Terms of Letters of Credit At the time of issuance or amendment, the amount, form, terms and conditions of each Letter of Credit (or amendment thereto as applicable), and of any drafts or acceptances thereunder, shall be subject to approval by the applicable Issuing Bank and the Borrower. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may (i) the expiration date of any Letter of Credit extend beyond the date that is thirty (30) days prior to the Revolving Termination Date, or (ii) any Letter of Credit have an initial duration in excess of one year; provided, however, a Letter of Credit may contain a provision providing for the automatic extension of the expiration date in the absence of a notice of non-renewal from the applicable Issuing Bank but in no event shall any such provision permit the extension of the expiration date of such Letter of Credit beyond the earlier of (x) the date that is thirty (30) days prior to the Revolving Termination Date and (y) the date one year after the current expiration date of such Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Letter of Credit may, as a result of its express terms or as the result of the effect of an automatic extension provision, have an expiration date of not more than one year beyond the Revolving Termination Date (any such Letter of Credit being referred to as an “Extended Letter of Credit”), so long as the Borrower delivers to the Administrative Agent for its benefit and the benefit of the applicable Issuing Bank and the Revolving Lenders no later than fifteen (15) days (or such shorter period as agreed to by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank) prior to the Revolving Termination Date, Cash Collateral for such Letter of Credit for deposit into the Letter of Credit Collateral Account in an amount equal to the Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit; provided, that the obligations of the Borrower under this Section in respect of such Extended Letters of Credit shall survive the termination of this Agreement and shall remain in effect until no such Extended Letters of Credit remain outstanding. If the Borrower fails to provide Cash Collateral with respect to any Extended Letter of Credit by the date fifteen (15) days prior to the Revolving Termination Date, such failure shall be treated as a drawing under such Extended Letter of Credit (in an amount equal to the maximum Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit), which shall be reimbursed (or participations therein funded) by the Revolving Lenders in accordance with the immediately following subsections (i) and (j), with the proceeds being utilized to provide Cash Collateral for such Letter of Credit. The initial Stated Amount of each Letter of Credit shall be at least $50,000 (or such lesser amount as may be acceptable to the applicable Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower).
The Letters of Credit Prior to the Closing Date, the Existing Issuing Banks have issued the Existing Letters of Credit which from and after the Closing Date shall constitute Letters of Credit hereunder. Each Issuing Bank (other than the Existing Issuing Banks) severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to issue letters of credit (the “Letters of Credit”) in U.S. Dollars for the account of the Borrower in support of obligations (including, without limitation, performance, bid and similar bonding obligations and credit enhancement) of the Borrower and its Affiliates, from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until the Business Day before the Termination Date in an aggregate Available Amount (i) for all Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank not to exceed at any time the lesser of (x) the Letter of Credit Facility at such time and (y) such Issuing Bank’s Letter of Credit Commitment at such time and (ii) for each such Letter of Credit not to exceed the Unused Revolving Credit Commitments of the Lenders at such time; provided, however, that in no event shall the aggregate Available Amount for all Letters of Credit exceed $200,000,000; provided, further, that neither Bank of America, National Association, nor SunTrust Bank shall be required, without the consent of such Issuing Bank, to issue Letters of Credit in excess of $100,000,000 outstanding for each such Issuing Bank. No Letter of Credit shall have an expiration date (including all rights of the Borrower or the beneficiary to require renewal) later than the Business Day before the Termination Date. Within the limits of the Letter of Credit Facility, and subject to the limits referred to above, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit under this Section 2.01(b), repay any Letter of Credit Advances resulting from drawings thereunder pursuant to Section 2.04(c) and request the issuance of additional Letters of Credit under this Section 2.01(b); provided, however, that neither Bank of America, National Association, nor SunTrust Bank shall be required to issue Letters of Credit in excess of $100,000,000 outstanding for each such Issuing Bank.
New Letters of Credit So long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, extend, renew or increase any Letter of Credit unless it is satisfied that it will have no Fronting Exposure after giving effect thereto.
Existing Letters of Credit On and after the Closing Date, the Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed for all purposes, including for purposes of the fees to be collected pursuant to Sections 3.3(a) and (b), reimbursement of costs and expenses to the extent provided herein and for purposes of being secured by the Collateral, a Letter of Credit outstanding under this Agreement and entitled to the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and shall be governed by the applications and agreements pertaining thereto and by this Agreement (which shall control in the event of a conflict).
Loans and Letters of Credit On the Closing Date:
Use of Loans and Letters of Credit The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit shall be used to provide working capital for exploration and production operations, to provide funding for general corporate purposes, including the issuance of letters of credit. 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 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 Board.
First Loans and Letters of Credit On the Closing Date:
Issuance of Letters of Credit (a) Subject to and upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, at any time and from time to time on and after the Closing Date and prior to the date that is 15 days prior to the Revolving Credit Maturity Date, each Letter of Credit Issuer agrees to issue (or cause its Affiliates or other financial institution with which the Letter of Credit Issuer shall have entered into an agreement regarding the issuance of letters of credit hereunder, to issue on its behalf), upon the request of and for the account of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, letters of credit (each, a “Letter of Credit”) in such form as may be approved by such Letter of Credit Issuer in its reasonable discretion; provided that the Borrower shall be a co-applicant, and be jointly and severally liable, with respect to each Letter of Credit issued for the account of a Restricted Subsidiary.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no Letter of Credit shall be issued the Stated Amount of which, when added to the Letter of Credit Obligations at such time, would exceed the Letter of Credit Sub-Commitment then in effect, (ii) no Letter of Credit shall be issued the Stated Amount of which, when added to the Letter of Credit Obligations and the Revolving Credit Loans and Swingline Loans outstanding at such time, would exceed the Total Revolving Credit Commitment then in effect, (iii) no Letter of Credit shall be required to be issued by a Letter of Credit Issuer the Stated Amount of which, when added to such Letter of Credit Issuer’s Revolving Credit Exposure (whether held directly or through its Affiliates), would exceed the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Letter of Credit Issuer (or its Affiliates), (iv) each Letter of Credit shall have an expiration date occurring no later than the earlier of (x) one year after the date of issuance thereof, unless otherwise agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer or as provided under Section 3.2(e), and (y) the Letter of Credit Maturity Date, (v) each Letter of Credit shall be denominated in Dollars, (vi) no Letter of Credit shall be issued if it would be illegal under any Applicable Law for the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit to have a Letter of Credit issued in its favor, (vii) no Letter of Credit shall be issued after the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer has received a written notice from the Borrower or the Administrative Agent stating that a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing until such time as the Letter of Credit Issuer shall have received a written notice of (x) rescission of such notice from the party or parties originally delivering such notice or (y) the waiver of such Default or Event of Default in accordance with the provisions of Section 13.1 or that such Default or Event of Default is no longer continuing, (viii) no Letter of Credit shall be issued by the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer if such issuance would cause the Letter of Credit Obligations of such Letter of Credit Issuer to exceed the Letter of Credit Sub-Commitment Obligation of such Letter of Credit Issuer, (ix) UBS AG, Stamford Branch shall only be required to issue standby letters of credit and (x) in no event shall SunTrust Bank be required to issue commercial or trade letters of credit.
(c) In connection with the establishment of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Additional/Replacement Revolving Credit Commitments and subject to the availability of unused Commitments with respect to such newly established Class and the satisfaction of the Conditions set forth in Section 7, the Borrower may, with the written consent of the Letter of Credit Issuer, designate any outstanding Letter of Credit to be a Letter of Credit issued pursuant to such Class of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Additional/Replacement Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable. Upon such designation such Letter of Credit shall no longer be deemed to be issued and outstanding under such prior Class and shall instead be deemed to be issued and outstanding under such newly established Class of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or Additional/Replacement Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable.
(d) On the Closing Date, without further action by any party hereto (including the delivery of a Letter of Credit Request or any consent of, or confirmation by or to, the Administrative Agent), subject to the terms of this Section 3, (i) each Existing Letter of Credit set forth on Schedule 1.1(b) hereto issued by a Letter of Credit Issuer hereunder shall become a Letter of Credit outstanding under this Agreement, shall be deemed to be a Letter of Credit issued under this Agreement and shall be subject to the terms and conditions hereof (including Section 4.1) as if each such Letter of Credit was issued by the applicable Letter of Credit Issuer pursuant to this Agreement and (ii) each Letter of Credit Issuer that has issued an Existing Letter of Credit shall be deemed to have granted each Letter of Credit Participant in respect thereof and each Letter of Credit Participant in respect thereof shall be deemed to have acquired from such Letter of Credit Issuer, on the terms and conditions of Section 3.3 hereof, for such Letter of Credit Participant’s own account and risk, an undivided participation interest in such Letter of Credit Issuer’s obligations and rights under each such Existing Letter of Credit equal to such Letter of Credit Participant’s Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage, as applicable, of (A) the outstanding amount available to be drawn under such Existing Letter of Credit and (B) the aggregate amount of any outstanding reimbursement obligations in respect thereof.
Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit (i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application may be sent by facsimile, by United States mail, by overnight courier, by electronic transmission using the system provided by the L/C Issuer, by personal delivery or by any other means acceptable to the L/C Issuer. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (1) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (2) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (3) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (4) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.
(ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Revolving Credit Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Revolving Credit Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Revolving Credit Lender’s Applicable Revolving Credit Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.
(iii) If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Revolving Credit Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Revolving Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Revolving Credit Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.
(iv) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.
Conditions to Letters of Credit The issuance of any Letter of Credit hereunder (whether or not the applicable Issuing Lender is obligated to issue such Letter of Credit) is subject to the following conditions precedent:
A. On or before the date of issuance of the initial Letter of Credit pursuant to this Agreement, the initial Loans shall have been made.
B. On or before the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit, Administrative Agent shall have received, in accordance with the provisions of subsection 3.1B(i), an originally executed Notice of Issuance of Letter of Credit, in each case signed by the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer or the treasurer of Company or by any executive officer of Company designated by any of the above-described officers on behalf of Company in a writing delivered to Administrative Agent, together with all other information specified in subsection 3.1B(i) and such other documents or information as the applicable Issuing Lender may reasonably require in connection with the issuance of such Letter of Credit.
C. On the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit, all conditions precedent described in subsection 4.2B shall be satisfied to the same extent as if the issuance of such Letter of Credit were the making of a Loan and the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit were a Funding Date.