any), 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.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of the appropriate State agencies with respect to the existence, qualification and good standing of the Borrower and each Guarantor.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received from each party hereto counterparts (in such number as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent) of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party.

 

69


(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received duly executed Notes payable to each Lender requesting a Note 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 reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent) of the Security Instruments, including the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, described on Exhibit E. In connection with the execution and delivery of the Security Instruments, the Administrative Agent shall:

(i) be reasonably satisfied that the Security Instruments create first priority (and upon filing in the proper offices of the appropriate jurisdictions, perfected) Liens (provided that Excepted Liens identified in clauses (a) through (d) and (f) of the definition thereof may exist, but subject to the provisos at the end of such definition) on at least 85% of the total value of the proved Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report; and

(ii) have received certificates, together with undated, blank stock powers for such certificates, representing all of the issued and outstanding certificated Equity Interests in each Domestic Subsidiary constituting Collateral.

(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received an opinion of (i) Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, special counsel to the Borrower and (ii) Liskow and Lewis, local counsel to the Borrower, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(h) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of insurance coverage of the Borrower evidencing that the Borrower and each of the Subsidiaries are carrying insurance in accordance with Section 7.12.

(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received title information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent setting forth the status of title to at least 85% of the total value of the proved Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report.

(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate from a Financial Officer of the Borrower with respect to solvency the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of the Effective Date after giving effect to the Transactions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(k) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (i) that the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have received all consents and approvals required by Section 7.03 and (ii) as to the matters set forth in Section 6.02(a) and (b).

(l) The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the Financial Statements referred to in Section 7.04(a) and the pro forma unaudited consolidated balance sheet referred to in Section 7.04(b) and (ii) the Initial Reserve Report accompanied by a certificate covering the matters described in Section 8.12(c).

 

70


(m) The Administrative Agent shall have received appropriate UCC search certificates reflecting no prior Liens encumbering the Properties of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries (other than those being assigned or released on or prior to the Effective Date or Liens permitted by Section 9.03) for each of the following jurisdictions: Texas, Delaware and any other jurisdiction reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence reasonably satisfactory to it that all Liens on the Property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (other than Liens permitted by Section 9.03) have been (or will be concurrently with the initial Borrowing on the Effective Date) released or terminated, and that duly executed recordable releases and terminations in forms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent with respect thereto have been obtained by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

(n) The Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied that on the Effective Date, after giving effect to the Transactions contemplated to occur on the Effective Date, the unused Commitments shall be greater than or equal to $32,500,000.

(o) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence reasonably satisfactory to it that (i) all loans and other amounts owing under the Existing Credit Agreement have been (or contemporaneously with the Effective Date are being) repaid in full and all commitments thereunder have been terminated or cancelled, (ii) all Liens on the Properties of the Borrower and of the Subsidiaries associated with the Existing Credit Agreement have been released or terminated, subject only to the filing of applicable terminations, releases or assignments and (iii) neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have any outstanding Debt other than Debt permitted by Section 9.02.

(p) The Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied with the environmental condition of, the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ properties. With respect to the Loan Parties’ offshore Oil and Gas Properties, the Administrative Agent shall have received reasonably satisfactory evidence of Environmental Financial Responsibility.

(q) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that the Loan Parties have entered into Swap Agreements with one or more Approved Counterparties hedging minimum notional volumes equal to approximately 50% of the reasonably projected production of crude oil and natural gas (calculated separately) from proved developed producing Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report for each of the 15 full calendar months following the Effective Date (provided that the Loan Parties shall not be required to hedge (i) volumes attributable to the reasonably projected production from offshore Oil and Gas Properties for the months of August, September or October or (ii) natural gas volumes for the months of October 2019, November 2019 or December 2019).

(r) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that the Borrower shall have received the cash proceeds from new issuances of the Borrower’s common Equity Interests, in an aggregate amount equal to at least $50,000,000.

 

71


(s) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received, at least five (5) Business Days prior to the Effective Date to the extent requested at least ten (10) business days prior to the Effective Date, and be reasonably satisfied in form and substance with, (i) all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know-your-customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including but not restricted to the USA PATRIOT Act and (ii) a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to any Borrower that qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 12.02) at or prior to 2:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on September 30, 2019 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied, extended or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time). 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 thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Effective Date specifying its objection thereto.

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 shall have occurred and be continuing.

(b) The representations and warranties of the Borrower and the Guarantors set forth in this Agreement and in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent any such representations and warranties are limited by materiality, in which case, they shall be true and correct in all 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 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 (except to the extent any such representations and warranties are limited by materiality, in which case, they shall be true and correct in all respects) as of such specified earlier date.

(c) 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.

 

72


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 specified in Section 6.02(a) and (b).

ARTICLE VII

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

Section 7.01 Organization; Powers. Each of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries 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 Borrower’s and each Guarantor’s corporate or equivalent powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or equivalent action (including, without limitation, any action required to be taken by any other Person, whether interested or disinterested, in order to ensure the due authorization of the Transactions). Each Loan Document to which the Borrower and each Guarantor 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 Borrower and such Guarantor, as applicable, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally 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 holders of its Equity Interests or any class of directors, managers or supervisors, as applicable, 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, 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 or do not have an adverse effect on the enforceability of the Loan Documents; (b) will not violate (i) any applicable material provision of law or regulation or (ii) the charter, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any order of any Governmental Authority; (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective material Properties, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any material Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than the Liens created by the Loan Documents).

 

73


Section 7.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.

(a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders (i) its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, partners’ equity and cash flows as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, reported on by Grant Thornton LLP, independent public accountants and (ii) its unaudited consolidated balance sheets and statements of income, partners’ equity and cash flows as of and for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of such date and for such period in accordance with GAAP.

(b) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders a pro forma unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Effective Date, after giving effect to the Transactions contemplated to occur on the Effective Date, certified by a Responsible Officer as having been prepared in good faith based upon reasonable assumptions.

(c) Since December 31, 2018, there has been no event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(d) Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has on the date hereof any material Debt (including Disqualified Capital Stock) or any material contingent liabilities, off-balance sheet liabilities or partnerships, material liabilities for taxes, unusual forward or long-term commitments or material 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 the Borrower or any Subsidiary (i) not fully covered by insurance (except for normal deductibles) that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions.

(b) Since the Effective Date, 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, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.06 Environmental Matters. Except for such matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:

(a) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries 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;

 

74


(b) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries have obtained all Environmental Permits and Environmental Financial Responsibility required for their respective operations and each of their Properties, with all such Environmental Permits and Environmental Financial Responsibility being currently in full force and effect, and none of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries has received any written notice or otherwise has knowledge that any such existing Environmental Permit or Environmental Financial Responsibility will be revoked or that any application for any new Environmental Permit or renewal of any existing Environmental Permit will be protested or denied;

(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 the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened against the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective Properties or as a result of any operations at such Properties;

(d) none of the Properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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 Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s Properties, there are no investigations, remediations, abatements, removals, or monitorings of Hazardous Materials required under applicable Environmental Laws at such Properties and, to the Borrower’s knowledge, 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) neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary’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 Borrower’s or the Subsidiaries’ Properties that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for a claim for damages or compensation, and there are no conditions or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in the receipt of notice regarding such exposure; and

(h) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries have provided to the Lenders complete and correct copies of all 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 the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s possession or control and relating to their respective Properties or operations thereon.

 

75


Section 7.07 Compliance with the Laws and Agreements; No Defaults.

(a) The Borrower and each Subsidiary 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.

(b) Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary to Redeem or make any offer to Redeem under any indenture, note, credit agreement or instrument pursuant to which any Material Debt is outstanding or by which the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their Properties is bound.

(c) No Default has occurred and is continuing.

Section 7.08 Investment Company Act. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary 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 Borrower and its Subsidiaries 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 Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP and (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or result in the seizure or levy of any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries 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 which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.10 ERISA. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary 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 Plan or Multiemployer Plan. Except as could not reasonably be expected to constitute a Material Adverse Effect, no ERISA Event has occurred. None of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is an entity deemed to hold “plan assets” (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations), and neither the execution, delivery nor performance of the transactions contemplated under this Agreement, including the making of any Loan and the issuance of any Letter of Credit hereunder, will give rise to a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.

 

76


Section 7.11 Disclosure; No Material Misstatements.

(a) The Borrower has disclosed or made available to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it, or any of the Subsidiaries 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 other reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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 materially 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 Borrower or any Subsidiary 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 Borrower or any Subsidiary 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 materially 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 Subsidiaries 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 Subsidiaries do not warrant that such opinions, estimates and projections will ultimately prove to have been accurate.

(b) As of the Effective Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification is true and correct in all respects.

Section 7.12 Insurance. The Borrower has, and has caused all of its Subsidiaries to 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 Borrower and its Subsidiaries. Such insurance policies contain an endorsement naming the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as additional insureds in respect of such liability insurance policies and naming the Administrative Agent as loss payee with respect to Property loss insurance.

 

77


Section 7.13 Restriction on Liens. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is a party to any agreement or arrangement (other than Capital Leases creating Liens permitted by Section 9.03(c), but then only on the Property subject of such Capital Lease), 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 Lenders on or in respect of their Properties to secure the Obligations and the Loan Documents, or restricts any Subsidiary from paying dividends or making any other distributions in respect of its Equity Interests to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or restricts any Subsidiary from making loans or advances or transferring any Property to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or which requires the consent of or notice to other Persons in connection therewith.

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 each Subsidiary is a Material Subsidiary. The Borrower has no Foreign Subsidiaries. Each Subsidiary is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.

Section 7.15 Location of Business and Offices. The Borrower’s jurisdiction of organization is Texas, and the name of the Borrower as listed in the public records of its jurisdiction of organization is Contango Oil & Gas Company (or, in each case, as set forth in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.01(n) in accordance with Section 12.01). The Borrower’s principal place of business and chief executive office is located at the address specified in Section 12.01 (or as set forth in a notice delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(n) and Section 12.01(c)). Each Subsidiary’s jurisdiction of organization, name as listed in the public records of 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(n)).

Section 7.16 Properties; Titles, Etc.

(a) Each of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries has good and defensible title to their respective 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 Borrower or the Subsidiary 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 the Borrower or such Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary’s net revenue interest in such Property.

(b) All material leases and agreements necessary for the conduct of the business of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries 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 lease or leases, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

78


(c) The rights and Properties presently owned, leased or licensed by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries including, without limitation, all easements and rights of way, include all rights and Properties necessary to permit the Borrower and the Subsidiaries to conduct their 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 Borrower and the Subsidiaries which are reasonably necessary for the operation of their businesses are in good working condition and are maintained in accordance with prudent industry standards, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

(e) Each of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries 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 Subsidiary 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 Borrower and the Subsidiaries 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 Borrower and the Subsidiaries 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 Subsidiaries. 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 Borrower or any Subsidiary 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 Borrower or any Subsidiary 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 Borrower or such Subsidiary. All pipelines, wells, gas processing plants, platforms and other material improvements, fixtures and equipment owned in whole or in part by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries 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 Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries, in a manner consistent with customary industry 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).

 

79


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 the 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 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 its Subsidiaries’ 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.

Section 7.20 Swap Agreements and Qualified ECP Counterparty. 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(f), as of the date of (or as of the date(s) otherwise set forth in) such report, sets forth, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of the Borrower and each Subsidiary, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the estimated net mark to market value thereof, all credit support agreements relating thereto other than the Loan Documents (including any margin required or supplied) and the counterparty to each such agreement. The Borrower is a Qualified ECP Counterparty.

Section 7.21 Use of Loans and Letters of Credit. The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit shall be used (a) to refinance in full all obligations outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement, (b) for working capital for exploration and production operations and for other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, including the acquisition of Oil and Gas Properties and (c) to pay fees and expenses associated with the Transactions. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries 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 Federal Reserve Board). No part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit will be used for any purpose which violates the provisions of Regulations T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.

Section 7.22 Solvency. After giving effect to the Transactions and the other transactions contemplated hereby, (a) the aggregate assets (after giving effect to amounts that could reasonably be expected to be received by reason of indemnity, offset, insurance or any similar arrangement), at a fair valuation, of the Borrower and the Guarantors, taken as a whole, exceed the aggregate Debt of the Borrower and the Guarantors on a consolidated basis, (b) each of the Borrower and the Guarantors has not incurred and does not intend to incur, and does not

 

80


believe that it will incur, Debt beyond its ability to pay such Debt (after taking into account the timing and amounts of cash reasonably expected 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 expected to be received by reason of indemnity, offset, insurance or any similar arrangement), as such Debt becomes absolute and matures and (c) each of the Borrower and the Guarantors does not have (and does not have reason to believe that it will have thereafter) unreasonably small capital for the conduct of its business.

Section 7.23 International Operations. None of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries own, and have not acquired or made any other expenditure (whether such expenditure is capital, operating or otherwise) in or related to, any Oil and Gas Properties located outside of the geographical boundaries of the United States or in the offshore federal waters of the United States of America.

Section 7.24 USA PATRIOT; AML Laws; Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. The Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with the USA PATRIOT Act, Anti-Corruption Laws, applicable AML Laws and applicable Sanctions. The Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and directors, and to the knowledge of the Borrower, its employees and agents, are in compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act, Anti-Corruption Laws, applicable AML Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects. None of (a) the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of the Borrower, any agent of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, (i) is a Sanctioned Person or (ii) is in violation of AML Laws, or Anti-Corruption Laws. No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement will cause a violation of AML Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws or applicable Sanctions. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries or any Guarantor, or, to the knowledge of such Borrower, any other Affiliate, has engaged in or intends to engage in any dealings or transactions with, or for the benefit of, any Sanctioned Person or with or in any Sanctioned Country.

Section 7.25 Accounts. Schedule 7.25 (as Schedule 7.25 is amended, amended and restated, or supplemented with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent) lists all Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts maintained by or for the benefit of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

Section 7.26 EEA Financial Institution. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is an EEA Financial Institution.

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 shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

81


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 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, partners’ 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, all reported on by Grant Thornton 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 Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied.

(b) Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available, but in any event in accordance with then applicable law and not later than 60 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, partners’ 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 the Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

(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 9.01, (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(a) and (iv) (A) specifying each Material Subsidiary and each Immaterial Subsidiary (together with a reasonably detailed explanation of the reason each such Subsidiary constitutes a Material Subsidiary or an Immaterial Subsidiary, as the case may be) and (B) to the extent necessary pursuant to the definition of “Material Subsidiary”, designating sufficient additional Subsidiaries as Material Subsidiaries so as to comply with the definition of “Material Subsidiary”.

(d) [Reserved].

 

82


(e) Annual Budget. Concurrently with the delivery of any Reserve Report pursuant to Section 8.12 hereunder, a report, in a form satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, prepared by or on behalf of the Borrower detailing on a monthly basis (i) the projected production of Hydrocarbons by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries and the assumptions used in calculating such projections, (ii) an annual operating budget (including a cash flow forecast) for the Borrower and the Subsidiaries for the then-current fiscal year, (iii) the projected capital expenditures to be incurred by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, with a breakdown of those capital expenditures to be used for the development of proved undeveloped reserves in the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, and the assumptions used in calculating such projections, and (iv) such other information as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

(f) Certificate of Financial Officer - Swap Agreements. Concurrently with the delivery of any Reserve Report pursuant to Section 8.12 hereunder, a certificate of a Financial Officer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth as of a recent date, a true and complete list of all Swap Agreements of the Borrower and each Subsidiary, the material terms thereof (including the type, term, effective date, termination date and notional amounts or volumes), the estimated net mark-to-market value therefor, any new credit support agreements relating thereto (other than the Loan Documents) not listed on Schedule 7.20, any margin required or supplied under any credit support document, and the counterparty to each such agreement.

(g) 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.

(h) Other Accounting Reports. Promptly upon receipt thereof, a copy of each other report or letter submitted to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries by independent accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by them of the books of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary, or the board of directors (or other governing body) of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary, and a copy of any response by the Borrower or any such Subsidiary or the board of directors (or other governing body) of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary, to such letter or report.

(i) 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 Subsidiary with the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to its shareholders generally, as the case may be.

(j) 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 (including, without limitation, any Permitted Additional Debt Document), other than this Agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to any other provision of this Section 8.01.

 

83


(k) Lists of Purchasers. Concurrently with the delivery of any Reserve Report to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.12, a list of all Persons from whom the Borrower or any Subsidiary receives payment for purchases of Hydrocarbons.

(l) Notice of Dispositions of Oil and Gas Properties and Liquidation of Swap Agreements. In the event the Borrower or any Subsidiary intends to Dispose of any Oil and Gas Properties (other than Hydrocarbons in the ordinary course of business) or any Equity Interests in any Subsidiary, in each case in accordance with Section 9.12(d), at least ten (10) Business Days’ prior written notice of such Disposition, the price thereof and the anticipated date of closing and any other details thereof requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender. In the event that the Borrower or any Subsidiary receives any notice of early termination of any Swap Agreement to which it is a party from any of its counterparties, or any Swap Agreement to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is a party is Liquidated, prompt written notice of the receipt of such early termination notice or such Liquidation, (and in the case of a voluntary Liquidation of any Swap Agreement, no less than three (3) Business Days’ prior written notice thereof), as the case may be, together with a reasonably detailed description or explanation thereof and any other details thereof requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

(m) Notice of Casualty Events. Prompt written notice, and in any event within three Business Days of the occurrence of any Casualty Event having a fair market value in excess of $5,000,000 or the commencement of any action or proceeding that could reasonably be expected to result in a Casualty Event having a fair market value in excess of $5,000,000.

(n) Information Regarding the Borrower and Guarantors. Prompt written notice (and in any event within thirty (30) days prior thereto) of any change (i) in the Borrower’s 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 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, and (v) in the Borrower’s or any Guarantor’s federal taxpayer identification number.

(o) Production Report and Lease Operating Statements. Concurrently with the delivery of any Reserve Report pursuant to Section 8.12 hereunder, a report setting forth, for each calendar month during the then current fiscal year to date through and including the last day of the fiscal quarter for which financial statements are being delivered, 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, and setting forth the related ad valorem, severance and production taxes and lease operating expenses attributable thereto and incurred for each such calendar month.

(p) Notices of Certain Changes. Promptly, but in any event within five (5) Business Days after the execution thereof, copies of any amendment, modification or supplement to (i) any Permitted Additional Debt Document or (ii) the certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws, limited liability company agreement, any preferred stock designation or any other organic document of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

 

84


(q) Notice of Debt Incurrence. Written notice at least three (3) Business Days prior to the incurrence of any Permitted Additional Debt, the amount thereof, the intended use of proceeds thereof, the anticipated date of closing and available drafts of the offering memorandum (if any) and any other material documents relating to such Permitted Additional Debt.

(r) Other Requested Information. Promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (including 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.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(a), (b) or (i) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and, if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which such materials are publicly available as posted on the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR); or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether made available by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (A) upon written request by the Administrative Agent (or any Lender through the Administrative Agent) to the Borrower, the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or such Lender until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (B) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such document to it and maintaining its copies of such documents.

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 Subsidiary 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;

 

85


(c) copies of written notifications to Governmental Authorities pertaining to Releases of Hazardous Materials that are required under Environmental Law; written communications with an insurer, surety, or other financial guarantor, or Governmental Authority pertaining to material changes in the Environmental Financial Responsibility (including, without limitation, changes in the amount of such responsibility or the Borrower’s financial commitment for securing such responsibility); and claims for losses submitted under the Oil Spill Financial Responsibility; 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 Subsidiary 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 are 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.

Section 8.04 Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, pay its Tax liabilities 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 Subsidiary 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 Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

Section 8.05 [Reserved].

Section 8.06 Operation and Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower, at its own expense, will, and will cause each Subsidiary 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;

 

86


(b) keep and maintain all Property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and preserve, maintain and keep in good repair, working order and efficiency (ordinary wear and tear excepted) all of its material Oil and Gas Properties and other material Properties, including, without limitation, all equipment, machinery and facilities; and

(c) promptly perform or make reasonable and customary efforts to cause to be performed, in accordance with customary 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.

With respect to the Oil and Gas Properties referred to in this Section 8.06 that are operated by any Person other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary, the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the operator of such Oil and Gas Properties to comply with this Section 8.06 with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties operated by it.

Section 8.07 Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance 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. The loss payable clauses or provisions in said insurance policy or policies insuring any of the Collateral shall be endorsed in favor of and made payable to the Administrative Agent as its interests may appear and such policies shall contain an endorsement naming 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 Subsidiary to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its Property, except (other than with respect to Anti-Corruption Laws, applicable AML Laws and applicable Sanctions) 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 policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws, applicable AML Laws and applicable Sanctions.

 

87


Section 8.10 Environmental Matters.

(a) The Borrower shall, without cost or expense to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Lenders: (i) comply, and shall cause its Properties and operations and each Subsidiary and each Subsidiary’s Properties and operations to comply, with all applicable Environmental Laws, the breach 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 its Subsidiaries’ Properties or any other property offsite the Property to the extent caused by the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ 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 Environmental Permits, if any, and any Environmental Financial Responsibility, in each case required under applicable Environmental Laws to be obtained or filed in connection with the operation or use of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ 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 Subsidiary 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 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 its Subsidiaries’ Properties, which failure to commence and diligently prosecute to completion could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (v) conduct, and cause its Subsidiaries to conduct, their respective operations and businesses in a manner that will not expose any Property or Person to Hazardous Materials that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for a claim for damages or compensation; and (vi) establish and implement, and shall cause each Subsidiary to establish and implement, such procedures as may be necessary to continuously determine and assure that the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ 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 days of the occurrence thereof, 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 Subsidiary or their respective Properties of which the Borrower has knowledge in connection with any Environmental Laws if the Borrower could reasonably anticipate that such action will result in liability (whether individually or in the aggregate) in excess of $1,000,000, not fully covered by insurance, subject to normal deductibles.

Section 8.11 Further Assurances.

(a) The Borrower at its sole expense will, and will cause each Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary, as the case may be, in the Loan Documents, including the Notes, or to further

 

88


evidence and more fully describe the collateral intended as security for the Obligations, 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 sole 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 Mortgaged Property without the signature of the Borrower or any other Guarantor where permitted by law. A carbon, photographic or other reproduction of the Security Instruments or any financing statement covering the Mortgaged Property or any part thereof shall be sufficient as a financing statement where permitted by law. The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that any financing statement may describe the Collateral as “all assets” of the applicable Borrower or Guarantor or words of similar effect as may be required by the Administrative Agent.

Section 8.12 Reserve Reports.

(a) On or before November 1, 2019, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report evaluating the Proved Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of October 1, 2019 (the “October 2019 Reserve Report”). On or before April 1st and October 1st of each year, commencing April 1, 2020, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Reserve Report evaluating the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the immediately preceding January 1st and July 1st, respectively. The Reserve Report as of January 1 of each year shall be prepared by one or more Approved Petroleum Engineers, and the October 2019 Reserve Report and the July 1 Reserve Report of each year shall be prepared by or under the supervision of the chief engineer of the Borrower who shall certify such Reserve Report to be true and accurate in all material respects and to have been prepared in accordance with the procedures used in the immediately preceding January 1 Reserve Report (or, in the case of the October 2019 Reserve Report, the Initial Reserve Report).

(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 in all material respects. For any Interim Redetermination requested by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.07(c), the Borrower shall provide such Reserve Report with an “as of” date as required by the Administrative Agent as soon as possible, but in any event no later than thirty (30) days following the receipt of such request.

(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 in all material respects, (ii) the Borrower or its Subsidiaries owns good and defensible title to the Oil and Gas Properties

 

89


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 Subsidiary 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 (other than Hydrocarbons sold in the ordinary course of business) 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 (other than Hydrocarbons sold in the ordinary course of business) and in such detail as 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 that the total value of such Mortgaged Properties as a percentage of the total value of the total proved Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in such Reserve Report is 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(a), 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, title information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent on at least 85% of the total value of the proved 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 sixty (60) days of notice from the Administrative Agent that title defects or exceptions exist with respect to such additional Properties, either (i) cure any such title defects or exceptions (including defects or exceptions as to priority) which are not permitted by Section 9.03 raised by such information, (ii) substitute acceptable Mortgaged Properties with no title defects or exceptions (provided that Excepted Liens of the type described in clauses (a) through (d) and (f) of the definition thereof may exist, but subject to the provisos at the end of such definition) having an equivalent value or (iii) deliver title information in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent so that the Administrative Agent shall have received, together with title information previously delivered to the Administrative Agent, title information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent on at least 85% of the total value of the proved Oil and Gas Properties evaluated by such Reserve Report.

 

90


(c) If the Borrower is unable to cure any title defect requested by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to be cured within the 60-day period or the Borrower does not comply with the requirements to provide reasonably acceptable title information covering 85% of the total value of the proved Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the most recent Reserve Report, such default shall not be a Default, but instead the Administrative Agent and/or the Required 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 Required Lenders are not reasonably satisfied with title to any Mortgaged Property after the 60-day period has elapsed, such unacceptable Mortgaged Property shall not count towards the 85% requirement, and the Administrative Agent may send a notice to the Borrower and the Lenders that the then outstanding Borrowing Base 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 reasonably acceptable title information on 85% of the total value of the proved 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 of the proved 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 value, then the Borrower shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, grant, within thirty (30) days of delivery of the certificate required under Section 8.12(c), to the Administrative Agent as security for the Obligations a first-priority Lien (provided that Excepted Liens of the type described in clauses (a) through (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 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 value. All such Liens will be created and perfected by and in accordance with the provisions of deeds of trust, mortgages, security agreements 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. In order to comply with the foregoing, if any Subsidiary places a Lien on its Oil and Gas Properties pursuant to this Section 8.14(a) and such Subsidiary is not a Guarantor, then it shall become a Guarantor and comply with Section 8.14(b).

(b) If (i) the Borrower or any Subsidiary creates or acquires any Material Subsidiary or (ii) any Subsidiary becomes a Material Subsidiary (whether pursuant to the definition of Material Subsidiary or otherwise), then the Borrower shall cause, or shall cause its Subsidiaries to, promptly, but in any event no later than ten (10) days after the date of creation or acquisition thereof or the date such Subsidiary becomes a Material Subsidiary, as the case may be (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion): (A) cause such Subsidiary to become a Guarantor by executing and delivering to the Administrative Agent a duly executed supplement to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement (or such other document as the Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate for such purpose), (B) pledge all of the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary (including, without limitation, delivery of original stock certificates evidencing the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary, together with an appropriate undated stock power for each certificate duly executed in blank by the registered owner thereof, if applicable) and (C) execute and deliver such other additional closing documents, certificates and legal opinions as shall reasonably be requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

91


Section 8.15 ERISA Event. The Borrower will promptly furnish and will cause the Subsidiaries to promptly furnish to the Administrative Agent upon becoming aware of the occurrence of any ERISA Event specifying the nature thereof, what action the Borrower, the Subsidiary or the ERISA Affiliate is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 8.16 Marketing Activities. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage in marketing activities for any Hydrocarbons or enter into any contracts related thereto other than (a) 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, (b) 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 Subsidiaries that the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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 (c) other contracts for the purchase and/or sale of Hydrocarbons of third parties (i) which have generally offsetting provisions (i.e., corresponding pricing mechanics, delivery dates and points and volumes) such that no “position” is taken and (ii) for which appropriate credit support has been taken to alleviate the material credit risks of the counterparty thereto.

Section 8.17 Accounts.

(a) The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Guarantor to, cause each of its Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts at all times to be subject to a Control Agreement; provided that (a) no such Control Agreement shall be required for any Excluded Account and (b) with respect to Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts maintained by the Borrower and the Guarantors as of the Effective Date, the Borrower and the Guarantors shall have until the date that is thirty (30) days after the Effective Date (as such date may be extended by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) to deliver Control Agreements covering such accounts (such date, the “Control Agreement Delivery Date”).

(b) From and after the Control Agreement Delivery Date, the Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, maintain all Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts (other than Excluded Accounts) with a Lender or an Affiliate thereof.

Section 8.18 Minimum Hedging. (a) On or prior to the date that is thirty (30) days after the Effective Date, the Borrower shall provide evidence to the Administrative Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that the Loan Parties shall have entered into Swap Agreements with one or more Approved Counterparties hedging minimum notional volumes of at least 50% of the reasonably projected production of crude oil and natural gas, calculated separately, from proved developed producing Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report, for each of the 24 full calendar months following such date and (b) on April 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing with April 1, 2020 (each, a “Minimum

 

92


Hedging Requirement Date”), the Borrower shall provide evidence to the Administrative Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that the Loan Parties have entered into Swap Agreements with one or more Approved Counterparties hedging minimum notional volumes of at least 50% of the reasonably projected production of crude oil and natural gas, calculated separately, from proved developed producing Oil and Gas Properties evaluated in the Reserve Report most recently delivered to the Administrative Agent, for 24 full calendar months following such Minimum Hedging Requirement Date (provided that the Loan Parties shall not be required to hedge volumes attributable to the reasonably projected production from offshore Oil and Gas Properties for the months of August, September or October).

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 have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

Section 9.01 Financial Covenants.

(a) Ratio of Total Debt to EBITDAX. The Borrower will not permit, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2019, the ratio of (i) Total Debt as of such day to (ii) EBITDAX for the period of four fiscal quarters ending on such day to be greater than 3.50 to 1.00 (the “Leverage Ratio”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of calculating the Leverage Ratio, (i) for the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2019, EBITDAX shall be calculated by multiplying EBITDAX for such fiscal quarter by 4, (ii) for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2020, EBITDAX shall be calculated by multiplying EBITDAX for the two fiscal quarters ending on such date by 2 and (iii) for the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2020, EBITDAX shall be calculated by multiplying EBITDAX for the three fiscal quarters ending on such date by 4/3.

(b) Current Ratio. The Borrower will not permit, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2019, its ratio of (i) consolidated current assets (including the unused amount of the total Commitments then available to be borrowed, but excluding non-cash assets under FASB ASC 815) to (ii) consolidated current liabilities (excluding non-cash obligations under FASB ASC 815 and current maturities under this Agreement) to be less than 1.00 to 1.00.

Section 9.02 Debt. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, incur, create, assume or suffer to exist any Debt, except:

(a) the Obligations arising under the Loan Documents or any guarantee of or suretyship arrangement for the Obligations arising under the Loan Documents;

(b) Debt under Capital Leases not to exceed $5,000,000;

 

93


(c) Debt associated with bonds or surety obligations required by Governmental Requirements in connection with the operation of the Oil and Gas Properties;

(d) intercompany Debt between the Borrower and any Guarantor or between Guarantors to the extent permitted by Section 9.05(g); provided that such Debt is not held, assigned, transferred, negotiated or pledged to any Person other than the Borrower or one of the Guarantors; and, provided further, that any such Debt owed by either the Borrower or a Guarantor shall be subordinated to the Obligations on terms set forth in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement;

(e) endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business;

(f) other unsecured Debt not to exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding; and

(g) unsecured senior notes or unsecured senior subordinated notes of the Borrower, and any guarantees thereof, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $300,000,000 at any time outstanding; provided that: (i) no such Debt may be incurred until after the date on which the Borrower delivers financial statements pursuant to Section 8.01(a) (and a compliance certificate pursuant to Section 8.01(c)) for the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2019; (ii) immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of any such Debt and the use of proceeds thereof, on a pro forma basis, the Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 3.50 to 1.00 (as the Leverage Ratio is recomputed on such date using (A) Total Debt outstanding on such date and (B) EBITDAX for the four fiscal quarters (or, if applicable, the relevant annualized period determined in accordance with Section 9.01(a)) ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date for which financial statements are available); provided that this clause (ii) shall not apply to the incurrence of any Debt that constitutes a refinancing of other Debt incurred pursuant to this Section 9.01(g) to the extent that the aggregate principal amount of such refinancing Debt does not exceed the sum of (x) the original principal amount of the refinanced Debt and (y) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including make-whole payments and premiums, related to such refinancing); (iii) both before and immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such Debt and the use of proceeds thereof, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom; (iv) such Debt does not have any scheduled principal amortization; (v) such Debt does not have a scheduled maturity date or a date of mandatory Redemption in full sooner than the date which is 180 days after the Maturity Date; (vi) such Debt does not have any mandatory Redemption, tender or sinking fund provisions (other than (A) customary change of control tender offer provisions and (B) customary asset sale tender offer provisions to the extent any amounts required to be Redeemed are permitted by the terms of such Debt to be applied first to the Obligations); (vii) no Subsidiary or other Person is required to guarantee such Debt unless such Subsidiary or other Person has guaranteed the Obligations pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement; (viii) the terms of such Debt and any guarantees thereof:    (A) are not more restrictive, taken as a whole, on the Borrower and its Subsidiaries than the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (other than with respect to any applicable redemption or prepayment premiums, call protections, funding discounts, fees, interest, and other economic terms), (B) are prevailing market terms for issuers of similar size and credit quality given the then prevailing market conditions as

 

94


reasonably determined by the Borrower and (C) do not require the maintenance or achievement of any financial performance standards other than as a condition to taking specified actions; (ix) if such Debt is senior subordinated Debt, such Debt is expressly subordinate to the payment in full of all of the Obligations on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; (x) the Borrower shall have complied with Section 8.01(q); and (xi) the Borrowing Base shall be reduced to the extent required by Section 2.07(f).

Section 9.03 Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary 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 Obligations;

(b) Excepted Liens;

(c) Liens securing Capital Leases permitted by Section 9.02(b) but only on the Property under lease;

(d) Liens on Property not constituting Oil and Gas Properties; provided that the aggregate principal or face amount of all Debt or other obligations secured under this Section 9.03(d) shall not exceed $2,000,000 at any time; and

(e) Customary contractual rights of set-off and netting arrangements set forth in Swap Agreements.

Section 9.04 Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, return any capital to its Equity Interest holders or make any distribution of its Property to its Equity Interest holders, except:

(a) 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);

(b) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests to the Borrower or any Guarantor;

(c) from and after the first anniversary of the Effective Date, the Borrower may make cash distributions with respect to its Equity Interests to the holders of its Equity Interests so long as both before, and immediately after giving effect to, any such distribution, (i) no Default or Event of Default exists or would exist, (ii) the unused portion of the Commitments is equal to or greater than 25% of the total Commitments and (iii) the Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 2.50 to 1.00 (on a pro forma basis as the Leverage Ratio is recomputed on such date using (A) Total Debt outstanding on such date and (B) EBITDAX for the four fiscal quarters (or, if applicable, the relevant annualized period determined in accordance with Section 9.01(a)) ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date for which financial statements are available); and

 

95


(d) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may redeem, acquire, retire or repurchase, for cash, shares of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital Stock) of the Borrower held by any present or former officer, manager, director or employee of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries upon the death, disability, retirement or termination of employment of any such Person or otherwise in accordance with any equity option or equity appreciation rights plan, any management, director and/or employee equity ownership, benefit or incentive plan or agreement, equity subscription plan, employment termination agreement or any other employment agreements or equity holders’ agreement, so long as all such Restricted Payments do not exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year.

Section 9.05 Investments, Loans and Advances. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, make or permit to remain outstanding any Investments in or to any Person, except that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to:

(a) Investments made prior to the Effective Date that are disclosed on Schedule 9.05;

(b) accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business;

(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 rated in the highest grade by S&P or Moody’s;

(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 exclusively 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 Person that, prior to such Investment, is a Guarantor or (ii) made by any Subsidiary in or to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary that, prior to such Investment, is a Guarantor;

(h) from and after the first anniversary of the Effective Date, Investments so long as both before, and immediately after giving effect to, any such Investment, (i) no Default or Event of Default exists or would exist, (ii) the unused portion of the Commitments is equal to or greater than 25% of the total Commitments and (iii) the Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 2.50 to 1.00 (on a pro forma basis as the Leverage Ratio is recomputed on such date using (A) Total Debt outstanding on such date and (B) EBITDAX for the four fiscal quarters (or, if applicable, the relevant annualized period determined in accordance with Section 9.01(a)) ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date for which financial statements are available);

 

96


(i) subject to the limits in Section 9.06, Investments in direct ownership interests in additional Oil and Gas Properties and gathering systems related thereto or related to farm-out, farm-in, joint operating, joint venture or area of mutual interest agreements, gathering systems, pipelines or other similar arrangements which are usual and customary in the oil and gas exploration and production business located within the geographic boundaries of the United States of America;

(j) loans or advances to employees, officers, or directors in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower, in each case only as permitted by applicable law, including Section 402 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, but in any event not to exceed $100,000 in the aggregate at any time;

(k) Investments in stock, obligations or securities received in settlement of debts arising from Investments permitted under this Section 9.05 owing to the Borrower or any Subsidiary as a result of a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding of the obligor in respect of such debts or upon the enforcement of any Lien in favor of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent prompt written notice in the event that the aggregate amount of all Investments held at any one time under this Section 9.05(k) exceeds $1,000,000;

(l) other Investments not to exceed $2,000,000 in the aggregate at any time; and

(m) the Borrower may consummate the Will Acquisition; provided that the conditions precedent to the Will BB Increase set forth in Section 2.07(g) shall be satisfied at the time of, or substantially concurrently with, the consummation of the Will Acquisition.

Section 9.06 Nature of Business; International Operations. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary to, (a) 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 of America or (b) form or acquire any Foreign Subsidiaries.

Section 9.07 Limitation on Leases. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary 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, leases of Hydrocarbon Interests and leases of drilling rigs), under leases or lease agreements which would cause the aggregate amount of all payments made by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries pursuant to all such leases or lease agreements, including, without limitation, any residual payments at the end of any lease, to exceed $2,000,000 in any period of twelve consecutive calendar months during the life of such leases.

 

97


Section 9.08 Proceeds of Loans; OFAC. The Borrower will not permit the proceeds of the Loans or Letters of Credit to be used for any purpose other than those permitted by 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 Federal Reserve 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 Federal Reserve Board, as the case may be. The Borrower will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees, Affiliates and agents shall not use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, or lend, contribute, or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, other Affiliate, joint venture partner or other Person (A) 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 or AML Laws, (B) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, except to the extent permitted for a Person required to comply with Sanctions, or (C) in any manner that would result in the violation of any applicable to any party hereto.

Section 9.09 ERISA Compliance. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, at any time, contribute to any Plan or Multiemployer Plan.

Section 9.10 Sale or Discount of Receivables. Except for receivables obtained by the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary to, merge into or with or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or 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 or dissolve; provided, that so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is then continuing, any Subsidiary may participate in a consolidation with the Borrower (provided that the Borrower shall be the survivor) or any other Guarantor (provided that the Guarantor shall be the survivor). The Borrower will not change its organizational form, or enter into any transaction which has the effect of changing the Borrower’s organizational form.

 

98


Section 9.12 Sale of Properties. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, Dispose of any Property except for:

(a) the sale of Hydrocarbons in the ordinary course of business;

(b) farmouts in the ordinary course of business of undeveloped acreage to which no proved reserves are attributed in the most recently delivered Reserve Report and assignments in connection with such farmouts;

(c) the Disposition of equipment that is no longer necessary or useful for the business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary or is replaced by equipment of at least comparable value and use;

(d) the Disposition (including Casualty Events), other than as provided in clauses (a) through (c), of any Oil and Gas Property or any interest therein or any Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties; provided that (i) 85% of the consideration received in respect of such Disposition shall be cash or Cash Equivalents, (ii) the consideration received in respect of such Disposition shall be equal to or greater than the fair market value of the Oil and Gas Property, interest therein or Subsidiary subject of such Disposition (as reasonably determined by the board of directors (or equivalent body) of the Borrower and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying to that effect), (iii) the Borrowing Base shall be reduced, effective immediately upon such Disposition, by an amount and to the extent required by Section 2.07(e) and (iv) if any such Disposition is of a Subsidiary owning Oil and Gas Properties, such Disposition shall include all the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary;

(e) any transfer of Property (including Equity Interests of Subsidiaries) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to the Borrower or a Guarantor, in each case so long as immediately after giving effect to such transfer, the Borrower and the Guarantors are in compliance with Section 8.14 without giving effect to any grace periods specified in Section 8.14; and

(f) sales and other Dispositions of Properties not regulated by Section 9.12(a) through (e) having a fair market value not to exceed $2,500,000 during any 12-month period.

Section 9.13 Environmental Matters. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary 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 transactions between the Borrower and any Guarantor and transactions between Guarantors) 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.

 

99


Section 9.15 Subsidiaries. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create or acquire any additional Subsidiary, unless the Borrower gives written notice to the Administrative Agent of such creation or acquisition and complies with Section 8.14(a). The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to Dispose of any Equity Interests in any Subsidiary except in compliance with Section 9.12. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary shall have any (a) Foreign Subsidiaries or (b) any Subsidiaries other than Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries.

Section 9.16 Negative Pledge Agreements; Dividend Restrictions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any contract, agreement or understanding (other than this Agreement, the Security Instruments, and Capital Leases creating Liens permitted by Section 9.03(c) but only with respect to the Property subject of such Capital Lease) which in any way prohibits or restricts (or which requires the consent of or notice to other Persons in connection therewith): (a) the granting, conveying, creation or imposition of any Lien on any of its Property in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, (b) any Subsidiary from paying dividends or making distributions in respect of its Equity Interests to the Borrower or any Guarantor, (c) paying any Debt owed to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, (d) making loans or advances to, or other Investments in, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, or (e) transferring any of its Property to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary.

Section 9.17 Gas Imbalances, Take-or-Pay or Other Prepayments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, allow gas imbalances, take-or-pay or other prepayments with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that would require the Borrower or such Subsidiary to deliver Hydrocarbons 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 9.18 Swap Agreements.

(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any Swap Agreements with any Person other than (i) (A) Swap Agreements in respect of commodities, (B) with an Approved Counterparty, (C) with a tenor not to exceed 60 months, and (D) the notional volumes for which (when aggregated with other commodity Swap Agreements then in effect other than basis differential swaps on volumes already hedged pursuant to other Swap Agreements) do not exceed, as of the date such Swap Agreement is executed, 90% of the reasonably projected production from total proved developed producing Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report or thereafter the Reserve Report most recently delivered pursuant to Section 8.12, for each month following the date such Swap Agreement is entered into, in each case for each of crude oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas, calculated separately; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall not enter into or maintain any commodity Swap Agreements with respect projected production from offshore Oil and Gas Properties for August, September or October of any calendar year, other than floors, puts or other hedging arrangements that do not carry any delivery risk and (ii) Swap Agreements in respect of interest rates with an Approved Counterparty effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed, the notional amounts of which (when aggregated with all other Swap Agreements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries

 

100


then in effect effectively converting interest rates from floating to fixed) do not exceed, as of the date such Swap Agreement is entered into, 75% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Borrower’s Debt for borrowed money which bears interest at a floating rate. In no event shall any Swap Agreement contain any requirement, agreement or covenant for the Borrower or any Subsidiary to post collateral or margin to secure their obligations under such Swap Agreement or to cover market exposures; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit or be deemed to prohibit the Secured Swap Obligations from being secured by the Security Instruments.

(b) If, on the last day of any calendar month, the aggregate notional volumes of all Swap Agreements in respect of commodities to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a party for which settlement payments were calculated in such calendar month exceeds 100% of the actual production of Hydrocarbons (for each of crude oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas, calculated separately) from the proved developed producing Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in such calendar month (other than puts, floors, and basis differential swaps on volumes hedged by other Swap Agreements), then the Borrower shall, or shall cause its Subsidiaries to, Liquidate existing Swap Agreements within fifteen (15) Business Days after the end of such calendar month, such that, after giving effect to such Liquidation, future hedging notional volumes will not exceed 100% of reasonably projected production of Hydrocarbons (for each of crude oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas, calculated separately) from the proved developed producing Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the then-current month and any succeeding calendar months.

Section 9.19 Amendments to Material Agreements; Amendment to Fiscal Year.

(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, amend, modify or supplement (or enter into any agreement that has the effect of amending, modifying or supplementing) any of its organizational documents in any manner that would be materially adverse to the Lenders in their capacities as such.

(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, change its fiscal year to end on a day other than December 31 or change the method of determining its fiscal year.

Section 9.20 New Accounts. Without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, open or otherwise establish, any Deposit Account or Securities Account other than (a) Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts in which the Administrative Agent has been granted a first-priority Lien and is subject to a Control Agreement and (b) Excluded Accounts.

Section 9.21 Repayment of Permitted Additional Debt; Amendment to Terms of Permitted Additional Debt.

(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, 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 Additional Debt, except that:

 

101


(i) so long as no Default, Event of Default or Borrowing Base Deficiency has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the Borrower may Redeem any Permitted Additional Debt with (A) the net cash proceeds of any newly issued Permitted Additional Debt to the extent permitted to be incurred pursuant to Section 9.02(g) or (B) the net cash proceeds of any issuance or sale of, or in exchange for, common Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Capital Stock) of the Borrower; and

(ii) from and after the first anniversary of the Effective Date, the Borrower may Redeem any Permitted Additional Debt in cash so long as both before, and immediately after giving effect to, any such Redemption, (A) no Default or Event of Default exists or would exist, (B) the unused portion of the Commitments is equal to or greater than 25% of the total Commitments and (C) the Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 2.50 to 1.00 (on a pro forma basis as the Leverage Ratio is recomputed on such date using (1) Total Debt outstanding on such date and (2) EBITDAX for the four fiscal quarters (or, if applicable, the relevant annualized period determined in accordance with Section 9.01(a)) ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding such date for which financial statements are available).

(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, amend, modify, waive or otherwise change, consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms of any Permitted Additional Debt or any Permitted Additional Debt Document if: (i) the effect thereof would be to shorten its maturity or average life or increase the amount of any payment of principal thereof or increase the rate or shorten any period for payment of interest thereon; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit the execution of supplemental indentures associated with the incurrence of additional Permitted Additional Debt to the extent permitted by Section 9.02(g), or the execution of supplemental indentures to add guarantors if required by the terms of any Permitted Additional Debt provided such Person complies with Section 8.14(b); or (ii) the effect thereof would be to cause the Borrower to violate the terms of Section 9.02(g).

(c) With respect to any Permitted Additional Debt that is subordinated to the Obligations or any other Debt, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, designate any such Debt (other than obligations of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries pursuant to the Loan Documents) as “Specified Senior Indebtedness” or “Specified Guarantor Senior Indebtedness” or give any such other Debt any other similar designation for the purposes of such Permitted Additional Debt Document related to such Permitted Additional Debt that is subordinated to the Obligations or any other Debt.

ARTICLE X

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

Section 10.01 Events of Default. 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;

 

102


(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 this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three (3) Business Days;

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, in or in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made (without duplication of any materiality qualifier set forth therein);

(d) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 8.01(n), Section 8.02, Section 8.03 (solely with respect to the Borrower’s legal existence), Section 8.14, Section 8.17 or in Article IX;

(e) the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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) 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 (i) notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) or (ii) a Responsible Officer of the Borrower or such Subsidiary otherwise becoming aware of such default;

(f) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest) in respect of any Material Debt, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure continues after the expiration of the applicable grace or notice period;

(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Debt becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Debt or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Debt 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; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Debt that becomes due solely as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Debt, if such sale or transfer is permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such Debt.

(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 Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar 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 Subsidiary 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;

 

103


(i) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar 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 Subsidiary 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 the holders of Equity Interests of the Borrower shall make any request or take any action for the purpose of calling a meeting of such holders of the Borrower to consider a resolution to dissolve and wind-up the Borrower’s affairs;

(j) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

(k) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $5,000,000 (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), shall be rendered against the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 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 the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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, (i) cease to be in full force and effect and valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with their terms against the Borrower or a Guarantor party thereto or shall be repudiated by any of them, or the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any of their Affiliates shall so state in writing or (ii) cease to create a valid and perfected Lien of the priority required thereby on any of the collateral purported to be covered thereby, or the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any of their Affiliates shall so state in writing; or

(m) a Change in Control shall occur.

Section 10.02 Remedies. (a) In the case of an Event of Default other than one described in Section 10.01(h) or Section 10.01(i), at any time thereafter during the continuance of such Event of Default, the Majority Lenders (or the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Majority Lenders) may, 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

 

104


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) or Section 10.01(i), 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 or the Notes, whether by acceleration or otherwise, shall be applied:

(i) first, to payment or reimbursement of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, expenses and indemnities payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

(ii) second, pro rata to payment or reimbursement of that portion of the Obligations 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 (A) principal outstanding on the Loans; (B) reimbursement obligations in respect of Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.08(e) (and cash collateralization of LC Exposure hereunder); (C) Secured Swap Obligations owing to Secured Swap Parties; and (D) Secured Cash Management Obligations owing to Secured Cash Management Providers;

(v) fifth, pro rata to any other Obligations; and

(vi) sixth, any excess, after all of the Obligations shall have been indefeasibly paid in full in cash, shall be paid to the Borrower or as otherwise required by any Governmental Requirement.

provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Guarantor shall not be paid with amounts received from such Guarantor or its assets, but appropriate adjustments shall be made with respect to payments from the Borrower and any other Guarantors to preserve the allocation to Obligations otherwise set forth above in this Section 10.02(c).

 

105


ARTICLE XI

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

Section 11.01 Appointment; Powers. Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof and the other Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, and neither the Borrower nor any Guarantor shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.

Section 11.02 Duties and Obligations of Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing (the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents 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; rather, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties), (b) the Administrative Agent shall have no duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except as provided in Section 11.03, and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not 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 bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and 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 under any other Loan Document 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 in any other Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (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 or as to those conditions precedent expressly required to be to the Administrative Agent’s satisfaction, (vi) the existence, value, perfection or priority of any collateral security or the financial or other condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries or any other obligor or guarantor, or (vii) any failure by the Borrower or any other Person (other than itself) to perform any of its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document or the performance or observance of any covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Article VI, each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice from such Lender prior to the proposed closing date specifying its objection thereto.

 

106


Section 11.03 Action by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall have no 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 in writing as directed by the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 12.02) and in all cases the Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to act hereunder or under any other Loan Documents unless it shall (a) receive written instructions from the Majority 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 11.03; 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. In no event, however, shall the Administrative Agent be required to take any action which exposes the Administrative Agent to personal liability or which is contrary to this Agreement, the Loan Documents or applicable law. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 12.02), and otherwise the Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it hereunder or under any other Loan Document or under any other document or instrument referred to or provided for herein or therein or in connection herewith or therewith INCLUDING ITS OWN ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE, except for its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.

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 believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent 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 be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon and each of the Borrower, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby waives the right to dispute the Administrative Agent’s record of such statement, except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct by the Administrative Agent. 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. The Administrative Agent may deem and treat the payee of any Note as the holder thereof for all purposes hereof unless and until a written notice of the assignment or transfer thereof permitted hereunder shall have been filed with the Administrative Agent.

 

107


Section 11.05 Subagents. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers 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 its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding Sections of this Article XI 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.

Section 11.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent.

(a) Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this Section 11.06, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Majority Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor Administrative Agent. If no successor Administrative Agent 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 as the retiring Administrative Agent, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor Administrative Agent, such successor Administrative Agent shall succeed to, and become vested with, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. 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 Administrative Agent. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article XI and Section 12.03 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 it was acting as Administrative Agent.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this Section, in the event no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, the retiring Administrative Agent may give notice of the effectiveness of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower, whereupon, on the date of effectiveness of such resignation stated in such notice, (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents; provided that, solely for purposes of maintaining any security interest granted to the Administrative Agent under any Security Instrument for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to be vested with such security interest as collateral agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and continue to be entitled to the rights set forth in such Security Instrument, and, in the case of any Collateral in the possession of the Administrative Agent, shall continue to hold such Collateral, in each case until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed and accepts such appointment in accordance with this Section (it being understood and agreed that the retiring Administrative Agent shall have no duty or obligation to take any further action under any Security Instrument, including any action required to maintain the perfection of any

 

108


such security interest), and (ii) the Majority Lenders shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent; provided that (A) all payments required to be made hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Person other than the Administrative Agent shall be made directly to such Person and (B) all notices and other communications required or contemplated to be given or made to the Administrative Agent shall directly be given or made to each Lender and the Issuing Bank. Following the effectiveness of the Administrative Agent’s resignation from its capacity as such, the provisions of this Article and Section 12.03, as well as any exculpatory, reimbursement and indemnification provisions set forth in any other Loan Document, 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 and in respect of the matters referred to in the proviso under clause (i) above.

Section 11.07 Administrative Agent Individually. With respect to its Commitment, Loans (including Swingline Loans), LC Commitment and Letters of Credit, the Person serving as the Administrative Agent shall have and may exercise the same rights and powers hereunder and is subject to the same obligations and liabilities as and to the extent set forth herein for any other Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be. The terms “Issuing Bank”, “Lenders”, “Majority Lenders”, “Required Lenders” and any similar terms shall, unless the context clearly otherwise indicates, include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity as a Lender, the Issuing Bank or as one of Majority Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent 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 banking, trust or other business with, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing as if such Person was not acting as the Administrative Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank.

Section 11.08 No Reliance. Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is a party. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or any other Lender 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, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder. The Administrative Agent shall not be required to keep itself informed as to the performance or observance by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries 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 any of its Subsidiaries. Except for notices, reports and other documents and information expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent hereunder, neither the Agents nor the Arrangers shall have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the affairs, financial condition or business of the Borrower (or any of its Affiliates) which may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates. In this regard, each Lender acknowledges that Paul Hastings LLP is acting in this transaction as special counsel to the Administrative Agent only, except to the extent otherwise expressly stated in any legal opinion or any Loan Document. 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.

 

109


Section 11.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan 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 and all other Obligations 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 and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Section 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;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, 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 Section 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 any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

Section 11.10 Withholding Tax. To the extent required by any applicable law, the Administrative Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender an amount equivalent to any applicable withholding Tax. Without limiting the provisions of Section 5.03(a) or Section 5.03(c), each Lender and the Issuing Bank shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payable in respect thereof within 30 days after demand therefor, against any and all Taxes and any and all related losses, claims, liabilities and expenses (including fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent) incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent by the Internal Revenue Service or any other Governmental Authority as a result of the failure of the Administrative Agent to properly withhold Tax from amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender for any reason (including, without limitation, because the appropriate form was not delivered or not property executed, or because such Lender

 

110


failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstance that rendered the exemption from, or reduction of withholding tax ineffective). A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender or the Issuing Bank by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or the Issuing Bank under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due the Administrative Agent under this Section 11.10. The agreements in this Section 11.10 shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

Section 11.11 Authority of Administrative Agent to Release Collateral and Liens.

(a) Each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to take the following actions and the Administrative Agent hereby agrees to take such actions at the request of the Borrower:

(i) to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (x) on the “Release Date” (as such term is defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement), (y) that is permitted to be Disposed of or released pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents or (z) if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Majority Lenders (or, if approval, authorization or ratification by all Lenders is required under Section 12.02(b), then by all Lenders);

(ii) to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the other Loan Documents if such Person ceases to be a Material Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents; and

(iii) to execute and deliver to the Borrower, at the Borrower’s sole cost and expense, any and all releases of Liens, termination statements, assignments or other documents necessary or useful to accomplish or evidence the foregoing.

(b) Upon the request of the Administrative Agent at any time, the Majority Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release particular types or items of Collateral pursuant to this Section 11.11.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in Section 12.08 with respect to rights of setoff, and notwithstanding any other provision contained in any of the Loan Documents to the contrary, no Person other than the Administrative Agent has any right to realize upon any of the Collateral individually, to enforce any Liens on Collateral, or to enforce the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, and all powers, rights and remedies under the Security Instruments may be exercised solely by Administrative Agent on behalf of the Persons secured or otherwise benefitted thereby.

(d) By accepting the benefit of the Liens granted pursuant to the Security Instruments, each Person secured by such Liens that is not a party hereto agrees to the terms of this Section 11.11.

 

111


Section 11.12 The Arrangers. No Arranger nor any Syndication Agent shall have any duties, responsibilities or liabilities under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents other than its duties, responsibilities and liabilities in its capacity as a Lender hereunder.

Section 11.13 Credit Bidding. 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 Obligations (including by accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations 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, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code, or any similar laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, or (b) at any other sale, 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 Obligations owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid by the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Majority Lenders on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that shall 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) for the asset or assets so purchased (or for the equity interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are issued in connection with such purchase). In connection with any such bid, (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles and to assign any successful credit bid to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, (ii) each of the Secured Parties’ ratable interests in the Obligations which were credit bid shall be deemed without any further action under this Agreement to be assigned to such vehicle or vehicles for the purpose of closing such sale, (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized 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, and the governing documents shall provide for, control by the vote of the Majority Lenders or their permitted assignees under the terms of this Agreement or the governing documents of the applicable acquisition vehicle or vehicles, as the case may be, 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 of this Agreement), (iv) the Administrative Agent on behalf of such acquisition vehicle or vehicles shall be authorized to issue to each of the Secured Parties, ratably on account of the relevant Obligations which were credit bid, interests, whether as equity, partnership interests, limited partnership interests or membership interests, in any such acquisition vehicle and/or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle, all without the need for any Secured Party or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (v) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of Obligations credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Secured Parties pro rata with their original interest in such Obligations and the equity interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of such Obligations shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to

 

112


take any further action. Notwithstanding that the ratable portion of the Obligations of each Secured Party are deemed assigned to the acquisition vehicle or vehicles as set forth in clause (ii) above, each Secured Party shall execute such documents and provide such information regarding the Secured Party (and/or any designee of the Secured Party which will receive interests in or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle) as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in connection with the formation of any acquisition vehicle, the formulation or submission of any credit bid or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by such credit bid.

Section 11.14 Certain ERISA Matters.

(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and each Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true: (i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments, (ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or (iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

(b) In addition, unless sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and each Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that none of the Administrative Agent, any other Agent or any Arranger or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the Collateral or the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto).

 

113


(c) The Administrative Agent, each other Agent and each Arranger hereby informs the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide investment advice or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments, this Agreement and any other Loan Documents (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

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 or electronic communication, as follows:

 

  (i)

if to the Borrower, to it at:

717 Texas Ave., Suite 2900

Houston, Texas 77002

Facsimile No.: (713) 236-7474

Telephone No.: (713) 236-7400

Attention: E. Joseph Grady

Email: jgrady@contango.com

 

  (ii)

if to the Administrative Agent, to it at:

JPMorgan Loan Services

10 S. Dearborn St., Floor L2

Chicago, IL 60603

Attention: Michael Stevens

Email: michael.r.stevens@chase.com

 

114


Telephone No.: (312) 732-6468

with a copy to:

712 Main Street, 5th Floor

Houston, TX 77002

Attn: Ron Dierker, Managing Director

Email: ronald.dierker@jpmorgan.com

 

  (iii)

if to the Issuing Bank, to it at:

8181 Communications Pkwy

Bldg B, Floor 06

Plano, TX 75024

Contact Name: Kavita Ujjni

Email: kavita.x.ujjni@jpmorgan.com

For letter of credit commission fees and other inquires:

Chicago LC Agency Activity Team

Email: chicago.lc.agency.activity.team@jpmchase.com

 

  (iv)

if to the Swingline Lender, to it at:

JPMorgan Loan Services

10 S. Dearborn St., Floor L2

Chicago, IL 60603

Attention: Michael Stevens

Email: michael.r.stevens@chase.com

Telephone No.: (312) 732-6468

 

  (v)

if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or facsimile number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient). Notices delivered through Approved Electronic Platforms, to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said paragraph (b).

(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereunder may be delivered or furnished by using Approved Electronic Platforms 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.

 

115


(c) Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

(d) Any party hereto may change its address, facsimile number or email address 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.

(e) Posting of Communications.

(i) The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Communications available to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks by posting the Communications on any Approved Electronic Platform.

(ii) Although the Approved Electronic Platform and its primary web portal are secured with generally-applicable security procedures and policies implemented or modified by the Administrative Agent from time to time (including, as of the Effective Date, a user ID/password authorization system) and the Approved Electronic Platform is secured through a per-deal authorization method whereby each user may access the Approved Electronic Platform only on a deal-by-deal basis, each of the Lenders, each of the Issuing Banks and the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure, that the Administrative Agent is not responsible for approving or vetting the representatives or contacts of any Lender that are added to the Approved Electronic Platform, and that there may be confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution. Each of the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower hereby approves distribution of the Communications through the Approved Electronic Platform and understands and assumes the risks of such distribution.

(iii) THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. THE APPLICABLE PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR

 

116


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 THE APPLICABLE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY OTHER AGENT, ANY ARRANGER OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES (COLLECTIVELY, “APPLICABLE PARTIES”) HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO ANY LOAN PARTY, ANY LENDER, ANY ISSUING BANK OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF ANY LOAN PARTY’S OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM.

(iv) Each Lender and the Issuing Bank agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that Communications have been posted to the Approved Electronic Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and Issuing Bank agrees (i) to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (which could be in the form of electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s (as applicable) email address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and (ii) that the foregoing notice may be sent to such email address.

(v) Each of the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but (except as may be required by applicable law) shall not be obligated to, store the Communications on the Approved Electronic Platform in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s generally applicable document retention procedures and policies.

(vi) Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document

Section 12.02 Waivers; Amendments.

(a) No failure on the part of the Administrative 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, 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

 

117


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) Subject to Section 3.03(b) and the last sentence of this Section 12.02(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 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 without the consent of each Lender; provided that a Scheduled Redetermination may be postponed by the Required Lenders and an automatic reduction of the Borrowing Base may be waived by the 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 Obligations 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 Obligations 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 2.06(b) or Section 4.01(b) or Section 4.01(c) in a manner that would alter the ratable reduction of Commitments or the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender adversely affected thereby, (vi) waive or amend Section 3.04(c)(i), Section 6.01, Section 10.02(c) or Section 12.14 or change the definition of the terms “Domestic Subsidiary”, “Foreign Subsidiary” or “Subsidiary”, without the written consent of each Lender; provided, further, that any waiver or amendment to the terms of Section 12.14, this proviso in this Section 12.02(b)(vi) or Section 12.02(b)(vii) shall also require the written consent of each Secured Swap Party and each Secured Cash Management Provider, and any amendment or waiver to the terms of Section 10.02(c) shall also require the written consent of each Secured Swap Party or Secured Cash Management Provider adversely affected thereby, (vii) amend or otherwise modify any Security Instrument in a manner that results in the Secured Swap Obligations or Secured Cash Management Obligations secured by such Security Instrument no longer being secured thereby on an equal and ratable basis with the principal of the Loans, or amend or otherwise change the definition of “Secured Swap Agreement,” “Secured Swap Obligations” or “Secured Swap Party”, without the written consent of each Secured Swap Party adversely affected thereby, or the definition of “Secured Cash Management Agreement,” “Secured Cash Management Obligations” or “Secured Cash Management Provider,” without the written consent of each Secured Cash Management Provider adversely affected thereby, (viii) release any Guarantor (except as set forth in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) or release all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than as provided in Section 11.11), without the written consent of each Lender, or (ix) 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

 

118


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; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) any supplement to Schedule 7.14 (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, (B) any Security Instrument may be supplemented to add additional collateral or join additional Persons as Guarantors with the consent of the Administrative Agent, (C) 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 (D) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may, without the consent of any Lender, enter into amendments or modifications to this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or enter into additional Loan Documents as the Administrative Agent reasonably deems appropriate in order to effectuate the terms of Section 3.03(b).

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 one firm of primary legal counsel and one firm of local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction and other outside consultants for the Administrative Agent, the reasonable travel, photocopy, mailing, courier, telephone and other similar expenses, and the cost of environmental invasive and non-invasive 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 costs, expenses, Taxes, assessments and other charges incurred by the Administrative 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 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, (iv) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of one firm of primary legal counsel and one firm of local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders (and in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, of another firm of counsel for such affected parties), in connection with 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.

 

119


(b) THE BORROWER SHALL INDEMNIFY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, EACH OTHER AGENT, EACH ARRANGER, THE ISSUING BANK, THE SWINGLINE LENDER 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 FEES, CHARGES AND DISBURSEMENTS OF ONE FIRM OF PRIMARY LEGAL COUNSEL AND ONE FIRM OF LOCAL COUNSEL IN EACH APPROPRIATE JURISDICTION FOR ALL INDEMNITEES (AND, IN THE CASE OF AN ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED CONFLICT OF INTEREST, OF ANOTHER FIRM OF COUNSEL FOR SUCH AFFECTED INDEMNITEES), 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, (ii) THE FAILURE OF THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY 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 ITS SUBSIDIARIES BY THE BORROWER AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (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 SUBSIDIARY OR 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 OR NON-COMPLIANCE BY THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY WITH ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LAW APPLICABLE TO THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY, (x) THE PAST OWNERSHIP BY THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OF ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES OR PAST ACTIVITY ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES WHICH,

 

120


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 SUBSIDIARY 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 ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (xii) ANY ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY RELATED IN ANY WAY TO THE BORROWER OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, 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 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 ARE DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY FINAL AND NONAPPEALABLE JUDGMENT TO HAVE RESULTED FROM (A) THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE, BAD FAITH OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH INDEMNITEE OR (B) A DISPUTE SOLELY BETWEEN OR AMONG INDEMNITEES AND NOT INVOLVING ANY ACT OR OMISSION OF THE BORROWER, ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES (OTHER THAN ANY CLAIMS AGAINST AN INDEMNITEE IN ITS CAPACITY OR FULFILLING ITS ROLE AS AN AGENT OR ARRANGER WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT).

(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing Persons, under Section 12.03(a) or Section 12.03(b), each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, such Arranger, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (as in effect on the date reimbursement or indemnification is sought under this Section 12.03); 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 the Administrative Agent, such Arranger or the Issuing Bank in its capacity as such.

 

121


(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law (i) the Borrower shall not assert, and the Borrower hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet), and (ii) no party hereto shall assert, and each such party hereby waives, any claim against any other party hereto, 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; provided that, nothing in this clause (d)(ii) shall relieve the Borrower of any obligation it may have to indemnify an Indemnitee against special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.

(e) All amounts due under this Section 12.03 shall be payable not later than ten days after written demand therefor.

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) 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 Persons (other than an Ineligible Institution) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment, participations in Letters of Credit and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of:

(A) the Borrower; provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee; provided, further that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall have objected thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) Business Days after having received notice thereof;

(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;

(C) the Issuing Bank; and

(D) the Swingline Lender.

 

122


(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, 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; provided that this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;

(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (x) an Assignment and Assumption or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and

(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more Credit Contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Loan Parties and their related parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.

For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the term “Approved Fund” and “Ineligible Institution” have the following meanings:

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.

Ineligible Institution” means (a) a natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender or its Lender Parent or (c) the Borrower or any of its Affiliates.

(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to Section 12.04(b)(iv), 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

 

123


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(b) 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 for this purpose as a non-fiduciary 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 of, and 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, the Swingline Lender and each Lender.

(v) Upon its receipt of (x) a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (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; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.08(d), Section 2.08(e), Section 2.09(c), Section 2.05(b), Section 4.02 or Section 12.03(c), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon. 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) Any Lender may, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”), other than an Ineligible Institution, in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or 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

 

124


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(b) that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 5.01, Section 5.02 and Section 5.03 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 5.03(e) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 5.03(e) shall be delivered to the participating Lender and the information)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 12.04(b); provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 5.04 as if it were an assignee under Section 12.04(b) and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 5.01 or Section 5.03, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 5.04(b) with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 12.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 4.01(c) as though it were a Lender. 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 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.

(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 any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or any central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender, and this Section 12.04(d) 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.

 

125


Section 12.05 Survival; Revival; Reinstatement. (a) All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the other Loan Documents 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, the Swingline Lender 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, Section 5.02, Section 5.03, Section 12.03 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.

(b) To the extent that any payments on the Obligations 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 Obligations 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; Electronic Execution. (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. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to (i) fees payable to the Administrative Agent and (ii) the reductions of the LC Commitment of the Issuing Bank 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. 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. 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.

 

126


(b) Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries 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, physical delivery thereof 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 nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept electronic signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent.

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, the Issuing Bank and each of their respective 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 limitation, obligations under Swap Agreements) at any time owing, by such Lender, the Issuing Bank or any such Affiliate, to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or such Issuing Bank or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, the Issuing Bank or Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch office or Affiliate of such Lender or the Issuing Bank different from the branch office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so setoff shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.03 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender, the Issuing Bank and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the Issuing Bank or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the Issuing Bank agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application; provided that the failure to give such notice shall

 

127


not affect the validity of such setoff and application. 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. Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

Section 12.09 GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. (a) THIS AGREEMENT AND THE NOTES SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b) EACH OF THE LENDERS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT, NOTWITHSTANDING THE GOVERNING LAW PROVISIONS OF ANY APPLICABLE LOAN DOCUMENT, ANY CLAIMS BROUGHT AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT BY ANY SECURED PARTY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, THE COLLATERAL OR THE CONSUMMATION OR ADMINISTRATION OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(c) EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN (OR IF SUCH COURT LACKS SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION, THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN), AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY (AND ANY SUCH CLAIMS, CROSS-CLAIMS OR THIRD PARTY CLAIMS BROUGHT AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY OF ITS RELATED PARTIES MAY ONLY) BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH FEDERAL (TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW) OR NEW YORK STATE COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE ISSUING BANK OR ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ANY OTHER ANY LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

 

128


(d) EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT IT MAY LEGALLY AND EFFECTIVELY DO SO, ANY OBJECTION WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (C) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(e) EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 12.01. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.

(f) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS 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 Governmental Authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (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

 

129


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) on a confidential basis to (1) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided for herein or (2) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of identification numbers with respect to the credit facilities provided for herein, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) 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, any Lender or any Affiliate of the foregoing Persons 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 Subsidiary relating to the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s 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 Subsidiary and other than information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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.

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 and the State of New York 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 Obligations (or, to the extent that the principal amount of the Obligations 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 the date of such acceleration or prepayment and, if theretofore paid, shall be credited by such Lender on the principal amount of the Obligations (or, to the extent that the principal amount of the Obligations 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

 

130


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 (i) 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 (ii) 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.

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 Collateral Matters; Swap Agreements; Cash Management Agreements. The benefit of the Security Instruments and of the provisions of this Agreement relating to any Collateral securing the Obligations shall also extend to and be available to Secured Swap Parties and Secured Cash Management Providers on a pro rata basis (but subject to the terms of the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, provisions thereof relating to the application and priority of payments to the Persons entitled thereto) in respect of Secured Swap Obligations and Secured Cash Management Obligations. Except as provided in Section 12.02(b), no Secured Swap Party or Secured Cash Management Provider shall have any voting rights under any Loan Document as a result of the existence of any Secured Swap Obligation or Secured Cash Management Obligation owed to it. Except with respect to the exercise of setoff rights in accordance with Section 12.08 or with respect to a Secured Party’s right to file a proof of claim in an insolvency proceeding, no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce any guarantee of the Obligations, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies under the Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

131


Section 12.15 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, and no other Person (including, without limitation, any Subsidiary of the Borrower, 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. There are no third party beneficiaries other than to the extent contemplated by the last sentence of Section 12.04(a).

Section 12.16 USA PATRIOT Act Notice. Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower and the Guarantors, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and the Guarantors and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower and the Guarantors in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act.

Section 12.17 No Fiduciary Duty; etc.

(a) The Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that no Credit Party will have any obligations except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents and each Credit Party is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Borrower with respect to the Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated herein and therein and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Borrower or any other person. The Borrower agrees that it will not assert any claim against any Credit Party based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by such Credit Party in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Additionally, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that no Credit Party is advising the Borrower as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting, regulatory or any other matters in any jurisdiction. The Borrower shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated herein or in the other Loan Documents, and the Credit Parties shall have no responsibility or liability to the Borrower with respect thereto.

(b) The Borrower further acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party, together with its Affiliates, is a full service securities or banking firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities as well as providing investment banking and other financial services. In the ordinary course of business, any Credit Party may provide investment banking and other financial services to, and/or acquire, hold or sell, for its own accounts and the accounts of customers, equity, debt and other securities and financial instruments (including bank loans and other obligations) of, the Borrower and other companies with which the Borrower may have commercial or other relationships. With respect to any securities and/or financial instruments so held by any Credit Party or any of its customers, all rights in respect of such securities and financial instruments, including any voting rights, will be exercised by the holder of the rights, in its sole discretion.

 

132


(c) In addition, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party and its affiliates may be providing debt financing, equity capital or other services (including financial advisory services) to other companies in respect of which the Borrower may have conflicting interests regarding the transactions described herein and otherwise. No Credit Party will use confidential information obtained from the Borrower by virtue of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents or its other relationships with the Borrower in connection with the performance by such Credit Party of services for other companies, and no Credit Party will furnish any such information to other companies. The Borrower also acknowledges that no Credit Party has any obligation to use in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, or to furnish to the Borrower, confidential information obtained from other companies.

Section 12.18 Flood Insurance Provisions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, in no event is any Building (as defined in the applicable Flood Insurance Regulation) or Manufactured (Mobile) Home (as defined in the applicable Flood Insurance Regulation) included in the definition of “Mortgaged Property” and no Building or Manufactured (Mobile) Home is hereby encumbered by this Agreement or any other Loan Document. As used herein, “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 and (d) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

Section 12.19 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 any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document 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 hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(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 entity, 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

 

133


(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.

Section 12.20 Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for any Swap Agreement or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support”, and each such QFC, a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States): In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.

Section 12.21 Material Non-Public Information.

(a) EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN Section 12.11 FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWER AND ITS RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

 

134


(b) ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWER OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWER AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW.

[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:                    CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
      By:   

/s/ Joseph Grady

                   Name:   Joseph Grady
      Title:     Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY


ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:     JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
   

as Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank,

Swingline Lender and Lender

    By:   

/s/ Anson Williams

    Name:  Anson Williams
    Title:    Authorized Officer

SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY


LENDERS:

  

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,

  

as a Lender

   By:   

/s/ Jay T. Sartain

   Name:   Jay T. Sartain
   Title:     Authorized Signatory

SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY


LENDERS:   CADENCE BANK, N.A.,
  as a Lender
  By:   

/s/ Anthony Blanco

  Name:  Anthony Blanco
  Title:    Senior Vice President

SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY


ANNEX I

LIST OF MAXIMUM CREDIT AMOUNTS

 

NAME OF LENDER

   APPLICABLE
PERCENTAGE
    MAXIMUM CREDIT
AMOUNT
 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

     50.000000000   $ 250,000,000.00  

Royal Bank of Canada

     25.000000000   $ 125,000,000.00  

Cadence Bank, N.A.

     25.000000000   $ 125,000,000.00  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

TOTAL

     100.000000000   $ 500,000,000.00  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

ANNEX I


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF NOTE

 

$[_____________]   [____________], 20[__]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), hereby promises to pay [_________] (the “Lender”), at the principal office of JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (the “Administrative Agent”), 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, Interest Period and maturity 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 September 17, 2019 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 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.

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

EXHIBIT A-2


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF BORROWING REQUEST

[________________], 20[__]

Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Credit Agreement dated as of September 17, 2019 (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, the “Credit Agreement”) among the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 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:

(i) Aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing is $[__________];

(ii) Date of such Borrowing is [__________], 20[__];

(iii) Requested Borrowing is to be [an ABR Borrowing] [a Eurodollar Borrowing];

(iv) In the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period applicable thereto is [__________];

(v) Amount of Borrowing Base in effect on the date hereof is $[__________];

(vi) Total Revolving Credit Exposures on the date hereof (i.e., outstanding principal amount of Loans and total LC Exposure) is $[__________];

(vii) Pro forma total Revolving Credit Exposures (giving effect to the requested Borrowing) is $[__________]; and

(viii) 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:

 

[                                         ]

  

[                                         ]

  

[                                         ]

  

[                                         ]

  

[                                         ]

  

 

EXHIBIT B-1


The undersigned certifies that he/she is the [    ] of the Borrower, and that as such he 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 Borrowing under the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement.

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

EXHIBIT B-2


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF INTEREST ELECTION REQUEST

[________________], 20[__]

Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), pursuant to Section 2.04 of the Credit Agreement dated as of September 17, 2019 (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, the “Credit Agreement”) among the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 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:

(i) 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 (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing) is [__________];

(ii) The effective date of the election made pursuant to this Interest Election Request is [__________], 20[__]; [and]

(iii) The resulting Borrowing is to be [an ABR Borrowing] [a Eurodollar Borrowing][; and]

[(iv) [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.

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

EXHIBIT C-1


EXHIBIT D

FORM OF

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

The undersigned hereby certifies that he/she is the [    ] of Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), and that as such he is authorized to execute this certificate on behalf of the Borrower. With reference to the Credit Agreement dated as of September 17, 2019 (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto being the “Agreement”) among the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 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 given to it in the Agreement unless otherwise specified):

(a) There exists no Default or Event of Default [or specify Default and describe].

(b) Attached hereto are the detailed computations necessary to determine whether the Borrower is in compliance with Section 9.01 as of the end of the [fiscal quarter][fiscal year] ending [______].

(c) [No change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(a).] [A change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 8.01(a), having the following effect on the attached financial statements: [___].]

(d) Attached hereto is a list of each Material Subsidiary and each Immaterial Subsidiary, together with a reasonably detailed explanation of the reason such Subsidiary constitutes a Material Subsidiary or an Immaterial Subsidiary.

 

EXHIBIT D-1


EXECUTED AND DELIVERED this [____] day of [__________].

 

CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

     

Name:
Title:

 

EXHIBIT D-2


EXHIBIT E

SECURITY INSTRUMENTS

 

1.

Guarantee and Collateral Agreement dated as of the date hereof made by the Borrower and each of the other Grantors (as defined therein) in favor of the Administrative Agent.

 

2.

Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Fixture Filing, Assignment of As-Extracted Collateral, Security Agreement and Financing Statement by Crimson Exploration Operating, Inc. to Ronald Dierker, as trustee, for the benefit of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, for the benefit of the Secured Persons.

 

3.

Mortgage, Multiple Indebtedness Mortgage, Line of Credit Mortgage, Fixture Filing, Assignment of As-Extracted Collateral, Security Agreement and Financing Statement by Contango Operators, Inc. to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, for the benefit of the Secured Persons.

 

4.

UCC-1 Financing Statements in respect of items 1 through 3

 

EXHIBIT E-1


EXHIBIT F

FORM OF GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT

See attached.

 

EXHIBIT F-1


EXHIBIT G

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 1 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.

 

1.    Assignor:                                                                     
2.    Assignee:                                                                     
      [and is an Affiliate of [identify Lender]]
3.    Borrower:    Contango Oil & Gas Company
4.    Administrative Agent:    JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement
5.    Credit Agreement:    The Credit Agreement dated as of September 17, 2019 among Contango Oil & Gas Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the Lenders from time to time party thereto

 

EXHIBIT G-1


6.    Assigned Interest:   

 

Commitment Assigned

   Aggregate Amount
of

Commitment/Loans
for all Lenders
     Amount of
Commitment/Loans
Assigned
     Percentage Assigned
of

Commitment/Loans1
 
   $        $          %  
   $        $          %  
   $        $          %  

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:  

 

Name:
Title:
ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
By:  

 

Name:
Title:

 

1 

Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

 

EXHIBIT G-2


[Consented to and]2 Accepted:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
[Consented to:]3
CONTANGO OIL & GAS COMPANY
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:

 

2 

To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

3 

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 G-3


ANNEX 1

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.

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.

 

EXHIBIT G-4


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 communication 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 laws of the State of New York.

 

EXHIBIT G-5


EXHIBIT H-1

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of September 17, 2019 (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, the “Credit Agreement”) among Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents and lenders which are or become parties 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. 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 H-1


EXHIBIT H-2

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of September 17, 2019 (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, the “Credit Agreement”) among Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents and lenders which are or become parties 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. 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 H-2


EXHIBIT H-3

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of September 17, 2019 (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, the “Credit Agreement”) among Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents and lenders which are or become parties 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 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 or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E 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 H-3


EXHIBIT H-4

FORM OF U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of September 17, 2019 (together with all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, the “Credit Agreement”) among Contango Oil & Gas Company, a Texas corporation (the “Borrower”), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents and lenders which are or become parties 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 this 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 or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E 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 LENDER]

 

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

Date:                      , 20[     ]

 

EXHIBIT H-4

Exhibit 99.1

CONTANGO OIL AND GAS COMPANY ANNOUNCES:

 

   

COMMITMENT FOR NEW FIVE-YEAR CREDIT FACILITY LED BY JPMORGAN CHASE BANK N.A.

 

   

SIGNING OF DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE TEXAS, OKLAHOMA AND LOUISIANA ASSETS OF WILL ENERGY CORPORATION

 

   

WITH NEW LIQUIDITY, THE COMPANY TO FOCUS ON ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES

HOUSTON—(September 12, 2019)— Contango Oil & Gas Company (NYSE American: MCF) (“Contango” or the “Company”) announced today that the Company has received a commitment from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Royal Bank of Canada and Cadence Bank, N.A. to provide a senior secured reserve-based revolving credit facility of up to $500 million (the “New Credit Facility”), which is expected to replace the current credit facility which matures on October 1, 2019 (the “Existing Credit Agreement”). The initial borrowing base under the New Credit Facility is expected to be $65 million. Additionally, if the Pending Acquisition (defined below) is consummated on or prior to November 30, 2019, then, subject to certain conditions, the borrowing base is expected to increase to $80 million. The New Credit Facility will have a five year term. The New Credit Facility will be guaranteed by certain of the Company’s subsidiaries and secured by substantially all of Contango’s assets and the assets of the guarantors thereunder, including not less than 85% of the total value of the Company’s proved oil and gas properties. The commitment letter provides that the New Credit Facility is subject to certain conditions to closing, including negotiation of customary credit documents in form and substance satisfactory to the lenders.

Contango expects to enter into the New Credit Facility concurrently with the closing of the equity raise mentioned below, which is a condition to the closing of the New Credit Facility, and to use borrowings thereunder, after deducting fees and expenses related to the New Credit Facility, to repay borrowings under the Existing Credit Agreement and for general corporate purposes, including funding future potential acquisitions or a portion of the Company’s remaining 2019 capital program.

Contango also announced that it has entered into a contribution and purchase agreement with Will Energy Corporation (“Will Energy”) to acquire approximately 159,872 net acres located in North Louisiana (12,560 net acres) and the Western Anadarko Basin in Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle (147,312 net acres) (the “Will Energy Properties”) for aggregate consideration of $23 million, consisting of $20 million in cash and $3 million in common stock (the “Pending Acquisition”). The purchase price is subject to a downward cash adjustment for recent asset sales of certain non-core, non-operated Louisiana properties by Will Energy, together with adjustments to the common stock consideration for title and other customary adjustments. Closing of the transaction is subject to certain customary conditions and is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2019.


The Will Energy Properties are approximately 95% held by production, and currently produce approximately 1,400 boepd with 34% of that production comprised of liquids. Approximately 75% of that production is operated. The Will Energy Properties are mature fields with existing cash flow, low decline and significant development potential from PDNP and PUD opportunities.

The Company plans to finance the cash purchase price of the acquisition with a portion of the net proceeds from a registered public offering of common stock and a private placement of preferred stock to affiliates of John C. Goff (“Goff”), a member of the board of directors. The preferred stock will rank pari passu to common stock in liquidation preference, will not accrue or pay any dividends for the first year, and will automatically convert into common stock upon shareholder approval of the conversion and an increase in the number of authorized shares of common stock. Goff has agreed to cause shares that he beneficially owns to vote in favor of any such proposals.

Wilkie S. Colyer, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “we are delighted to announce a series of transactions that put Contango squarely on the offensive in a target rich environment for our sector. We have received a commitment letter for a new five-year credit facility which, coupled with the equity capital raise, gives us the runway to be a consolidator in the upstream space. We are pleased that John Goff has shown his support by contributing additional capital to the company through an additional $25 million equity investment. The asset acquisition adds mature, PDP heavy reserves and cash flow to our portfolio, and the HBP nature of the asset provides optionality for development upside in the future. We will continue to be opportunistic with our acquisition strategy and think the current A&D environment offers substantial opportunities for further consolidation. We believe we are uniquely positioned to execute on this strategy given our alignment of incentives with all stakeholders. We are excited to welcome new and old partners on the lending side and appreciate the continued support of our equity sponsors.”

Contango Oil & Gas Company is a Houston, Texas based, independent oil and natural gas company whose business is to maximize production and cash flow from its offshore properties in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico and onshore properties in Texas and Wyoming and to use that cash flow to explore, develop, exploit, increase production from and acquire crude oil and natural gas properties in the United States.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are based on Contango’s current expectations and include statements regarding the Pending Acquisition (including timing, purchase price, financing and effects thereof), the New Credit Facility (including timing and final terms thereof), expected reserves, cash flow development upside, consolidation opportunities, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, strategies or statements about future events or performance. Words and phrases used to identify forward-looking statements include terms such as “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “estimates,” “potential,” “possible,” “efforts,” “goal,” or “intends,” or words and phrases stating that certain actions, events or results “may,” “will,” “should,” or “could” be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the statements. These risks include, but are not limited to market conditions, industry conditions and factors which could

 

2


affect Contango’s operations or financial results, including those described in Contango’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors are cautioned that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from the projections in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made and are based on the estimates and opinions of management at the time the statements are made. Contango does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions change, except as required by law.

This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The shares of preferred stock to be sold in the private placement have not been registered under the Securities Act or under any state securities laws and, unless so registered may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

Contango Oil & Gas Company

E. Joseph Grady, 713-236-7400

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

or

Sergio Castro, 713-236-7400

Vice President and Treasurer

Source: Contango Oil & Gas Company

 

3