CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of November 16, 2006 among WARREN RESOURCES, INC., As Borrower The Lenders Party Hereto and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent
Exhibit 10.1
dated as of
November 16, 2006
among
XXXXXX RESOURCES, INC.,
As Borrower
The Lenders Party Hereto
and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.,
as Sole Bookrunner and Sole Lead Arranger
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARTICLE I. Definitions |
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1 |
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SECTION 1.01. |
Defined Terms |
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1 |
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SECTION 1.02. |
Classification of Loans and Borrowings |
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16 |
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SECTION 1.03. |
Terms Generally |
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16 |
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SECTION 1.04. |
Accounting Terms; GAAP |
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16 |
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ARTICLE II. The Credits |
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16 |
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SECTION 2.01. |
Commitments |
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16 |
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SECTION 2.02. |
Loans and Borrowings |
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17 |
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SECTION 2.03. |
Requests for Borrowings |
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17 |
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SECTION 2.04. |
Intentionally Omitted |
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18 |
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SECTION 2.05. |
Intentionally Omitted |
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18 |
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SECTION 2.06. |
Letters of Credit |
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18 |
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SECTION 2.07. |
Funding of Borrowings |
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21 |
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SECTION 2.08. |
Interest Elections |
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22 |
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SECTION 2.09. |
Borrowing Base |
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23 |
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SECTION 2.10. |
Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt |
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24 |
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SECTION 2.11. |
Prepayment of Loans |
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25 |
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SECTION 2.12. |
Fees |
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25 |
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SECTION 2.13. |
Interest |
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26 |
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SECTION 2.14. |
Alternate Rate of Interest |
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27 |
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SECTION 2.15. |
Increased Costs |
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27 |
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SECTION 2.16. |
Break Funding Payments |
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28 |
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SECTION 2.17. |
Taxes |
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29 |
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SECTION 2.18. |
Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs |
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30 |
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SECTION 2.19. |
Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders |
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31 |
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SECTION 2.20. |
Collateral |
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32 |
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ARTICLE III. Representations and Warranties |
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33 |
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SECTION 3.01. |
Organization; Powers |
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33 |
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SECTION 3.02. |
Authorization; Enforceability |
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33 |
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SECTION 3.03. |
Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts |
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34 |
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SECTION 3.04. |
Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change |
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34 |
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SECTION 3.05. |
Ownership; Title to Properties; Licenses; Liens |
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34 |
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SECTION 3.06. |
Litigation and Environmental Matters |
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36 |
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SECTION 3.07. |
Compliance with Laws and Agreements |
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36 |
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SECTION 3.08. |
Investment Company Status |
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36 |
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SECTION 3.09. |
Taxes |
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36 |
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SECTION 3.10. |
ERISA |
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36 |
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SECTION 3.11. |
Disclosure |
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37 |
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SECTION 3.12. |
Insurance |
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37 |
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SECTION 3.13. |
Subsidiaries |
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37 |
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SECTION 3.14. |
No Default |
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37 |
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SECTION 3.15. |
Compliance with Anti-Terrorism Laws |
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37 |
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ARTICLE IV. Conditions |
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37 |
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SECTION 4.01. |
Effective Date |
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38 |
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SECTION 4.02. |
Each Credit Event |
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39 |
ii
ARTICLE V. Covenants |
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40 |
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SECTION 5.01. |
Financial Statements; Other Information |
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40 |
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SECTION 5.02. |
Notices of Material Events |
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42 |
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SECTION 5.03. |
Existence; Conduct of Business |
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42 |
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SECTION 5.04. |
Payment of Obligations |
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42 |
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SECTION 5.05. |
Maintenance of Properties; Insurance |
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43 |
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SECTION 5.06. |
Books and Records; Inspection Rights |
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43 |
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SECTION 5.07. |
Compliance with Laws |
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43 |
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SECTION 5.08. |
Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit |
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43 |
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SECTION 5.09. |
Indebtedness |
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43 |
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SECTION 5.10. |
Liens |
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44 |
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SECTION 5.11. |
Fundamental Changes |
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45 |
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SECTION 5.12. |
Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions |
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45 |
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SECTION 5.13. |
Swap Agreements |
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47 |
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SECTION 5.14. |
Restricted Payments |
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47 |
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SECTION 5.15. |
Transactions with Affiliates |
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47 |
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SECTION 5.16. |
Restrictive Agreements |
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48 |
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SECTION 5.17. |
Agreement to Deliver Collateral Documents |
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48 |
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SECTION 5.18. |
Deposit of Production Proceeds |
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49 |
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SECTION 5.19. |
Subsidiary Guaranty |
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49 |
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SECTION 5.20. |
Patriot Act |
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49 |
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SECTION 5.21. |
Equity Interests |
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49 |
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ARTICLE VI. Financial Covenants |
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50 |
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SECTION 6.01. |
Minimum Current Ratio |
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50 |
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SECTION 6.02. |
Maximum Indebtedness to EBITDAX |
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50 |
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ARTICLE VII. Events of Default |
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50 |
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ARTICLE VIII. The Administrative Agent |
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52 |
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ARTICLE IX. Miscellaneous |
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54 |
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SECTION 9.01. |
Notices |
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54 |
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SECTION 9.02. |
Waivers; Amendments |
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55 |
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SECTION 9.03. |
Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver |
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56 |
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SECTION 9.04. |
Successors and Assigns |
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57 |
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SECTION 9.05. |
Survival |
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59 |
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SECTION 9.06. |
Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness |
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59 |
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SECTION 9.07. |
Severability |
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60 |
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SECTION 9.08. |
Right of Setoff |
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60 |
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SECTION 9.09. |
Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process |
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60 |
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SECTION 9.10. |
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL |
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61 |
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SECTION 9.11. |
Headings |
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61 |
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SECTION 9.12. |
Confidentiality |
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61 |
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SECTION 9.13. |
Interest Rate Limitation |
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61 |
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SECTION 9.14. |
Patriot Act |
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62 |
iii
SCHEDULES:
Pricing Schedule
Schedule 2.01 — Commitments
Schedule 3.06 — Disclosed Matters
Schedule 3.13 — Subsidiaries
Schedule 5.09 — Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 5.10 — Existing Liens
Schedule 5.16 — Existing Restrictions
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit A — Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B — Form of Note
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This Credit Agreement, dated as of November 16, 2006, is among XXXXXX RESOURCES, INC., a Maryland corporation; JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., a national banking association, individually and as the Administrative Agent and as issuer of Letters of Credit; and X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES, INC., as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner; and the LENDERS. The Parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I.
Definitions
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
“ABR” means Alternative Base Rate when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, and refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing 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 the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period.
“Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls, is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as the same may be amended, restated, or supplemented.
“Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and after the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect after giving effect to any assignments.
“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, or with respect to the facility fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth in the Pricing Schedule.
“Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.
“Approved Petroleum Engineer” means Xxxxxxxxxx Petroleum Consultants, Inc. or any other reputable firm of independent petroleum engineers selected by the Borrower and acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
“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 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Authorized Officer” means any of the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, or any Vice President of the Borrower or the Guarantor, acting singly.
“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date up to, but excluding, the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.
“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.
“Bond” means any completion bond, performance bond, bid bond, appeal bond, surety bond, insurance obligation or bond or any similar bond or obligation, or any letter of credit or guarantee functioning as or supporting any of the foregoing bonds or obligations, incurred by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business.
“Borrower” means XXXXXX RESOURCES, INC., a Maryland corporation.
“Borrowing” means Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.
“Borrowing Base” means the amount of indebtedness which can be adequately supported by the value of oil and gas reserves attributable to the Collateral, which value shall be determined by the Lenders or Required Lenders, as applicable, in the exercise of their reasonable discretion and in accordance with the Lenders’ customary practices and standards for oil and gas loans; all as more particularly set forth in Section 2.09.
“Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.
“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in Houston, Texas are authorized or required by law to be 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 Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.
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“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 Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower; or (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower, nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated.
“Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement, or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any applicable 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.
“Charges” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.13.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“Collateral” means any Property or asset of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, now or hereafter acquired, which is subject to a Lender Lien in favor of the Secured Parties (or in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties) or which, under the terms of any Collateral Document or otherwise, is purported to be subject to such a Lien, as described in Section 2.20.
“Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Deeds of Trust, any Guaranty, and any Security Agreements, in each case executed pursuant to this Agreement, and all financing statements filed in connection therewith.
“Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable. The maximum aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments during the term of this agreement shall not exceed $150,000,000.
“Consolidated Current Assets” means the total of the consolidated current assets of the Borrower (excluding assets of Unrestricted Subsidiaries), including the amounts available for borrowing under the Borrowing Base; provided, however, that in determining consolidated current assets, such determination shall not include non-cash gains, losses or charges required (a) under SFAS 133, (b) under SFAS 143, or (c) the non-cash effects, if any, of any non-cash stock option accrual under FAS 123.
“Consolidated Current Liabilities” means the total of the consolidated current liabilities of the Borrower (excluding liabilities of Unrestricted Subsidiaries), provided, however, that in determining consolidated current liabilities, such determination shall not include non-cash gains, losses or charges required (a) under SFAS 133, or (b) under SFAS 143.
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“Consolidated Net Income” means, with reference to any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of the Borrower for such period in accordance with GAAP (excluding the net income (or loss) of Unrestricted Subsidiaries).
“Control”, including the variants “Controlling” and “Controlled,” 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 majority voting power, by contract or otherwise.
“Current Maturities of Long Term Indebtedness” means, at any time, that portion of Long Term Indebtedness that should be classified as current in accordance with GAAP.
“Deed of Trust” means each Deed of Trust, Mortgage, Line of Credit Mortgage, Assignment, Security Agreement, Fixture Filing and Financing Statement executed by the Borrower or any Guarantor in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, as it may be amended or modified and in effect from time to time.
“Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.
“Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Loans or any participation in any Letter of Credit required to be funded by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) unless subject to a good faith dispute, has failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due, or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.
“Defensible Title” means, with respect to the assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (a) the title of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary to such assets is free and clear of all Liens of any kind whatsoever (except Liens and encumbrances permitted by Section 5.10), (b) the title of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary as is deducible from applicable public records, and (c) with respect to the Mortgaged Properties, the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.05(a) are true and correct.
“Designated Title Exceptions” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.05(a).
“Disclosed Matters” means the actions, suits and proceedings and the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.
“dollars” or “$” means and refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
“Draw Limit” means the amount the Borrower may elect to be available for Loans and Letters of Credit hereunder, provided that the amount elected by the Borrower shall not, once so elected, be increased without the consent of the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.
“EBITDAX” means Consolidated Net Income plus, to the extent deducted from revenues in determining Consolidated Net Income, (i) interest expense, (ii) expense for taxes paid or accrued, (iii) depreciation, (iv) amortization, (v) depletion of reserves, (vi) oil and gas asset impairment write downs, (vii) lease impairment expense, (viii) abandonment, (ix) exploration expenses, and (x) extraordinary losses incurred other than in the ordinary course of business, minus, to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, extraordinary gains realized other than in the ordinary course of
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business, and other non-cash charges. EBITDAX shall not include non-cash effects of (i) the early extinguishment of long-term debt, and (ii) stock option expense.
“Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).
“Embargoed Person” means any Person identified by OFAC or any other Person with whom a Person resident in the United States of America may not conduct business or transactions by prohibition of federal law or Executive Order of the President of the United States of America.
“Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material, or to health and safety matters.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
“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.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
“ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that
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a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
“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 Article VII.
“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.19(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.17(a).
“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
“Fee Letter” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 2.12(d).
“Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
“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.
“Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness
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or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
“Guarantor” means (i) initially, Xxxxxx Resources of California, Inc., a California corporation, and Xxxxxx E&P, Inc., a New Mexico corporation, and (ii) each other Restricted Subsidiary that hereafter executes and delivers to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a Guaranty, in each case until such Person ceases to be a Guarantor in accordance with the terms hereof.
“Guaranty” means any Guarantee, executed by a Guarantor in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, as it may be amended or modified and in effect from time to time.
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Hydrocarbons” means oil, gas, casinghead gas, coalbed methane, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all products refined or separated therefrom and all other minerals.
“Hydrocarbons Interests” means all of the Borrower’s and the Guarantors’ rights, titles, interests and estates 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 interest of similar nature, in and under the Oil and Gas Properties that are subject to Lenders Liens.
“Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other
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relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.
“Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Initial Reserve Report” means the reserve report dated January 14, 2006, as of December 31, 2005, prepared by Xxxxxxxxxx Petroleum Consultants, Inc., an independent petroleum engineer, concerning the Oil and Gas Properties based on reasonable assumptions specified by the Administrative Agent (including discount rates and projected hydrocarbon price assumptions), a copy of which has been delivered to each Lender.
“Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08.
“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period.
“Interest Period” means (a) 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, six or 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, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately 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 initial date of a Borrowing shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made, and in the case of a Borrowing thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
“Issuing Bank” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(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.
“Law” means all applicable statutes, laws, ordinances, regulations, orders, writs, injunctions or decrees of any state, commonwealth, nation, country, territory, possession, county, parish, municipality or Tribunal.
“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 minus (c) the amount of cash
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collateral deposited pursuant to Section 2.06(j) or Section 2.09(e) or (f). The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.
“Lender Counterparty” means any Person that was a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender at the time it became a counterparty to a Swap Agreement with Borrower or any Guarantor.
“Lender Liens” means the Liens granted in the Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties or directly for the benefit of any Secured Party pursuant to the Loan Documents.
“Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.
“Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement.
“LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on Page 3750 of the Telerate (or on any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to or substitute for such service providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset or any other Lien authorized hereby (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, and (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Notes, the applications, agreement and/or such other instruments required by the Lenders in connection with Letters of Credit, the Collateral Documents and the ISDA Master Agreement.
“Loan Excess” means the amount (if any) by which the Revolving Credit Exposure exceeds the Borrowing Base in effect on the date of determination (whether as a result of a scheduled or unscheduled redetermination or otherwise).
“Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
“Long Term Indebtedness” means, at any time, all consolidated Indebtedness of the Borrower that should be classified as “funded indebtedness” or “long term indebtedness” on the Borrower’s balance sheet as of such date, in accordance with GAAP, excluding “funded indebtedness” or “long term indebtedness” of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
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“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, operations, or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole (other than general economic conditions affecting the oil and gas industry as a whole), (b) the ability of the Borrower to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or (c) the rights of or benefits available to the Lenders under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
“Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (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 its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $2,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.
“Material Sales Contract” means, as of any date of determination, any agreement for the sale of Hydrocarbons from the Oil and Gas Properties included in the Borrowing Base to which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is a party if the aggregate volume of Hydrocarbons sold pursuant to such agreement during the twelve months immediately preceding such date equals or exceeds 10% of the aggregate volume of Hydrocarbons from the Oil and Gas Properties included in the Borrowing Base sold by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, during the twelve months immediately preceding such date.
“Maturity Date” means November , 2011.
“Maximum Rate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.13.
“Moody’s” means Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc.
“Mortgaged Properties” means the Oil and Gas Properties described in one or more duly executed, delivered and filed Deeds of Trust evidencing a first and prior Lender Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and subject only to the Liens permitted pursuant to Section 5.10.
“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Non-Recourse Debt” mean Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Guarantor for which the Borrower or such Guarantor, as the case may be, is not personally liable for payment.
“Note” means, with respect to any Lender, the promissory note in the form of Exhibit B issued at the request of such Lender pursuant to Section 2.10.
“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of the Treasury.
“Oil and Gas Properties” means Hydrocarbon Interests; the properties now or hereafter pooled or unitized with Hydrocarbon Interests; all presently existing or future unitization, 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 body or agency having jurisdiction) which may affect all or any portion of the Hydrocarbon Interests; all operating agreements, contracts and other agreements which relate to any of the Hydrocarbon Interests or the production, sale, purchase, exchange or processing of Hydrocarbons from or attributable to such Hydrocarbon Interests; all
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Hydrocarbons in and under and which may be produced and saved or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, the lands covered thereby and all oil in tanks and all rents, issues, profits, proceeds, products, and revenues from or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests; all tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances and properties in anywise appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to the Hydrocarbon Interests, rights, titles, interests and estates described or referred to above, including any and all real or personal property, now owned or hereafter acquired and situated upon, used, held for use or useful in connection with the operating, working or development of any of such Hydrocarbon Interests (excluding drilling rigs, automotive 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 xxxxx, gas xxxxx, injection xxxxx or other xxxxx, buildings, structures, fuel separators, liquid extraction plants, plant compressors, pumps, pumping units, field gathering systems, tanks and tank batteries, fixtures, valves, fittings, machinery and parts, engines, boilers, meters, apparatus, equipment, appliances, tools, implements, cables, wires, towers, casing, tubing and rods, surface leases, rights-of-way, easements and servitudes together with all additions, substitutions, replacements, accessions and attachments to any and all of the foregoing, insofar as the same relate to the Hydrocarbon Interests.
“Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.
“Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
“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 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), and the related regulations issued thereunder, including temporary regulations.
“Party” and “Parties” mean, individually and collectively, the Administrative Agent, each Lender, the Borrower, each Guarantor and each Restricted Subsidiary.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
“Permitted Encumbrances” means any or all of the following:
(a) Lender Liens;
(b) Liens imposed by law for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(c) Liens of landlords, vendors, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, repairmen and other like Liens or charges imposed by law, or otherwise, arising in the ordinary course of business for amounts not yet delinquent (including any amounts being withheld) or securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 90 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(d) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;
(e) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
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(f) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII;
(g) easements, zoning or other restrictions, rights-of-way, covenants, conditions, servitudes, permits, authorizations, surface and use leases and agreements, rights, obligations and similar encumbrances on real or personal property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that: (i) are of record, (ii) are apparent from a physical inspection of the affected properties, (iii) the Borrower took subject to, (iv) do not secure any monetary obligations, (v) do not materially detract from the value of the affected property, and (vi) do not interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(h) liens in favor of co-owner working interest owners under joint operating agreements;
(i) inchoate liens arising under ERISA to secure the contingent liabilities, if any, permitted by this Agreement;
(j) deposits, encumbrances or pledges to secure payments of workers compensation insurance and related payments, public liability, unemployment and other insurance, old-age pensions of other social security obligations, or the performance of bids, tenders, leases, contracts (other than contracts for the payment of money), public or statutory obligations, surety, stay or appeal bonds, or other similar obligations arising in the ordinary course of business;
(k) any Designated Title Exceptions which are incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(l) encumbrances arising out of judgments or awards in respect of which the Borrower shall in good faith be prosecuting an appeal or proceedings for review; provided that the Borrower shall have set aside on its books adequate reserves, in accordance with GAAP, with respect to such judgment or award;
(m) Liens affecting the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s Equity Interests in any Unrestricted Subsidiary;
provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness (other than Bonds).
“Permitted Investments” means:
(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;
(b) investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days after the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, one of the two highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;
(c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 365 days after the date of acquisition thereof that are issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any
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commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $250,000,000;
(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above; and
(e) money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.
“Pricing Schedule” means the schedule attached hereto identified as such.
“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City, and each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and after the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
“Property” of a Person means any and all property, whether real, personal, tangible, intangible, or mixed, of such Person, or other assets owned, leased or operated by such Person.
“Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.
“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing at least 66⅔% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments.
“Reserve Report” means the Initial Reserve Report and each reserve report delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(d) or (e).
“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 Subsidiary, 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 option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower.
“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
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“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Loans and its LC Exposure.
“Rights” means rights, remedies, powers, and privileges.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s.
“Security Agreements” means any and all security agreements now or hereafter executed by a Guarantor or the Borrower in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, as they may be amended or modified and in effect from time to time.
“Secured Obligations” means, collectively, all obligations of every nature of the Borrower or any Guarantor from time to time owed to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Lenders or any of them and the Lender Counterparties under any Loan Document or Swap Agreement (including, with respect to any Swap Agreement, obligations owed under any Swap Agreement to any Person that was a Lender Counterparty at the time such Swap Agreement was entered into), whether for principal, interest, reimbursement of amounts drawn under any Letter of Credit, payments for early termination of Swap Agreements, funding indemnification amounts, fees, expenses, indemnification or otherwise.
“Secured Party” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, any Lender and any Lender Counterparty and shall include Lenders and Lender Counterparties to the extent that any Secured Obligations owing to such Persons were incurred while such Persons were Lenders or Lender Counterparties.
“Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such 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 such 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.
“Subordinated Indebtedness” of a Person means any Indebtedness of such Person the payment of which is subordinated to payment of the Secured Obligations and contains satisfactory provisions regarding maturity, covenants and events of default; all to the reasonable written satisfaction of the Administrative Agent.
“subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity, 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 corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the 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.
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“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.
“Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities; economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value; any similar transaction; or any combination of these transactions, including, without limitation, the ISDA Master Agreement; 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.
“Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.
“Total Net Debt” means, on any date of determination, the Borrower’s consolidated Indebtedness (excluding Non-Recourse Debt and Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary on such date) less the amount of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents on hand as of such date.
“Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.
“Tribunal” means any government, any arbitration panel, any court or any governmental department, central bank or comparable agency, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality of the United States or any state, province, commonwealth, nation, territory, possession, county, parish, town, township, village or municipality, whether now or hereafter constituted or existing.
“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 Adjusted LIBO Rate the Alternate Base Rate.
“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary that at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of the Borrower in the manner provided below, and (b) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. The Board of Directors of the Borrower may, at any time and from time to time, designate any Subsidiary (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary, but excluding any Subsidiary that owns or operates Oil and Gas Properties included in the Borrowing Base (except to the extent the Borrower complies with Section 9.02(c) in connection therewith) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary provided that (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred or is continuing at the time of such designation and after giving effect to such designation, (ii) immediately after such designation, neither for Borrower nor any Guarantor has any obligation to pay any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary (excluding any contingent liability arising solely by virtue of such Person’s general partnership interest so long as (i) such Unrestricted Subsidiary’s charter documents prohibit it from incurring Indebtedness and (ii) such Unrestricted Subsidiary has not incurred any Indebtedness), has in any way guaranteed any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary, or has any assets or properties (excluding a pledge of the Equity Interests in such Subsidiary) which are subject to any Lien securing any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary, and (iii) notice of any such designation is promptly given to the Administrative Agent in writing. The Board of Directors of the Borrower may, at any time and from time to time, designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary provided that (i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred or is continuing at the time of such designation and after giving effect to such designation, and (ii) notice of any such designation is promptly given to the Administrative Agent in writing.
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“Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans and Borrowings may be classified and referred to by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”).
SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. 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” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assignees, (c) 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, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.
ARTICLE II.
The Credits
SECTION 2.01. Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Loans to the Borrower 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 sum of 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 Loans, provided, that the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure shall not exceed the least of (a) the aggregate Commitments, (b) the Borrowing Base, and (c) the Draw Limit.
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SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings.
(a) Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.
(b) Subject to Section 2.14, each Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(c) 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 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 an ABR Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e). Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of 5 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.
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Borrowings. To request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing, or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 10:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by 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”; and
(v) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.07.
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If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, 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. Intentionally Omitted.
SECTION 2.05. Intentionally Omitted.
SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit.
(a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit for its own account, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, or such terms and conditions contain representations, defaults, covenants, or grants of security not found in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, then such provisions shall be deemed ineffective and the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.
(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (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) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, 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. If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. 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 such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed $10,000,000 and (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments.
(c) Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date ; provided that any Letter of Credit with a one-year term may provide for the renewal thereof for additional one-year periods (which shall in no event extend beyond the date referred to in clause (ii) above).
(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
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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 paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph 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 or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.
(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 (i) the Business Day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 that such payment be financed with an ABR Borrowing in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Borrowing. If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 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 paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph 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 paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Loans as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.
(f) Obligations Absolute. The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section 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 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 (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, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against,
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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), 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), or any error in interpretation of technical terms 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 consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The Parties 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 care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.
(g) Disbursement Procedures. The Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) 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 up to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Loans; provided that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(d) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph 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 paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.
(i) Replacement of the Issuing Bank. The Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this
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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.
(j) Cash Collateralization. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 66⅔% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrower shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. 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 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 (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 66⅔% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, 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.
SECTION 2.07. Funding of Borrowings.
(a) 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 12:00 noon, Houston, Texas time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent in Houston, Texas and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.
(b) 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 paragraph (a) of this Section 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 up to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If
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such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.
SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections.
(a) Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefore, all as provided in this Section. 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.
(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, 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 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 or telecopy (or transmitted by electronic communication if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Administrative Agent) to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.
(c) 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 clauses (iii) and (iv) below 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.
(d) 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) 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
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converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
SECTION 2.09. Borrowing Base.
(a) During the period from the date of this Agreement to the date as of which the Borrowing Base is first redetermined pursuant to Section 2.09(b), the Borrowing Base shall be $40,000,000.00.
(b) On or before March 1 and September 1 of each year, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent all information, reports, and data which the Administrative Agent has then reasonably requested concerning the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ businesses and properties (including their Oil and Gas Properties and interests and the reserves and production relating thereto and detailed consolidated financial projections and capital budget), together with the Reserve Report described in Section 5.01(d) or (e), as appropriate, prepared as of the immediately preceding June 30 or December 31, respectively. By April 1, in the case of the Reserve Report delivered by March 1, and by October 1, in the case of the Reserve Report delivered by September 1, or as promptly thereafter as practicable, in either case, (i) the Administrative Agent shall determine and the Required Lenders shall approve an amount for the Borrowing Base (provided that all Lenders must agree to any increase in the Borrowing Base) and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall, by notice to the Borrower, designate such amount as the new Borrowing Base available to the Borrower hereunder, which designation shall take effect immediately on the date such notice is sent and shall remain in effect (subject to reduction pursuant to Section 2.09(e) or (f)) until, but not including, the next date as of which the Borrowing Base is redetermined. After having received notice of such proposed Borrowing Base by the Administrative Agent, each Lender shall have ten (10) days to agree or disagree with such proposal. Any failure of a Lender to communicate its approval or disapproval within such ten (10) day period shall be deemed to be an approval of such proposal. If the Borrower does not furnish such Reserve Report by the date specified in the first sentence of this section, the Administrative Agent may nonetheless designate the Borrowing Base at any amount which the Required Lenders in their reasonable discretion have approved, and may redesignate the Borrowing Base from time to time thereafter until each Lender receives the Reserve Report, whereupon the Required Lenders shall designate a new Borrowing Base as described above. Any redetermination of the Borrowing Base shall not be effective until written notice is sent to the Borrower.
(c) In addition to the foregoing, the Required Lenders or the Borrower may initiate a redetermination of the Borrowing Base at any other time as they or it, as the case may be, so elect (including, without limitation, if the Borrower fails to follow the development plan disclosed to the Administrative Agent on or about the Effective Date); provided, however, that the Borrower may initiate only one (1) such unscheduled redetermination between each scheduled redetermination by specifying in writing to the Administrative Agent the date on which the Borrower will furnish the information required by Section 2.09(b) and the date on which it desires such redetermination to occur. The Administrative Agent shall propose, and the Required Lenders shall have at least forty-five (45) days after the delivery of the information required by Section 2.09(b) to approve, any unscheduled redetermination of the Borrowing Base requested by the Borrower (provided that all Lenders must agree to any increase in the Borrowing Base). Any failure of a Lender to communicate its approval or disapproval within such forty-five (45) day period shall be deemed an approval of such proposal. The Required Lenders may, at any time in their reasonable discretion, initiate an unscheduled redetermination of the Borrowing Base by specifying in writing to the Borrower the date by which the Borrower is to furnish the information
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required by Section 2.09(b) which shall be at least forty-five (45) days from the date of such notice and the projected date on which such redetermination is to occur. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower, in writing, of the new Borrowing Base.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall determine and the Required Lenders shall approve the amount of the Borrowing Base based upon the loan collateral value which they, in their reasonable discretion (using such methodology, assumptions and discount rates as the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders customarily use in assigning collateral value to Oil and Gas Property) assign to the various Oil and Gas Properties of the Guarantor, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries at the time in question, and based upon such other credit factors consistently applied (including, without limitation, the assets senior and subordinate liabilities, cash flow, hedged and unhedged exposure to oil and gas prices, foreign exchange rate and interest rate changes, business, properties, prospects, management, and ownership of the Guarantor, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries) as they in their reasonable discretion deem significant and customarily consider in evaluating similar oil and gas credits. It is expressly understood that the Required Lenders and the Administrative Agent have no obligation to agree upon or designate the Borrowing Base at any particular amount, whether in relation to the Aggregate Commitment or otherwise, and that the Lenders’ Commitments to advance funds hereunder is determined by reference to the Borrowing Base from time to time in effect, and, to the extent permitted by Law and regulatory authorities, for the purposes of capital adequacy determination and reimbursements under Section 2.15. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the amount of the Borrowing Base may not be increased at any time without the consent of 100% of the Lenders.
(e) Upon the sale of any of the Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary representing in excess of five percent (5%) of the Borrowing Base immediately prior to such sale, the Agent and the Required Lenders may redetermine the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.09(c) and the Borrower shall eliminate any Loan Excess within ten (10) days after receipt of written notice from the Administrative Agent of the new Borrowing Base and such Loan Excess by prepaying without premium or penalty (other than funding indemnification amounts due under Section 2.16), the principal amount of the Loans in an amount sufficient to eliminate such Loan Excess (or if a Loan Excess remains after prepaying all of the Loans because of LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such remaining Loan Excess to be held in a cash collateral account).
(f) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.09(e), in the event a Loan Excess exists, the Borrower shall, within ten (10) days after written notice from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower of such Loan Excess, notify the Administrative Agent that the Borrower intends to take one or more of the following actions: (i) provide the Administrative Agent within thirty (30) days thereafter and by instruments reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent, with additional security consisting of Oil and Gas Property with a value and quality satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion sufficient to eliminate such Loan Excess, (ii) within thirty (30) days thereafter, prepay, without premium or penalty (other than funding indemnification amounts due under Section 2.16), the principal amount of the Loans in an amount sufficient to eliminate such Loan Excess (or if a Loan Excess remains after prepaying all of the Loans because of LC Exposure, pay to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders an amount equal to such remaining Loan Excess to be held in a cash collateral account), (iii) prepay, without premium or penalty, the principal amount of such Loan Excess in not more than three (3) equal monthly installments plus accrued interest thereon and make the first such monthly payment on the 60th day after the Borrower’s receipt of notice of such Loan Excess, or (iv) provide a combination of such additional security and such prepayments to eliminate such Loan Excess.
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SECTION 2.10. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.
(a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Loan on the Maturity Date.
(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the Indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder, and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).
SECTION 2.11. Prepayment of Loans.
(a) 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 Section 2.16 and subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section.
(b) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy or other electronic communication agreed by the Administrative Agent) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, one Business Day before the date 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. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13.
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SECTION 2.12. Fees.
(a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a facility fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Draw Limit minus such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure during the period from and including the Maturity Date up to but excluding the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates; provided that, if such Lender continues to have any Revolving Credit Exposure after its Commitment terminates, then such facility fee shall continue to accrue on the daily amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure from and including the date on which its Commitment terminates up to but excluding the date on which such Lender ceases to have any Revolving Credit Exposure. Accrued facility fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof; provided that any facility fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. All facility fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(b) 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 Rate (plus, at any time an Event of Default is continuing, two percent (2%)) 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 up 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, and (ii) to the Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.00125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date up 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, as well as the Issuing Bank’s 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 date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph 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 and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(c) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution to the Lenders (in the case of facility fees and participation fees). Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.
(d) The Borrower agrees to pay all other fees payable to the Administrative Agent as set forth in a fee letter (the “Fee Letter”) dated of even date herewith between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 2.13. Interest.
(a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
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(b) 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 Rate.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, (after as well as before judgment) at a rate per annum equal to 2% plus the rate otherwise in effect for such Loan, fee or other amount.
(d) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), 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) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, 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.
SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or
(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required 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 (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;
then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.
SECTION 2.15. Increased Costs.
(a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by,
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any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing Bank; or
(ii) impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender or the Issuing Bank of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the Issuing Bank hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then 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, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital 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), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth (i) 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 paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section , and (ii) in reasonable detail the basis for, and the calculation of, such additional amount or amounts, 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 15 days after receipt thereof.
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 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 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 2.16. 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 (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.11(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a
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result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 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 15 days after receipt thereof.
SECTION 2.17. Taxes.
(a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Bank (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Issuing Bank, within 10 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the Issuing Bank, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the Issuing Bank, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law, such
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properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate.
(f) If the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17, it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This Section shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.
SECTION 2.18. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.
(a) 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 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, Houston, Texas time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. 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 at 000 Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 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) 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 costs and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of costs and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of the Secured Obligations, in such manner and order as the Administrative Agent may elect; provided that in the event such funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent as a result of the exercise of any rights and remedies with respect to any collateral under the Collateral Documents, the Administrative Agent’s determination of the application of proceeds (as set forth in the Collateral Documents) shall include shall include, on a pari passu basis, the Lender Counterparties and the actual aggregate amounts then due and owing to each Lender Counterparty by the Borrower or any Guarantor as a result of the early termination of any transactions under any Swap Agreements included in the Secured Obligations (after giving effect to any netting agreements).
(c) 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
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LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph 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.
(d) 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 hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.
SECTION 2.19. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to (x) file any certificate or document reasonably requested by the Borrower or (y) designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or (z) assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such filing, designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17, 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.
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(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and if a Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Bank), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
(c) If in connection with any proposed amendment, modification, termination, waiver or consent with respect to any of the provisions of this Agreement or any other Loan Document as contemplated by Section 9.02, the consent of Required Lenders shall have been obtained but the consent of one or more of such other Lenders (each a “Non-Consenting Lender”) whose consent is required has not been obtained or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender; then, the Borrower may elect to replace such Non-Consenting Lender or Defaulting Lender, as the case may be, as a Lender party to this Agreement in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by Section 9.04; provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and if a Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Bank), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
SECTION 2.20. Collateral.
(a) First Lien. The full and complete payment and performance of the Secured Obligations shall be secured under the Collateral Documents by first and prior Lender Liens (subject to Section 5.10) in, to and on all of the following Rights, titles, and interests in and to (but none of the Borrower’s or Guarantors’ obligations with respect to) the following items and types of Property, to the extent and all as more particularly set forth in the Collateral Documents:
(i) all present and future Rights, titles and interests that the Borrower and any Guarantor now own or hereafter acquire in and to their respective Oil and Gas Properties including, but not limited to, oil and gas and/or oil, gas and mineral leases and interests, royalty and overriding royalty interests, production payment and net profits
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interests, mineral fee interests, and Rights therein, including, without limitation, all reversionary or carried interests relating to the foregoing, together with all present and future Rights, titles and interests in and to all present and future unitization, communitization and pooling agreements (and all properties covered and units created thereby), whether arising by contract or operation of Law, which now or hereafter include all or any part of the foregoing and together with all lands now or hereafter subject to any of the foregoing, and all tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances, and properties in anywise appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to any of the foregoing;
(ii) all present and future oil, gas or other liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons, and other minerals now or hereafter accruing to or produced from mineral interests described in (i) preceding and/or to which the Borrower and any Guarantor now or hereafter may be entitled as a result of ownership thereof;
(iii) whether now owned or hereafter acquired, all present and future Rights, titles and interests of the Borrower and any Guarantor (including without limitation, the Rights to receive payments due thereunder) in and to any and all gas sales contracts, oil, gas or other condensates or other products sales contracts now or hereafter existing in connection with the Collateral described hereinabove; and
(iv) all present and future increases, profits, combinations and reclassifications of, and substitutions and replacements for, all or part of the Collateral heretofore described;
provided, that as to Oil and Gas Properties, the Borrower shall only be required to grant a Lenders Lien up to 80% of the aggregate present worth of the proved reserves included in the Borrowing Base.
(b) Lender Liens. The Lender Liens in the Collateral shall be further evidenced and governed by the Collateral Documents.
ARTICLE III.
Representations and Warranties
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
SECTION 3.04. Organization; Powers. Each of the Borrower and its Restricted 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 to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.
SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within the Borrower’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action on the part of the Borrower. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
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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 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require the Borrower or any Subsidiary to obtain any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) will not result in a violation by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument evidencing Material Indebtedness or a Material Sales Contract binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries other than Permitted Encumbrances.
SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.
(a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, each certified by its chief financial officer. 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 dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.
(b) As of the date hereof, since September 30, 2006, there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, operations or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(c) As of the date of delivery of each financial statement required by Section 5.01 (the “Current Financial Statement”), since the delivery of the financial statements immediately preceding the Current Financial Statement, there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, operations or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
SECTION 3.05. Ownership; Title to Properties; Licenses; Liens.
(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 5.10 attached hereto, Borrower and each Guarantor has Defensible Title to each Mortgaged Property having a book cost in excess of $200,000 (except to the extent that (a) such assets have thereafter been disposed of in compliance with this Agreement or (b) leases for such property have expired pursuant to their terms), in each case free and clear of all Liens, except (i) Liens permitted by Section 5.10, (ii) obligations or duties to any municipality or public authority with respect to any franchise, grant, license or permit and all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority, (iii) all lessors’ royalties, overriding royalties, net profits interests, production payments, carried interests, reversionary interests and other burdens on or deductions from the proceeds of production, (iv) the terms and conditions of joint operating agreements and other oil and gas contracts, (v) all rights to consent by required notices to, and filing with or other actions by governmental or tribal entities, if any, in connection with the change of ownership or control of an interest in federal, state, tribal or other domestic governmental oil and gas leases, if the same are customarily obtained in connection with such change of ownership or control, but only insofar as such
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consents, notices, filings and other actions relate to the transactions permitted by this Agreement, (vi) any preferential purchase rights, (vii) required third party consents to assignment, (viii) conventional rights of reassignment prior to abandonment and (ix) the terms and provisions of oil and gas leases, unit agreements, pooling agreements, and other documents creating interests comprising the Oil and Gas Properties, Hydrocarbons and Hydrocarbon Interests; provided, however, the exceptions described in clauses (i) through (viii) inclusive above are qualified to include only those exceptions in each case which do not operate to (A) reduce the net revenue interest of Borrower or any Guarantor below that set forth in the Reserve Report, (B) increase the proportionate share of costs and expenses of leasehold operations attributable to or to be borne by the working interest of Borrower or any Guarantor above that set forth in the Reserve Report without a proportionate increase in the net revenue interest of Borrower or such Guarantor or (C) increase the working interest of Borrower or any Guarantor above that set forth in the Reserve Report without a proportionate increase in the net revenue interest of Borrower or such Guarantor, and. provided further that the foregoing defects, limitations, liens and encumbrances, whether individually material or not, do not in the aggregate create a Material Adverse Effect (the categories of exceptions in clauses (i) through (viii), as so qualified and as any such exceptions may exist from time to time, being referred to as the “Designated Title Exceptions”).
(b) After giving full effect to the Liens permitted under Section 5.10, except as set out in Schedule 5.10, the Guarantor, the Borrower or their Subsidiaries own the net interests in production attributable to the xxxxx and units evaluated in the Initial Reserve Report or the most recent Reserve Report furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 5.01(d) or (e) except to the extent that (a) such assets have thereafter been disposed of incompliance with this Agreement or (b) leases for such property have expired pursuant to their terms. The ownership of such Oil and Gas Properties shall not in any material respect obligate the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to bear the costs and expenses relating to the maintenance, development and operations of each such Oil and Gas Property in any amount in excess of the working interest of each Oil and Gas Property set forth in the Initial Reserve Report or the most recent Reserve Report furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 5.01(d) or (e). The Guarantor, the Borrower and their Restricted Subsidiaries shall have paid all royalties payable under the oil and gas leases to which they are operator, except those not yet due or contested in accordance with the terms of the applicable joint operating agreement or otherwise contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or where failure to so pay could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Upon the delivery of each Reserve Report furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 5.01(d) or (e), the statements made in the preceding sentences of this section shall, as of the date of such Reserve Report, be true in all material respects with respect to such Reserve Reports.
(c) The Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary possess all material licenses, permits, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names, and other intellectual property (or otherwise possess the right to use such intellectual property without violation of the rights of any other Person) which are necessary to carry out their respective business as presently conducted and as presently proposed to be conducted hereafter, and neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary is in violation in any respect of the terms under which it possesses such intellectual property or the right to use such intellectual property, except violations that could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Upon filing of the Deeds of Trust with the Clerk of the County or Parish where the Property thereby covered is located and the financing statements with the appropriate governmental entity, and upon filing financing statements relating to the other Collateral Documents with the appropriate governmental entity, the Collateral Documents will constitute legal, valid and continuing perfected first liens on the Collateral (to the extent perfection is permissible by such filings) as security for the Loans, free and clear of all other Liens, except for the Liens permitted by Section 5.10.
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SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters.
(a) There are no actions, suits 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 of its Subsidiaries (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters) or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.
(b) Except for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.
(c) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.
SECTION 3.09. 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 or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.10. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $100,000 the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $100,000 the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans.
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SECTION 3.11. Disclosure. All written information heretofore or contemporaneously herewith furnished by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and/or the Lenders for the purposes of or in connection with this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby (excluding projections, estimates, and engineering reports) is, and all such information hereafter furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and/or the Lenders will be, true and accurate in every material respect on the date as of which such information is dated or certified. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information (excluding projections, estimates, and engineering reports) furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading on the date as of which such information is dated or certified. To the best knowledge of the Borrower, the engineering reports delivered to the Administrative Agent and/or the Lenders in connection with this Agreement do not contain any material inaccuracies and/or omissions. The said engineering reports, however, are based upon professional opinions, estimates and projections and the Borrower does not warrant that such opinions, estimates and projections will ultimately prove to have been accurate. All other projections and estimates by the Borrower delivered hereunder or in connection herewith were prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions believed by the Borrower in good faith to be reasonable in light of the then current and foreseeable business conditions of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at the time of preparation thereof, it being understood by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that actual results may vary from projected results.
SECTION 3.12. Insurance. The certificates signed by the applicable insurers that attest to the existence of, and summarize, the property and casualty insurance program carried by the Borrower with respect to itself and its Subsidiaries and that has been furnished by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, is complete and accurate in all material respects. This summary includes the insurer’s or insurers’ name(s), policy number(s), expiration date(s), amount(s) of coverage, type(s) of coverage, exclusion(s), and deductibles. This summary also includes similar information, and describes any reserves, relating to any self-insurance program that is in effect.
SECTION 3.13. Subsidiaries. Schedule 3.13 contains an accurate list of all Subsidiaries of the Borrower as of the date of this Agreement, setting forth their respective jurisdictions of organization, the percentage of their respective capital stock or other ownership interests owned by the Borrower or other Subsidiaries, their taxpayer identification number and organizational number, if any, and whether each is a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
SECTION 3.14. No Default. No event has occurred and is continuing which constitutes a Default or Event of Default.
SECTION 3.15. Compliance with Anti-Terrorism Laws. Neither the Borrower nor any Guarantor is identified by OFAC or otherwise qualifies as a Embargoed Person. Neither the Borrower nor any Guarantor is in violation of any applicable law relating to anti-money laundering or anti-terrorism, including, without limitation, those related to transacting business with Embargoed Persons or the requirements of the Patriot Act.
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ARTICLE IV.
Conditions
SECTION 4.01. 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 9.02):
(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received the Notes issued pursuant to Section 2.10 payable to the order of each Lender, or an application for Letter of Credit, if applicable.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received the Deed of Trust, executed by the Borrower, in a form satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and their counsel with respect to the Properties therein described, which are part of the Collateral, and such other agreements, documents and instruments as may be necessary and appropriate, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, executed and delivered by the Borrower, as mortgagor or assignor, in favor of the Administrative Agent, ratably for the benefit of the Lenders, in order to create and perfect the Lender Liens in and to all Collateral described therein.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received the Guaranty, executed by Guarantor (if any), in a form satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, and their counsel.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of (i) Xxxxx Xxxxx L.L.P., Texas counsel for the Borrower, (ii) Xxxxx, Xxxx & Xxxxxx, LLP, Wyoming counsel for the Borrower, (iii) Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Xxxxxx E&P, Inc., (iv) Xxxxx & Xxxxxx, LLP, California counsel for the Borrower and (v) Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Borrower. The Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinion.
(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the Borrower, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02.
(h) The Administrative Agent shall have received incumbency certificates, executed by the respective Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Borrower and each Guarantor which shall identify by name and title and bear the signatures of the Authorized Officers and any other officers authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which the Borrower and each Guarantor, respectively is a party, upon which certificate the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely until informed of any change in writing by the Borrower.
(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
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(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received written money transfer instructions, acceptable to the Administrative Agent and addressed to the Administrative Agent and signed by an Authorized Officer of the Borrower, on behalf of the Borrower, together with such other related money transfer authorizations as the Administrative Agent may have reasonably requested.
(k) The Administrative Agent shall have received title reports or summaries, other title information and title review with respect to the Oil and Gas Properties included in the Collateral and in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, covering at least seventy percent (70%) of the aggregate present worth of the proved reserves that are included in the Borrowing Base.
(l) The Administrative Agent shall have received the Initial Reserve Report upon which the initial Borrowing Base has been determined.
(m) The Administrative Agent shall have received copies of any environmental reports possessed by Borrower regarding any environmental assessment of the Oil and Gas Properties included in the Collateral.
(n) The Administrative Agent shall have received the insurance certificate(s) described in Section 3.12.
(o) The Administrative Agent shall have received the Financial Statements described in Section 3.04.
(p) The Administrative Agent shall have received full payment of all fees due hereunder or under the terms of the Fee Letter.
(q) The Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents as any Lender or its counsel may have reasonably requested.
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 9.02) at or prior to 3:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on November 16, 2006 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, 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) The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct 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 that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct as of such earlier date and taking into account any amendments to the schedules or exhibits as a result of any disclosures made in writing by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent after the Effective Date and approved by the Administrative Agent and Required Lenders in writing.
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(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a 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 paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.
ARTICLE V.
Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements; Other Information. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a) within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ 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 an independent public accounting firm acceptable to the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent hereby approves Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP for such purposes (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) within 45 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, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower (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 Sections 6.01 and 6.02 and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;
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(d) by March 1st of each year, a Reserve Report prepared by an Approved Petroleum Engineer, which report shall be dated as of December 31 of the prior year, concerning the Oil and Gas Properties and interests owned by the Borrower, the Guarantors and their Restricted Subsidiaries which are located in the United States of America and which have attributable to them proved oil or gas reserves. This report shall be in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and shall include such reasonable assumptions as the Administrative Agent shall specify (including discount rates and projected Hydrocarbon price assumptions), shall contain sufficient information to enable the Borrower to meet the reporting requirements concerning oil and gas reserves contained in Regulations S-K and S-X promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, shall take into account any material “over-produced” and “under produced” status under gas balancing arrangements, and shall contain information and analysis comparable in scope to that contained in the Initial Reserve Report, including the domestic on-shore proved oil and gas reserves of the Guarantor, the Borrower and their Restricted Subsidiaries as of the date of such report, and the discounted net present value (at a rate reasonably acceptable to the Lenders). Together with such report, the Borrower shall furnish to the Lenders any updated production history of the proven oil and gas reserves of the Guarantor, the Borrower and their Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date, the lease operating expenses attributable to the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ Oil and Gas Properties for the prior twelve month period, together with any other information as to the operations of the Guarantor, the Borrower and their Subsidiaries as reasonably requested by the Lenders. Together with such report, the Borrower shall furnish to the Lenders such additional data and information concerning pricing, quantities, or volume of production from or attributable to the Oil and Gas Properties with respect thereto as the Lenders may reasonably request, including, without limitation, detailed consolidated financial projections and capital budget. This report shall distinguish (or shall be delivered together with a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Borrower which distinguishes) those properties treated in the report which are Collateral from those properties treated in the report which are not Collateral;
(e) by September 1st of each year and promptly following notice of an additional Borrowing Base redetermination under Section 2.09(c) above, a Reserve Report prepared as of June 30 of such year by petroleum engineers who are employees of the Borrower, in the same form and scope as the report delivered in paragraph (d) above. The Reserve Report shall be prepared by or at the direction of the Borrower and shall be certified by the senior petroleum engineer of the Borrower as to the truth and accuracy of the information utilized to prepare the Reserve Report and the estimates included therein;
(f) as soon as available, and in any event within forty-five (45) days after the end of each quarter, the following reports and information for such fiscal quarter: production reports for the Oil and Gas Properties included in the Borrowing Base, commodity prices, sales revenues, operating expenses for the Oil and Gas Properties included in the Borrowing Base and production taxes, in form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent; and
(g) promptly following any request therefor, such other information (including reserve, engineering, geological, and title information) regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or Section 5.01(b) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the
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Internet at xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent, which shall then promptly notify each Lender (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents, and the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents; notwithstanding anything contained herein, in every instance the Borrower shall be required to provide paper copies of the compliance certificate required by Section 5.01(c) to the Administrative Agent, which shall then promptly furnish such compliance certificate to the Lenders. Except for such compliance certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain 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 for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it .or maintaining its copies of such documents.
SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of the following after an Authorized Officer obtains knowledge thereof:
(a) the occurrence of any Default;
(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $100,000; and
(d) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower 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 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect (a) its legal existence and (b) except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be excepted to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 5.11.
SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, that, if not paid, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect 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.
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SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all operating equipment material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) 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.
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will keep proper consolidated books of record and account in accordance with GAAP. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries 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, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested , subject in all cases to any confidentiality restrictions that may be applicable to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and to any confidentiality restrictions that the Borrower reasonably imposes on the Persons receiving such information; provided, however, that neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to disclose to the Administrative Agent or any agents or representatives thereof any information which is the subject of attorney-client privilege or attorney’s work product privilege properly asserted by the applicable Person to prevent the loss of such privilege in connection with such information; and provided, further, that the Borrower will use commercially reasonable efforts to furnish such information (excluding information covered by confidentiality restrictions in agreements relating to seismic, geologic or geophysical data or similar technical and business matters relating to the exploration for oil and gas), which requirement shall be satisfied if the Administrative Agent is offered the opportunity to review such confidential information by executing or otherwise becoming a party to the confidentiality restrictions on substantially the same terms (including any standstill provisions) as are applicable to the Borrower.
SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit. The proceeds of the Loans and Letters of Credit will be used only for Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries’ working capital, capital expenditures, permitted acquisitions, other general corporate purposes and the exploration, development and acquisition of Oil and Gas Properties. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any other purpose, or for the benefit of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, or for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X.
SECTION 5.09. Indebtedness. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness created hereunder;
(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 5.09, and any extensions, renewals or replacements of any such Indebtedness, provided that such extension, renewal or replacement does not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(c) Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Subsidiary and of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary;
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(d) Guarantees by the Borrower of Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary and by any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary;
(e) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this paragraph (e) shall not exceed $5,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(f) Indebtedness arising under any Bond;
(g) Indebtedness under Swap Agreements, to the extent permitted under Section 5.13;
(h) Indebtedness consisting of Non-Recourse Debt in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $25,000,000 at any time outstanding; provided that Borrower shall not incur any Non-Recourse Debt after the Effective Date without the Administrative Agent’s prior written consent to the relevant documentation establishing or evidencing the non-recourse nature and amount of such Non-Recourse Debt, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld;
(i) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the Effective Date; provided that such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary;
(j) Subordinated Indebtedness;
(k) Indebtedness incurred to finance the acquisition of equipment, provided that the amount of such Indebtedness does not exceed the purchase price of such equipment; and
(l) other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $2,000,000 at any time outstanding.
SECTION 5.10. Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:
(a) Permitted Encumbrances;
(b) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 5.10; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals or replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset (together with receivables, intangibles and proceeds thereof) prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in
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contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary , as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be and extensions, renewals or replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(d) Liens on fixed or capital assets (together with receivables, intangibles and proceeds thereof) acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by Section 5.09(e), (ii) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 180 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and (iv) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(e) Liens securing obligations and liabilities of the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary under Swap Agreements to the extent permitted hereunder; and
(f) Liens granted to secure Non-Recourse Debt permitted under Section 5.09(h).
SECTION 5.11. Fundamental Changes.
(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets, or all or substantially all of the stock of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any Person may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Person may merge into any Restricted Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary, (iii) any Restricted Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to the Borrower or to another Restricted Subsidiary and (iv) any Restricted Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 5.12.
(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related thereto.
SECTION 5.12. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit, except:
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(a) Permitted Investments;
(b) investments by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the Equity Interests of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(c) loans or advances made by the Borrower to any Restricted Subsidiary and made by any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary; and
(d) Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 5.09;
(e) investments consisting of Swap Agreements to the extent permitted under Section 5.09(g);
(f) loans or advances to employees in the ordinary course of business in an aggregate amount for all employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries not in excess of $750,000 at anyone time outstanding;
(g) trade credits and accounts arising in the ordinary course of business;
(h) investments made as a result of the receipt of non-cash considerations from a disposition that was made pursuant to and in compliance with this Agreement;
(i) investments made in any debtor of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary as a result of the receipt of stock, obligations or securities in settlement of debts created in the ordinary course of business and owing to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(j) investments made pursuant to the requirements of farm-out, farm-in, unit, joint operating, unit operating, joint venture, area of mutual interest and other oil and gas agreements, gathering systems, pipelines or other similar or customary arrangements entered into the ordinary course of business (including advances to operators under operating agreements entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business); provided that any such single investment in excess of $3,000,000 shall be approved by the Board of Directors of the Borrower;
(k) investments made in connection with the purchase, lease, or other acquisition of tangible assets of any Person and investments made in connection with the purchase, lease or other acquisition of all or substantially all of the business, of any Person, or all of the capital stock or other equity interests of any Person, or any division, line of business or business unit of any Person (including (i) by the merger or consolidation of such Person into the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or by the merger of a Restricted Subsidiary into such Person and (ii) the purchase of proved reserves);
(l) repurchase of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants if such Equity Interest represent a portion of the exercise price or such options or warrants or the payment of withholding taxes through the issuance of Equity Interests;
(m) the purchase of fractional shares arising out of stock dividends, splits or combinations or business combinations;
(n) any other investments in any Person having an aggregate fair market value (measured on the date each such investment was made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), when taken together will all other investments made pursuant to this clause (n) do not exceed $2,000,000 outstanding at any time;
(o) investments outstanding as of the Effective Date in Unrestricted Subsidiaries; and
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(p) investments, loans, advances and acquisitions in exchange for, or out of the net cash proceeds from the sale of, Equity Interests of the Borrower.
SECTION 5.13. Swap Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing to the contrary, Borrower shall be permitted to enter into Swap Agreements so long as the aggregate notional amount of such Swap Agreements (measured at the time each transaction under such Swap Agreement is entered into) are not in excess of 75% of the “projected proved developed producing” reserves for the current year for both crude oil and natural gas, based on the Reserve Report most recently delivered to and approved by the Administrative Agent. As used in this clause, “projected proved developed producing” means the forecasted production of crude oil and natural gas as reflected in the most recent Reserve Report delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.01, after giving effect to any pro forma adjustments for the consummation of any acquisitions or dispositions of Oil and Gas Properties and production from new xxxxx completed since the effective date of such Reserve Report.
SECTION 5.14. Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except (a) the Borrower may declare and pay Restricted Payments with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, (b) Borrower may declare and pay dividends in cash on its 8% Convertible Preferred Stock outstanding on the Effective Date, provided that no Default or Event of Default exists at the time of such payment and such payment will not cause a Default or Event of Default, (c) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests (or on a basis more favorable to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries), (d) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (e) the Borrower may make cash payments in lieu of issuing fractional shares in an aggregate amount not exceeding $200,000 during the term of this Agreement, provided that no Default or Event of Default exists at the time of such payment, such payment will not cause a Default or Event of Default and such payment is made only in respect of Borrower’s 8% Convertible Preferred Stock outstanding on the Effective Date, (f) the Borrower may declare and pay distributions effecting “poison pill” rights plans provided that any securities or rights so distributed have a nominal fair market value at the time of declaration and (g) the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary may make any Restricted Payment out of the net cash proceeds from the sale of Equity Interests of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary.
SECTION 5.15. Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates (excluding its subsidiaries), except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate, (c) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 5.14, (d) with respect to any Person serving as an officer, director, employee or consultant of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (e) the payment of reasonable compensation, benefits or indemnification liabilities in connection with his or her services in such capacity provided that the payment of any such compensation, benefits or indemnification liabilities are approved by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors of the Borrower or by the compensation committee of the Borrower,
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(f) the making of advances for travel or other business expenses in the ordinary course of business or (g) such Person’s participation in any benefit or compensation.
SECTION 5.16. Restrictive Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets (other than (1) Equity Interests in any Unrestricted Subsidiary, (2) other investments in Equity Interests of joint ventures permitted under Section 5.12, (3) investments permitted under Section 5.12(j) if such restriction or conditions apply only to the property or assets that are the subject of such investment), or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by this Agreement, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 5.16 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary or other assets pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary or other assets that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) paragraph (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, (v) paragraph (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof (vi) existing restrictions with respect to a Person acquired by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent such restrictions were put in place in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), which restrictions are not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired and (vii) customary supermajority voting provisions and other customary provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets, each contained in corporate charters, bylaws, stockholders’ agreements, limited liability company agreements, partnership agreements, joint venture agreements and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
SECTION 5.17. Agreement to Deliver Collateral Documents. The Borrower agrees to deliver, and to cause each Restricted Subsidiary to deliver, to further secure the Loans whenever requested by the Administrative Agent in its sole and absolute discretion, deeds of trust, mortgages, chattel mortgages, security agreements, financing statements and other Collateral Documents in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent for the purpose of granting, confirming, and perfecting first and prior liens or security interests (subject to Section 5.10) in any real or personal Property now owned or hereafter acquired by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary. The Borrower also agrees to deliver, and to cause each Restricted Subsidiary to deliver, whenever requested by the Administrative Agent in its sole and absolute discretion, title reports or summaries, other title information or favorable title opinions from the Borrower or its legal counsel reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent with respect to any of the Oil and Gas Properties included in the Borrowing Base designated by the Administrative Agent, based upon abstract, record, instruments, title reports or photocopied information, examinations to dates reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent necessary to verify that (i) such Person has Defensible Title to up to 70% of the aggregate present worth of the proved reserves included in the Borrowing Base free and clear of all Liens other than Liens permitted under Section 5.10, (ii) up to 80% of the aggregate present worth of the proved reserves included in the Borrowing Base are subject to Collateral Documents securing the Loans that constitute and create legal, valid and duly perfected first deed of trust or mortgage liens in such properties and
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interests and first priority assignments of and security interests in the Hydrocarbons attributable to such properties and interests and the proceeds thereof (subject to Liens permitted under Section 5.10), and (iii) covering such other matters as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.
SECTION 5.18. Deposit of Production Proceeds. Notwithstanding that, by the terms of the various Loan Documents, the Guarantor, the Borrower and their Restricted Subsidiaries are and will be assigning to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all of the “Production Proceeds” (as defined therein) accruing to the Oil and Gas Property constituting Collateral and covered thereby, so long as no Event of Default has occurred the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary may continue to receive from the purchasers of production all such Production Proceeds, subject, however, to the Liens created under the Loan Documents, which Liens are hereby affirmed and ratified and provided that to further secure the Administrative Agent’s and Lenders’ Liens upon such Production Proceeds, the Borrower shall, and shall cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, maintain their operating accounts with the Administrative Agent and not to redirect the payment of Production Proceeds from such operating accounts without the written consent of the Administrative Agent. Upon the occurrence of a Event of Default, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may exercise all rights and remedies granted under the Loan Documents, including the right to obtain possession of all Production Proceeds then held by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or to receive directly from the purchasers of production all Production Proceeds. In no case shall any failure, whether purposed or inadvertent, by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to collect directly any such Production Proceeds constitute in any way a waiver, remission or release of any of their rights under the Loan Documents, nor shall any release of any Production Proceeds by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary constitute a waiver, remission, or release of any other Production Proceeds or of any rights of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to collect other Production Proceeds thereafter.
SECTION 5.19. Subsidiary Guaranty. The Borrower shall cause each Restricted Subsidiary, whether now existing or created, acquired or coming into existence after the date hereof, to execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an absolute and unconditional Guaranty of the timely repayment of the Loans and the due and punctual performance of the obligations of Borrower hereunder, which Guaranty shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in form and substance. The Borrower shall cause each Restricted Subsidiary existing on the date hereof to duly execute and deliver such a Guaranty prior to the making of any Loan hereunder. The Borrower will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to deliver to the Administrative Agent, simultaneously with its delivery of such a Guaranty, written evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel that such Restricted Subsidiary has taken all company action necessary to duly approve and authorize its execution, delivery and performance of such Guaranty and any other documents that it is required to execute.
SECTION 5.20. Patriot Act. The Borrower shall not, nor cause or permit any Guarantor to, (a) be or become subject at any time to any law, regulation, or list of any government agency (including, without limitation, the list maintained by OFAC and accessible through the OFAC website) that prohibits or limits any Lender from making any advance or extension of credit to Borrower or from otherwise conducting business with the Borrower or any Guarantor, or (b) fail to provide documentary and other evidence of Borrower’s identity as may be requested by any Lender at any time to enable any Lender to verify Borrower’s identity or to comply with any applicable law or regulation, including, without limitation, the Patriot Act. In addition, the Borrower hereby agrees to provide to any Lender any additional information that such Lender deems necessary from time to time in order to ensure compliance with all applicable laws concerning money laundering and similar activities.
SECTION 5.21. Equity Interests. The Borrower shall not, nor cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, permit a Lien (other than a Lender Lien) to be placed on any of the Equity Interests owned by Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in any other Person; provided that Liens
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against Equity Interests in an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be permitted to the extent such Lien is granted to secure Non-Recourse Debt permitted under Section 5.09(h).
ARTICLE VI.
Financial Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 6.01. Minimum Current Ratio. Beginning with the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2006, the Borrower will not permit the ratio, determined as of the end of a fiscal quarter, of (i) Consolidated Current Assets to (ii) Consolidated Current Liabilities minus Current Maturities of Long Term Indebtedness to be less than 1.00:1.00.
SECTION 6.02. Maximum Indebtedness to EBITDAX. Beginning with the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2006, the Borrower will not permit the ratio, determined as of the end of a fiscal quarter, of (i) Total Net Debt to (ii) EBITDAX to be greater than 3.50:1.00, for the twelve (12) months ending as of the last day of such fiscal quarter.
ARTICLE VII.
Events of Default
If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur and be continuing:
(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 or otherwise;
(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in paragraph (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three Business Days;
(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver hereunder shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;
(d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant or agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.03 (with respect to the Borrower’s existence), 5.08, 5.09, 5.10, 5.11, 5.12, 5.13, or 5.14, or in Article VI;
(e) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in paragraph (a), (b) or (d) of this Article), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice thereof
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from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
(f) the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable;
(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this paragraph (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;
(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Restricted 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, (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such proceeding, (iii) make a general assignment for the benefit of the foregoing shall be entered;
(i) the Borrower or any Restricted 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 paragraph (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Restricted 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;
(j) the Borrower or any Restricted 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 $2,000,000 (exclusive of amounts fully covered by valid and collectible insurance for which the issuer has not denied coverage) shall be rendered against the Borrower, any Restricted 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 Restricted Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;
(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or
(m) a Change in Control shall occur;
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(n) (i) any Collateral Document shall for any reason fail to create a valid and (to the extent perfection is obtained by filing) perfected first priority security interest (subject to Section 5.10) in any material portion of the Collateral (as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable judgment) purported to be covered thereby, or any Collateral Document shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any Collateral Document as to any material portion of the Collateral (as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable judgment), or (ii) the Borrower shall fail to comply with any of the material terms or provisions of any Collateral Document; and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of twenty (20) days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to Borrower;
(o) except to the extent such Guaranty is terminated in accordance with the terms hereof, any Guaranty shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any Guaranty, or any Guarantor shall fail to comply with any of the terms or provisions of any Guaranty to which it is a party and such failure could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or any Guarantor shall deny that it has any further liability under any Guaranty to which it is a party, or shall give notice to such effect; or
(p) any other Loan Document shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any Loan Document;
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described in paragraph (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any event with respect to the Borrower described in paragraph (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, 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.
ARTICLE VIII.
The Administrative Agent
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 on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
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The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein. 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, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), 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 Subsidiaries 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 not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful midconduct. 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 the Administrative Agent 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, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the 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. 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 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 paragraphs 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.
Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by
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the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor 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. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 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.
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. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative 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 related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
ARTICLE IX.
Miscellaneous
SECTION 9.01. Notices.
(a) Except as otherwise permitted by Article II with respect to borrowing notices, all notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including electronic transmission, facsimile transmission or similar writing) and shall be given to such party: (x) in the case of the Borrower, the Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent, at its address or facsimile number set forth on the signature pages hereof, (y) in the case of any Lender, at its address or facsimile number set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire or (z) in the case of any party, at such other address or facsimile number as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in accordance with the provisions of this Section 9.01. Each such notice, request or other communication shall be effective (i) if given by facsimile transmission, when transmitted to the facsimile number specified in this Section and confirmation of receipt is received, (ii) if given by mail, 72 hours after such communication is deposited in the mails with first class postage prepaid, addressed as aforesaid, or (iii) if given by any other means, when delivered (or, in the case of electronic transmission, received) at the address specified in this Section; provided that notices to the Administrative Agent under Article II shall not be effective until received.
(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II 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.
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(c) Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.
SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments.
(a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power 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 a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder 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 consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, or (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, 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 hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except that the Commitment of such Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) the Guaranty shall be terminated as to one or more Guarantors and Collateral (but not the proceeds thereof) shall be released from the Lenders Lien of the Collateral Documents from time to time as necessary to effect any sale of assets, including the sale of a Guarantor, permitted by the Loan Documents, (ii) the Guaranty shall be terminated (and any Lenders Lien on the assets of such Guarantor and the Equity Interests in such Guarantor shall be terminated) as to any Guarantor at such time as such Guarantor shall have been designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to the Loan Documents, and (iii) the Administrative Agent shall execute and deliver all release documents reasonably requested to evidence such release. Any termination or release under the terms and provision of this Section 9.02(c) to the extent representing the
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sale or disposition of any Oil and Gas Properties of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (or the sale, disposition, or designation as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, of any Restricted Subsidiary owning such Oil and Gas Properties) representing in excess of 5% of the Borrowing Base immediately prior to such event shall automatically initiate a redetermination of the Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 2.09(e).
SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of this Agreement or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) 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 and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.
(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including 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), (iii) 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, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) 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; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.
(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank in its capacity as such.
(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect,
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consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.
(e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.
SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns.
(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties 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. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the Parties, 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 paragraph (c) of this Section) 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 paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:
(A) the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required 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;
(B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of any Commitment to an assignee that is a Lender with a Commitment immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment; and
(C) the Issuing Bank.
(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, 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;
57
(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, 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.
For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the term “Approved Fund” has the following meaning:
“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.
(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a Party and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a Party but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section.
(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount 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, 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.
(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, 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 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(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 paragraph.
(c)(i) Any Lender may, without the consent of but with notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a
58
“Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other Parties for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender.
(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.17 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 2.17(e) as though it were a Lender.
(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section 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.
SECTION 9.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other Parties 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, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII 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 or any provision hereof.
SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. 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 and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent
59
constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION 9.07. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement 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; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.
SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.
(a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of Texas.
(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the district courts of the State of Texas sitting in Xxxxxx County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of Texas, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, 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 be heard and determined in such Texas State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the Parties 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 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 its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(c) The Borrower 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 in any court referred to in paragraph (b) 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.
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(d) Each Party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any Party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY 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.
SECTION 9.11. 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 9.12. 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 required by any regulatory authority, (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, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, 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. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section 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 9.13. Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this
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Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.
SECTION 9.14. Patriot Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the Patriot Act hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
XXXXXX RESOURCES, INC., a Maryland corporation |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
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Name: |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
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Title: |
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer |
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Address: |
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000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx |
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Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 |
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Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, |
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Executive Vice President |
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& Chief Financial Officer |
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Telephone: (000) 000-0000 |
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Facsimile: (000) 000-0000 |
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually and as Administrative Agent, |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxxx |
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Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxxx, Vice President |
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000 Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx |
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Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 |
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Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx-Xxxxx |
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Telephone (000) 000-0000 |
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Fax: (000) 000-0000 |
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Signature Page to Credit Agreement
PRICING SCHEDULE
APPLICABLE RATE |
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Level I |
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Level II |
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Level III |
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Level IV |
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Eurodollar Loan |
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1.25 |
% |
1.50 |
% |
1.75 |
% |
2.00 |
% |
ABR Loan |
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0.25 |
% |
0.50 |
% |
0.75 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
Facility Fee Rate |
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0.20 |
% |
0.25 |
% |
0.375 |
% |
0.50 |
% |
For the purposes of this Schedule, the following terms have the following meanings, subject to the final paragraph of this Schedule:
“Borrowing Base Usage” means, as of any date, the percent of the Borrowing Base then in effect represented by the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of all loans then outstanding under the Facility, plus (ii) the aggregate face amount of all Letters of Credit then outstanding under the Facility.
“Level I Status” exists at any date if the Borrowing Base Usage as of such date is less than 50%.
“Level II Status” exists at any date if the Borrowing Base Usage as of such date is less than 75% but equal to or more than 50%.
“Level III Status” exists at any date if the Borrowing Base Usage as of such date is less than 90% but equal to or more than 75%.
“Level IV Status” exists at any date if the Borrower has not qualified for Level I Status, Level II Status or Level III Status as of such date.
“Status” means Level I Status, Level II Status, Level III Status or Level IV Status.
The Applicable Rate and Facility Fee Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time in accordance with the foregoing table.
SCHEDULE 2.01
Commitments
Lender |
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Commitment Amount |
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JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. |
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$ |
40,000,000 |
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EXHIBIT “A”
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, guarantees, and swingline loans 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: |
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2. |
Assignee: |
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[and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender]] |
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3. |
Borrower(s): |
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4. |
Administrative Agent: |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement |
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5. |
Credit Agreement: |
The $150,000,000 Credit Agreement dated as of November , 2006 among Xxxxxx Resources, Inc., the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto |
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6. Assigned Interest:
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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:
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ASSIGNEE |
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[NAME OF ASSIGNEE] |
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[Consented to and] Accepted:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent
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[Consented to:] |
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[NAME OF RELEVANT PARTY] |
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A-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 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.
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 telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of Texas.
EXHIBIT B
Form of Note
PROMISSORY NOTE
$ |
Houston, Texas |
November 15, 2006 |
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, XXXXXX RESOURCES, INC., a Maryland corporation (“Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to the order of , a (herein called “Lender”), the principal sum of up to DOLLARS ($ ), or such amount as may outstanding from time to time pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined), together with interest on the unpaid principal balance thereof as hereinafter set forth, both principal and interest payable as herein provided in lawful money of the United States of America at the offices of the Administrative Agent under the Credit Agreement, 000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, or at such other place within Houston, Texas, as from time to time may be designated by the holder of this Note.
This Note (a) is issued and delivered under that certain Credit Agreement dated November , 2006 among Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the lenders (including Lender) referred to therein (herein, as from time to time supplemented, amended or restated, called the “Credit Agreement”), and is a “Note” as defined therein, (b) is subject to the terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement, which contains provisions for payments and prepayments hereunder and acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain stated events, and (c) is secured by and entitled to the benefits of certain Loan Documents (as identified and defined in the Credit Agreement). Payments on this Note shall be made and applied as provided herein and in the Credit Agreement. Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement for a description of certain rights, limitations of rights, obligations and duties of the parties hereto and for the meanings assigned to terms used and not defined herein and to the Collateral Documents for a description of the nature and extent of the security thereby provided and the rights of the parties thereto.
The principal amount of this Note, together with all interest accrued hereon, shall be due and payable in full on the Maturity Date.
So long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, all ABR Loans (exclusive of any past due principal or interest) from time to time outstanding shall bear interest on each day outstanding at the Alternate Base Rate in effect on such day plus the Applicable Rate. If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, all ABR Loans (exclusive of any past due principal or interest) from time to time outstanding shall bear interest on each day outstanding at the default rate in effect on such day as may be specified pursuant to Section 2.13 of the Credit Agreement. On each Interest Payment Date Borrower shall pay to the holder hereof all unpaid interest which has accrued on the ABR Loans to but not including such Interest Payment Date. So long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, each Eurodollar Loan (exclusive of any past due principal or interest) shall bear interest on each day during the related Interest Period at the related Adjusted LIBO Rate in effect on such day plus the Applicable Rate. If a Default has occurred and is continuing, all Eurodollar Loans (exclusive of any past due principal or interest) from time to time outstanding shall bear interest on each day outstanding at the default rate in effect on such day as may be specified pursuant to Section 2.13 of the Credit Agreement. Borrower shall pay to the holder hereof all unpaid interest which has accrued on each Eurodollar Loan on the last day of its applicable Interest Period and, if such Interest Period is longer than three months, on the last day of each three-month interval during such Interest Period. All past due principal of and past due interest on
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the Loans shall bear interest on each day outstanding at the default rate in effect on such day as may be specified pursuant to Section 2.13, and such interest shall be due and payable daily as it accrues. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph: (a) this Note shall never bear interest in excess of the Maximum Rate, and (b) if at any time the rate at which interest is payable on this Note is limited by the Maximum Rate (by the foregoing subsection (a) or otherwise), this Note shall bear interest at the Maximum Rate and shall continue to bear interest at the Maximum Rate until such time as the total amount of interest accrued hereon equals (but does not exceed) the total amount of interest which would have accrued hereon had there been no Maximum Rate applicable hereto.
Notwithstanding the foregoing paragraph and all other provisions of this Note, in no event shall the interest payable hereon, whether before or after maturity, exceed the maximum interest which, under applicable Law, may be contracted for, charged, or received on this Note, and this Note is expressly made subject to the provisions of the Credit Agreement which more fully set out the limitations on how interest accrues hereon.
If this Note is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection after default, or if all or any part of the indebtedness represented hereby is proved, established or collected in any court or in any bankruptcy, receivership, debtor relief, probate or other court proceedings, Borrower and all endorsers, sureties and guarantors of this Note jointly and severally agree to pay reasonable attorneys’ fees and collection costs to the holder hereof in addition to the principal and interest payable hereunder.
Except as expressly provided in Article VII of the Credit Agreement, Borrower and all endorsers, sureties and guarantors of this Note hereby severally waive demand, presentment, notice of demand and of dishonor and nonpayment of this Note, protest, notice of protest, notice of intention to accelerate the maturity of this Note, declaration or notice of acceleration of the maturity of this Note, diligence in collecting, the bringing of any suit against any party and any notice of or defense on account of any extensions, renewals, partial payments or changes in any manner of or in this Note or in any of its terms, provisions and covenants, or any releases or substitutions of any security, or any delay, indulgence or other act of any trustee or any holder hereof, whether before or after maturity.
This Note is, at all times, subject to the Credit Agreement; which shall control in the event of a conflict.
This Note and the rights and duties of the parties hereto shall be governed by the Laws of the State of Texas.
XXXXXX RESOURCES, INC., a Maryland corporation |
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By: |
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Name: |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
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Title: |
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer |
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